Probability and Statistics

This book is gentle, easy reading on the history of how and why the study of Statistics and Probability came into being. Some actual math is covered, but mostly this book is a primer on basic ideas - not formulas or math. You won't learn how to calculate a mean/median/mode, but you will appreciate the general idea of why statistics or probability is an applied science. I feel like this book is one of the best that I have ever read on a subject. I wanted to learn the topic, but without the background in this book, the subject could have been just cold theory. Now I can evaluate my next statistics/probability book with open eyes.

This is not a book for someone who is trying to teach themselves statistics. It's a book for someone stuck in a statistics class wondering, 'What the heck is this stuff good for? Is this the most boring stuff in the world or what?' You will enjoy the class a lot more if you read this while learning statistics or even after you've finished the course. And of course, it will enhance your learning if you read the book before you get in the classroom.