Fundamentals of Applied Probability the

I took Al Drake's probability class and it changed my way of thinking about theories, events and decisions (not just in math and decision theory, but in life). Drakes takes a deceptively complex, non-intuitive subject and makes it straightforward. This book is a well written, *understandable* text on probability. I've loaned this book to 2 other people who did not take the class and they reported it excellent as well. I highly recommend it.

Probability is easy. It is formal and mathematical. Statistics always seemed impossibly complex, however, and I never could get the subject to stick in my head, though I'd tried several times over a 10-year period. Then I read this book. Drake is concise and clear. Note that this book is the text for the introductory probability course at MIT taken by engineers and business students. Drake is one of the best and most beloved teachers ever to haved worked in the electrical engineering department. I loved his book so I took his class. I loved the class so I eventually TA'd the class.