This book introduces the reader to the niceties of samples (random or stratified random), averages (mean, median or modal), errors (probable, standard or unintentional), graphs, indexes and other tools of democratic persuasion.

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Product details

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (12 Dec. 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0140136290
ISBN-13: 978-0140136296
Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 12.7 x 1 cm
Average Customer Review: 76 customer reviews
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 11,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Methodology & Research > Statistics & Research
- #13 in Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Probability & Statistics
- #17 in Books > Textbooks > Science & Mathematics > Mathematics

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Review

Mr. Huff's lively, human-interest treatment of the dry-as-bones subject of statistics is a timely tonic. . . . This book needed to be written, and makes its points in an entertaining and highly readable manner. Illustrator and author pool their considerable talents to provide light lively reading and cartoon far which will entertain, really inform, and take the wind out of many an overblown statistical sail. A pleasantly subversive little book, Guaranteed to undermine your faith in the almighty statistic.

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Terry Freedman

Still useful after all these years

4 May 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I first read this book at university, where I was studying statistics as part of my degree. However, it has been in the context of other subjects and, indeed, life in general that this book has proven most useful.

The odd-sounding title is easily explained by the author himself. He says he wrote the book much in the same spirit as a burglar might write an instruction manual on how to break into people’s houses — not so much to make it easier for burglars to do so, but so that home-owners can see where their vulnerabilities lie.

These days, the book seems to be even more relevant. Not only are research findings reported in the papers virtually every day, but in education in particular there are quite a few articles of faith that are based on shaky, and sometimes non-existent, foundations.

With chapters like “The well-chosen average”, “The little figures that are not there” and “The semi-attached figure”, the book makes you look at statistics in a different way.

For example, if you were to read a report that tells us that research has shown that 98% of students derive no benefit whatsoever from using technology, you may have a vague feeling of unease about such a finding. However, having read this book you should be able to re-read the report and spot where the statistical sleight of hand occurred (assuming it did occur, of course).

Then again, there are the endless announcements telling us that eating X wards off cancer, causes cancer, is dangerous for people over 40, is only dangerous if you eat more than one a day etc etc ad nauseous. Again, an insight into how some of the figures cited were derived would be immensely helpful in your decision-making.

Illustrated with cartoons by Mel Calman, this light-hearted and slim volume punches way above its weight. Although it was first published over 60 years ago, in 1954, it is still relevant. It should be on every teacher’s shelf and in every school library.

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Awesome little book on statistics in everyday life.

20 June 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I bought this as a graduate student wanting some entertaining, but hopefully useful, reading on statistics. This was recommended in the back of another short book which I recently bought, so I bought a pre-owned copy. It's only about 120 pages, so it doesn't take more than 2'ish hours to get through.

Overall, I found it to be a pleasant and easy-to-read little book about the misuse, either by accident or design, of statistics in everyday life. It's very basic and doesn't go into any detail about more advanced concepts, but it does what it sets out to do very well - and comes across as extremely accessible to readers from any level. Personally, this is a friendly accompaniment to more advanced statistics reading which i'm engaged with, but could also be picked up by someone who desires an awareness of how to avoid being misled by bad statistics.

It is an old book, but it does hold up well in my opinion. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

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The original that everyone follows

30 January 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

If you are a fan of Michael Blastland then reading this book will show you where it all started. The Tiger That Isn't is really an updated version of Huff's book covering many of the same ideas with more recent examples. This is the original that has inspired all the other statistics debunking clones (of which Blastland's is the best I have read so far). So this is important for historical reasons, it shows that in 60 years we are still making the same mistakes and swallowing the same lies. Some of the language is a bit dated - he talks of negroes for example, but it is short readable and accessible to everyone. The examples have influenced statisticians and data journalists for nearly two generations. The only down side is the cost. For 128 pages is a cover price of £9.99 justified for such an old book? That is 8p a page - for that price I want it on parchment.

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Invaluable basic primer on how not to use numbers

27 July 2006

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This excellent book is something very unusual.

First, it's about numbers but manages to be both extremely easy to read and very entertaining.

Secondly, although it is so accessible that a ten-year old of average intelligence should be able to understand everything in this book, the points it makes are so universal in application that even someone with much greater mathematical knowledge - and I write this as a graduate with two degrees in a discipline which requires statistical understanding - can find it full of useful reminders and even the odd valuable idea you might not have thought of or heard of.

The book is about how numbers can be manipulated, by accident or design, to trick people into making false conclusions, and how to spot when you are being fed misleading numbers. In this day and age the ability to spot bad statistics is extremely important to everyone and can literally be a life-saver.

I was very surprised indeed to see that a previous reviewer had described this book as "not for everyone." I could not disagree more strongly.

If every voter read this book, fewer bad politicians would be elected on the basis of dishonest campaign statistics, if every consumer read it, fewer bad products would be sold on the basis of dishonest advertising statistics, and if every journalist read it there might be less harm done by scare stories based on bad statistics.

Despite the fact that this book was written many years ago, every single word in it is still very relevant today.

However, anyone with a serious interest in the subject who wants an update on some of the more recent examples of how statistics are misused should still start by reading "How to Lie with Statistics" and then follow up with the equally good "Damn Lies and Statistics" by Joel Best, which is more current and nearly as accessible. The two books complement each other very well.

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Most recent customer reviews

A. Lister

keep having to buy more copies because I lend it so much

This was one of the first books I read about statistics and I loved it. Although I am the sort of person who focuses on learning broad lessons and so I didn't analyze the specific...Read more

Published 1 day ago

AJL

This book may not teach you anything new, but ...

This book may not teach you anything new, but it will make you think again about statistics, surveys and data analysis and look at results in a more critical way.Read more

Published 2 months ago

P. McCLEAN

sweet, and to the point

This is a classic. It is short, sweet, and to the point. A very entertaining read.

Published 4 months ago

Little W.

Three Stars

Very intense: A hard read!

Published 4 months ago

Ray

Five Stars

An essential book for modern living

Published 4 months ago

Ballylagan

Statistics

Very good book

Published 9 months ago

Amazon Customer

A simple little book, that makes a difficult subect understanable.

The condition was only average but it is a excellent little book, which makes a difficult subject understandable.

Published 9 months ago

Amazon Customer

Same good quality

Good quality and looks exactly like the one we got many years ago- glad some things never change!

Published 10 months ago

Benjamin Graham Feakins

Looks fun

I can't review the content as I haven't read it. I only bought this as a replacement for a friend as I accidentally damaged his copy (which I also didn't read).

Published 1 year ago

Susan M Kirby

I was urging a friend to be very cautious when ...

I was urging a friend to be very cautious when she reads the word 'average', and see whether it is the mean, the median or the mode.Read more

Published 1 year ago

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