# Node diagram with encompassing circles

I'm attempting to draw an image similar to this one:

However, I only want to draw three nodes as text ("A", "B", "C") with double headed arrows and the larger overlapping circles....

I've had marginal success with the following:

\begin{tikzpicture}[->,>=stealth',shorten >=1pt,auto,node distance=2.8cm,semithick]
\tikzstyle{style}=[fill=white,draw=none,text=white]
\tikzstyle{line} = [draw, -latex']

\node[state]         (A)              {A};
\node[state]         (B) [right of=A] {B};
\node[state]         (C) [right of=B] {C};

\path [line, <->] (A) -- (B);
\path [line, <->] (B) -- (C);
\end{tikzpicture}


However I cannot get the overlapping outer circles. They should overlap such that the one around A encompasses B, the one around B encompasses A and C, and the one around C encompasses B.

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I'm not sure I understand what you want. Something like \draw (A) circle [radius=3.5cm];? Or circle, draw,minimum size=3.5cm in the node style? Also, please add a complete example with \documentclass, \usepackage{tikz} and any necessary libraries and definitions. –  Caramdir Jun 25 '11 at 11:38

Perhaps :

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows,calc,through}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[->,>=stealth',shorten >=1pt,auto,node distance=2.8cm,semithick]
\tikzset{style/.style={fill=white,draw=none,text=white}}
\tikzset{line/.style = {draw, -latex'}}

\node        (A)              {A};
\node        (B) [right of=A] {B};
\node        (C) [right of=B] {C};
\node [draw] at (A) [circle through={($(B)+(1,1)$)}] {};
\node [draw] at (B) [circle through={($(A)-(1,1)$)}] {};
\node [draw] at (C) [circle through={($(B)-(1,1)$)}] {};
\path [line, <->] (A) -- (B);
\path [line, <->] (B) -- (C);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


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Perfect! Cheers. –  S73417H Jun 26 '11 at 6:01