That's wonderful, thank you.

I recommend Chapter 11 (starting at page 141 in the PDF file) for a detailed personal account of how he developed the 555 timer chip.

I'm also finding that the first 30 pages of the book is a very readable introduction to how semiconductors and transistors work -- it's written from an engineering mindset as opposed to the usual physics point of view.

Direct link to the book:

http://www.designinganalogchips.com/_count/countdown.pl?desi...

"Without any noise (or some sort of transient disturbance) no circuit would oscillate; it would just sit there, precariously balanced."

Did not know. Learn something interesting on HN everyday ... /:

Well, true! Someone posted on a video on sound generation using IC 555 [0]. Sweet to the ears!

[0] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzaS1nuL8ck

Reputedly, amplifiers that oscillate, and oscillators that do not, are the two great fears of analog designers ...