www.amazon.comwww.amazon.comLots of amateur radio operators have written books. Gordon West, WB6NOA, has his line of license study guides, Ward Silver, N0AX, has written a number of different books, most notably Ham Radio for Dummies, and Dave Ingram, K4TWJ, wrote many books.
There are some hams who have written about topics other than amateur radio, though. Recently, I worked Jack Sanders, K1IFJ. During the course of our QSO, I discovered that he had been the editor of the Ridgefield Press, a newspaper in Connecticut and the author of The Secrets of Wildflowers. I enjoy wildflowers, so I purchased Jack’s book, and am enjoying it a lot.
Another ham who has written a book unrelated to amateur radio is Jim McCulloch, WD7H. His book, Fracture Gradient, is about the technology of “fracking.” The cover describes it as “a heroic tale of discovery and greed that fractures a critical economic paradigm, threatens the international balance of power and challenges the concept of rugged individualism.”
Of course, there is also Art Bell, W6OBB. He’s penned a number of titles on paranormal phenomena. The latest appears to be The Coming Global Superstorm, which was published in 2001. I haven’t actually read any of his books, but I would imagine that they are as entertaining as his radio show.
Now, I’m curious about other hams who have written books. If you know of any please let me know by commenting below or by e-mailing me. Thanks!
Don Keith says
Man, do I write books! Dan, I’ve published 26 so far and #27, The Ship that Wouldn’t Die, will be released by Penguin in April 2015. One of my novels, Firing Point, a submarine thriller, is in pre-production as a major motion picture. I also did a ham radio book, Riding the Shortwaves: Exploring the Magic of Amateur Radio, which has made some of Amazon’s bestseller lists several times.
I also blog on the subject of rapid technological change and its effect on media, society, and amateur radio. It’s at http://n4kc.blogspot.com.
I’m very active on the air as well, all modes and all bands.
So there you go, and 73,
Don N4KC
http://www.donkeith.com
http://www.n4kc.com
Dan KB6NU says
Very cool, Don. Thanks for pointing those out.
Sam Barrett- W5KF says
One of my best Ham friends was Jack Miles Bickham -KU5B (SK) ex-WB5TZZ. He was a prolific writer, a journalism professor, an accomplished DXer, and an all around great friend and bridge partner.
He wrote The Apple Dumpling Gang, as well as over 70 other published works (including some under pseudonyms, including Jack Miles).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bickham
I first got acquainted with Jack, after he guested on a radio talk show, regarding his book ‘Twister’ (no, it pre-dated the more famous movie). Being young and foolish, I called him at home and he was most gracious and we became good friends. He even let me sit in and audit some of his fiction writing courses at the University of Oklahoma.
Jack became a SK in 1997. I still miss him greatly.
Regards, and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to give mention to Jack.
Sam – W5KF
Dan KB6NU says
Great story. Thanks, Sam.
Bart W0IIT says
I am a big fan of Bill Meara of SolderSmoke fame.
He has written three books. In addition to SolderSmoke – Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics, he has written two non-fiction books. One is about his experience in the foreign service, Contra Cross — Insurgency and Tyranny in Central America 1979-1989. The other, Us and Them: An American Family Spends Ten Years WITH FOREIGNERS, is about he and his family’s ten years of service and living in Europe.
Jim McCulloch - WD7H says
Great article, Dan, and thanks for the mention! Fracture Gradient can also be found on the ARRL bookstore website. ARRL also carries an assortment of books written by other hams as long as ham radio is included in the story.
Jim – WD7H
Roberta X says
I’m a ham, and I write books — mostly a science fiction series called “I Work On A Starship,” which can also be found on the web at http://Iworkonastarship.blogspot.com
Dan KB6NU says
Cool! Thanks for pointing us towards your books, Roberta. You should sell them as e-books from your website, like I do here with my study guides.
Jeff Burns says
I’m currently writing a series, Foggy Point Light Trilogy. The first two, Foggy Point Light and Ripples: Return to Foggy Point Light are currently available from Amazon as well as online from Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million. Online versions are available for Kindle, Nook, and Apple Books. The third in the series, Project Vortex is scheduled for release this year. They’re actually not about ham radio, though Ripples does feature a ham radio operator named Bud. The story line is a coastal science fiction mystery that takes place at a lighthouse. My web site is http://www.foggypointlight.com.
Jeff Burns, W4GXL