The Art of Statistics: How to Learn from Data by David Spiegelhalter, ISBN-13: 978-1541618510

Statistics are everywhere, as integral to science as they are to business, and in the popular media hundreds of times a day. In this age of big data, a basic grasp of statistical literacy is more important than ever if we want to separate the fact from the fiction, the ostentatious embellishments from the raw evidence — and even more so if we hope to participate in the future, rather than being simple bystanders.

In The Art of Statistics, world-renowned statistician David Spiegelhalter shows readers how to derive knowledge from raw data by focusing on the concepts and connections behind the math. Drawing on real world examples to introduce complex issues, he shows us how statistics can help us determine the luckiest passenger on the Titanic, whether a notorious serial killer could have been caught earlier, and if screening for ovarian cancer is beneficial. The Art of Statistics not only shows us how mathematicians have used statistical science to solve these problems — it teaches us how we too can think like statisticians. We learn how to clarify our questions, assumptions, and expectations when approaching a problem, and — perhaps even more importantly — we learn how to responsibly interpret the answers we receive.

Combining the incomparable insight of an expert with the playful enthusiasm of an aficionado, The Art of Statistics is the definitive guide to stats that every modern person needs.

David Spiegelhalter is a British statistician and Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication in the Statistical Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. He was also elected as President of the Royal Statistical Society for 2017-18. In addition to presenting documentaries on BBC4, he has appeared on Infinite Monkey Cage, BBC Horizon, and the Life Scientific, and he has been a guest columnist in the Times, Guardian, and New Scientist. Spiegelhalter was knighted for his services to statistics in 2014. He lives in Cambridge, UK.