The Art of Statistics

How to Learn from Data

By: David Spiegelhalter

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

In this "important and comprehensive" (New Yorker) guide to statistical thinking, discover how you can use data and mathematics to gain a better understanding of life’s biggest problems.

The age of big data has made statistical literacy more important than ever. In The Art of Statistics, David Spiegelhalter shows how to apply statistical reasoning to real-world problems. Whether we're analyzing preventative medical screening or the terrible crime sprees of serial killers, Spiegelhalter teaches us how to clarify questions, assumptions, and expectations and, most importantly, how to 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 the power of data.

A Good Overview of Stats for Data Literacy

This book does, at times, get a bit more technical than some people might prefer, but explanations are always followed by relevant examples.

The most important aspect of this book is the way it explains how statistics can be used to mislead, or even how they can mislead unintentionally. It brings up people's poor intuitive understanding of probability, common issues with data sets, pressure on researchers to publish new ideas, various ways researchers can "massage" data, how framing the results affect people's interpretation of results, and many other relevant topics.

I don't think many people will actually be following the checklist for figuring out if the numbers they read in an infographic on Facebook are misleading, but an understanding of basic principles as well as the numerous issues in interpreting statistics should give people a healthy level of skepticism about claims being made.

good book just not for commuting

this is no a commuter book you need to view the tables and graphs to really get the full value from the book. Still very much worth it.

great listen, relies on pdf for visuals.

I enjoyed the audiobook. you do need a working knowledge of statistics or at least a class or two. no maths equations for the most part. great examples of how statistics is applied as well as some of the abuses.

very good statistics overview

If you've had statistics in the past, the first half of the book will be largely review of statistical concepts. if you haven't- it's a very good overview.

In the second half there is time spent on bigger statistical implications in technology and science.

It's a bit of a text book - and as an audio book. you may need to go slow and leverage the supplementary content. That said - the information in this book is stuff everyone should know. We would be a better population if we better understood how the numbers worked and could more readily identify sources of bias.

Good book

The book is hard to follow at times but overall this is the best I found on Data Science on audible.