Just as learning a few simple phrases can improve your experience of a foreign country, gaining some familiarity with basic wiring concepts will aid you in evaluating a prospective job, and help get you on the same page with your electrician. I checked out the following books to see what they offer the informed builder or wire-puller wannabe. Wiring 101 If you really want to get grounded in practical principles and basic technology, author Jeff Markel's Residential Wiring to the 1999 NEC (5th edition 1999, $27 from Craftsman Book Company, P.O. Box 6500, Carlsbad, CA 92018; 800/829- 8123; www.craftsman-book.com) promises to tell you just about everything a book can to get you going
