| Do you think that the standard deviation is a criminal offense in six states? That P-values come from the P-mart? That Bernoulli Trials are about the crime of the century? Larry Gonick joins his uniquely goofy style to Woollcott Smith's knowledge of statistics to produce a guide to the universe of lies, damn lies, and ... well, you know. Gonick has drawn a signpost directing you toward "Statistical Literacy," "Enlightenment," and "Diploma"; within, you'll find lucid explanations of probability, distributions, error functions, hypothesis testing, and other basic tools of statistics. A lifesaver for students, The Cartoon Guide to Statistics should also be required reading for politicians, reporters, voters, and anyone else who uses or abuses statistics. --Mary Ellen Curtin |