I also sneaked into the sample chapter.. very nice... (ordered already, w/o seeing that before!)
We also have something similar in Germany, the electronics bible "Halbleiter-Schaltungstechnik" (semiconductor circuits techniques) from Tietze - Schenk, 14th edition, quite academic style, and also heavy (> 1800 pages).
The AoE is much more light-footed, and provides much more applied electronics.
Can't expect to receive my exemplar in May!
Frank