Just finished Data Detective, a book exploring and explaining statistics in an understandable and enjoyable way. Tim Harford is the author, the same author that sold over a million copies of his book The Undercover Economist. It's fun to read and every ten pages or so will provide you with an "AHA" moment. I only read it because it is the next book to be discussed in my book group, but I'm certainly glad I did. He provides ten separate chapters each on a point that you should think about when you see a statistic being used to make someone's point, whether in headlines in print media, all caps in some social media, or shouted out at the coffee table in your local cafe. I thought I was curious about statistics as a matter of course, but he provides further insight into their creation, their use and misuse, and their immense value if used honestly for the purpose for which they were created. It's about 270 pages and written in a styled designed for those not expert in statistics. He has a clever wit.
It is not a political book in any partisan sense - he's a Brit and a couple of years ago got an OBE for services contributing to a better understanding of economics.
It is not a political book in any partisan sense - he's a Brit and a couple of years ago got an OBE for services contributing to a better understanding of economics.
