First published 2013
Statistics has shed its reputation as a boring subject. Google's chief economist Hal Varian now calls the field "sexy." Charles Wheelan demonstrates why in this accessible guide that connects statistical concepts to everyday situations. He explains how data analysis reveals cheating in schools, powers Netflix recommendations, and tracks autism rates. Wheelan removes technical jargon and focuses on the intuitive thinking behind statistical methods. He covers inference, correlation, and regression while showing how data can be manipulated or misrepresented. The book features concrete examples like Schlitz Beer's probability strategies, an International Sausage Festival that illustrates the central limit theorem, and puzzles from Let's Make a Deal. Wheelan shows how researchers use natural experiments to solve complex problems. The author applies the same engaging style that made Naked Economics popular, proving that statistics can be both understandable and entertaining.
Genres: popular-science, non-fiction, mathematics, academic
Vibes: accessible, engaging, thought-provoking
Tropes: accessible-writing, educational, entertaining
260 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company