The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen is now sold out. An electronic version of the book can be found here.

Did you ever play Myst? Did you ever play Myst without the guide?  We tried for about an hour and then realized that it was much better, and a lot more fun, if there were tips and tricks to help us along our journey.  This guide does to the Shenzhen electronics market what guides used to do to Myst - it makes the markets accessible, easier to navigate, and even fun.

The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen is a beautiful new book by open source hardware pioneer Bunnie Huang.  The book is specifically designed to help non-Mandarin speakers navigate the electronics markets of Shenzhen - where there are hundreds of stalls selling all types of electronics and thousands upon thousands of components.

The book covers everything from picking out the right components, to specifying exactly what you're looking for, to how to pay, close deals and set up delivery.  There are also basic survival tips (like which border crossing to use) that can only come from someone with first-hand experience.

All of this comes in a beautiful spiral package (so the book can stay open easier when trying to communicate) complete with maps and, proving that they thought of everything, business card holders so you can keep track of which vendors you've talked to and how to find your way back.