Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists

Rating:
Summary: so much promise...so little substance
Review: This is a topic that has a lot of promise and one can do so much with it. However, if you're looking for anything more than just the basics (with a few good examples from social statistics), don't bother with this book. This book starts out by identifying the reasons why statistics get distorted, but then after every 20 pages or so this book reads like the script of groundhog day - the same three points (innumeracy, people with a vested interest and apples and oranges comparisons) are referenced again and again. The topic is fascinating but there is very little substance to keep you occupied for more than 30 minutes.