Good books and videos on magnets
What are some good books and videos on magnets?
I have always found books to be extremely helpful. They often provide the additional information needed for a project that can't be found elsewhere. They also give me something to do when I'm waiting for someone or in a waiting room (why read old magazines when I could read a cool book instead?). Here are some of the better books I know about on the subject of magnets and things you can do with them. Most of the books I've checked out of a library or in book stores have been very good. Listed here are books I've looked at. I own several of them, but not all. The ones I have found most fascinating are listed first. Included are links to amazon.com if you'd like to purchase one. The costs for most of the books are very reasonable ($6 to $12). A few are a bit expensive ($149!). If you are going to make some demonstrations or science projects, I would recommend that you check the library on books about magnets or purchase a new or used book on magnets! There are also great videos that show things that are difficult to visualize or visit.
Videos
The
History
Channel store has several videos that talk about magnets, motors, and
similar topics. Each one costs about $25. For example, under the Modern
Marvels section:
Magnets
(DVD) - all about magnets, how they are made, and their uses
Power Plants
(DVD) - how generators work
Engines (DVD) - how motors and engines power machinery
Walt Disney
World (DVD) - behind the scenes showing how technology and magnetism make it
happen
From Arbor Scientific,
I obtained this video showing Paul Hewitt teaching a class about motors,
generators, magnets and things. Good for high school students. Costs
about $24.
Paul
Hewitt teaches Magnetism (VCR or DVD)
NOVA:
Magnetic Storm (DVD)
Another video that is available on Netflix is NOVA: Secrets of the Sun, with more details on the magnetic environment within and surrounding the sun.
Books
With this, you can do some searching for particular books of
interest at Amazon.com:
(Type in keywords like: magnets, magnetism, electromagnet, experiments with
magnets, magnet experiments, etc, or the title or author of one of the books
listed below.)
Books below are listed as:
Title
Author
ISBN or LCCCN
Publisher
Location and Date
Driving Force, The Natural Magic of
Magnets 
James D. Livingston
0-674-21644
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, Mass 1996
This book is one of the best books in print today about magnets,
levitating trains, etc. If you are serious about learning what
magnets are really like, I highly recommend this.
Rising Force, The Magic of Magnetic Levitation 
James D. Livingston
0-674-05535-3
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, Mass 2011
This second book by James Livingston focuses on how magnetic fields are
used to levitate objects from trains to tops to frogs. A great addition to
your library.
Magnetic Magic 
Paul Doherty and John Cassidy
1-878257-86-2
KlutzPalo
Alto, CA 1994
Here is one of the Klutz series of books. This is a great one on
magnets. They have a lot of great experiments you can do with the
magnets they provide with the book. A super buy for someone who wants to
play around with magnets and discover for himself / herself how magnets behave.
Mondo Magnets
Fred Jeffers
1-55652-630-X
Chicago Review Press
Chicago, IL 2007
Here is a super book that describes 40 different demonstrations and
experiments that you can do with magnets. He has a lot of unique ways of
playing with magnets. He also clearly describes the science behind the
experiments, why it works the way it does. This is well worth it and I
highly recommend it! Available through Independent
Publishers Group. There is the companion DVD that shows several very
interesting experiments performed and explained! A super buy!
Introduction to Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
David Jiles
0-412-79860-3
CRC Press
1998
This covers just about everything you want to know on this topic.
Well written, well illustrated!
Electric Motors and Drives
Austin Hughes
0-7506-4718-3
Elsevier Press
2009
A great book on how motors work and how adjustable speed drives work
Electric Motors and their Controls, an Introduction
Tak Kenjo
0-19-856240-3
Oxford University Press
2003
This
covers the more unique types of motors that are used in appliances,
computers peripherals, cars, etc.
Magnet Science
Glen Vecchione
0-8069-0880-0
Sterling Publishing Co.
New York 1996
A very good book to start learning about magnets. More in depth than the
Magnetic Magic, not as deep as Driving Force. I highly recommend it!
The Magnet Book
Shar Levine, Leslie Johnstone
Sterling Publications
1998
I've looked this over. It is a good review of magnetism along with several basic
experiments.
The Magnetic Wand Discovery Guide
Brown, Riddle, Bonnell
Master Magnetics, Inc.
Castle Rock, CO 1998
I got this from Educational Innovations M-580. A great book for activities
with the wand magnets.
Moo Magnet Cow Magnet Activity Kit
1-887105-00-X
Master Magnetics, Inc.
Castle Rock, CO 1995
This was also from Educational Innovations M-450, and was part of a kit with the
cow magnet you can disassemble. A very well done kit. Also highly
recommended.
Permanent Magnet Design and Application Handbook
Lester Moskowitz
0-8436-1800-0
Cahners Books International
Boston, MASS 1976
This book is a classic. It has everything you may want to know about
permanent magnets. It includes manufacturing, design, measurement,
etc. A friend of mine loaned me his copy.
A similar book by Peter Campbell.
Magnetic Actuators and Sensors
John Brauer
0-471-73169-2
Wiley
Books
2006
If you are an IEEE member, you can get 15% off using the promo code 3-8011
If you are a AAA member, you can get a 5% discount from Barnes & Nobel
Engineer's Mini-Notebook: Magnet and Magnet Sensor Projects
Forrest Mims III
Radio Shack part number 62-5020
USA 1998
Radio Shack finally printed a great booklet, similar to others in their
Engineer's Mini-Notebook series, about magnet projects. It includes a lot
of different types of sensors for magnetic fields. He does a great job in
providing schematics and details for those starting to build electronic
projects.
Here's another good book by Mims from amazon.com.
Hall Effect Sensors: Theory and Application
Ed Ramsden
0929870581
I have not read this book, but it appears to be geared to several ways to use
Hall Effect devices in various types of circuits. Should be useful in
designing Gauss meters and field sensors.
Science Projects About Electricity and Magnetism
Robert Gardner
0-89490-539-9
Enslow Publishers, Inc
Springfield, NJ 1994
Science Experiments
Robert Gardner
0-531-10484-2
Franklin Watts
NY 1988
More Ideas for Science Projects
Robert Gardner
0-531-15126-4
Franklin Watts
NY 1989
Robert Gardner has a lot of good books on science and experiments of all types. Check him out here.
Experimenting
with Electricity and Magnetism
Ovid K. Wong
0-531-12547-5
Franklin Watts
NY 1993
Magnets
Janice Van Cleave
A very popular book, great ideas for science fairs.
200 Illustrated Science Experiments for Children
Robert J. Brown
0-8306-2825-8
Tab Books
Blue Ridge Summit, PA 1987
Electricity and Magnets
Terry Cash
0-531-19063-3
Warwick Press
NY 1989
Experiments with Magnets
Helen Challand
0-516-01279-7
Children's Press
Chicago 1986
Experimenting with Magnetism
Alan Ward
0-7910-1509-2
Chelsea House
NY 1991
Exploring Magnets
Ed Catherall
0-8114-2593-2
Steck-Vaughn
Austin, TX 1990
Physics
Paul W. Zitzewitz
0-675-17264-0
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
Columbus, OH 1992
High school physics text book
700 Science Experiments for Everyone (newer versions
of this are available)
Gerald Wendt / UNESCO
LCCCN 58-11919
Doubleday
USA 1958
Physics
David Halliday and Robert Resnick
LCCCN 66-11527
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
NY 1967
My old college physics text book
Fundamentals of Physics
David Halliday, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker
ISBN 0-471-32000-5
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
NY 2001
Updated college physics text book, an excellent source!
Science Wizardry for Kids
Margaret Kenda and Phyllis Williams
0-8120-4766-4
Barrons
Hong Kong 1992
Advances in Permanent Magnetism
Rollin J. Parker
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
1990.
Good information on various permanent magnets and their uses.
Propulsion
without Wheels
E. R. Laithwaite
Hart Publishing Company
New York, NY 1968
Describes many experiments in magnetic levitation, linear motors, etc. A very
valuable book.
Gordon
McComb's Gadgeteer's Goldmine! 55 Space-age Projects
Gordon McComb
0-8306-3360-X
TAB Books Division of McGraw-Hill Books
New York, NY 1990
A super book describing several cool types of projects like Jacob Ladders, Tesla
Coils, lasers, superconductivity, etc.
Power Electronics and Variable Frequency Drives
Bimal Bose
0-7803-1084-5
IEEE Press
Piscataway, NJ 1997
A thorough review of various types of AC motors and variable speed drives,
especially for the professional or the advanced college student.
Electric
Motors and Control Techniques
Irving Gottlieb
Another good book on motors and drives.
Additional books I have not seen, but have found referenced by
others:
Bleaney, B. I., Electricity and Magnetism, 3d ed. (1989)
Duffin, W. J., Electricity and Magnetism, 4th ed. (1990)
Chen, Chi-Wen, Magnetism and Metallurgy of Soft Magnetic
Materials (1986)
Davis, A. R., and Rawls, W. C., Jr., Magnetism and Its
Effects on the Living System, 4th ed. (1988)
Hargraves, R. B., ed., The Physics of Magnetic Processes
(1980)
Ishikawa, U., and Miura, N., eds., Physics and Engineering
Applications of Magnets (1991)
Jakubovics, J. P., Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (1987)
Jiles, David, Introduction to Magnetism and Magnetic
Materials (1991)
Kaganov, M. T., and Tsukernik, V. M., The Nature of
Magnetism (1985)
Lee, E. W., Magnetism: An Introductory Survey (1970; repr.
1984)
Mattis, D. C., The Theory of Magnetism II (1985)
Besides checking the bookstores or libraries, you may want to try to obtain some of the above books through an inter-library loan program your public library may have. This way, some of the more advanced texts would be available to you from a nearby engineering school. I've checked out some great books this way, especially those that are on physics demonstrations. They have a lot of great material on magnets. For example, you may want to request the following:
A Demonstration Handbook for Physics
G.D. Freier and F.J. Anderson
American Association of Physics Teachers
Stony Brook, NY 1981
Physics Demonstration Experiments Vol 2 (Heat, E&M, Optics,
Atomic and Nuclear Physics)
Harry F. Meiners
The Ronald Press Company, NY
1970
Demonstration Experiments in Physics
Richard M. Sutton
American Association of Physics Teachers
McGraw-Hill Book Company, NY
1938
Physics
Demonstrations, A Sourcebook for Teachers of Physics
Julien C. Sprott
1996