How to Lie with Statistics

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More About This Textbook

Overview

Darrell Huff runs the gamut of every popularly used type of statistic,
probes such things as the sample study, the tabulation method, the interview technique, or the way results are derived from the figures,
and points up the countless number of dodges which are used to fool rather than to inform.

Darrell Huff runs the gamut of every popularly used type of statistic, probes such things as the sample study, the tabulation method, the interview technique, or the way the results are derived from the figures, and points up the countless number of dodges which are used to fool rather than inform.

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Editorial Reviews

Management 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.
Atlantic
A pleasantly subversive little book, Guaranteed to undermine your faith in the almighty statistic.
Booknews
A 1954 classic that continues to dispel false beliefs and inform the statistically naive. Huff's direct and witty style exposes how advertisers, government and the media mislead their audiences through the misuse of statistics. Huff then explains how the reader can see through the smoke and mirrors to get to the real meaning--if any--of what is presented. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780393310726
  • Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
  • Publication date: 10/28/1993
  • Edition description: Reissue
  • Pages: 142
  • Sales rank: 78,665
  • Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Darrell Huff lives in Carmel, California.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6
Introduction 7
1 The Sample with the Built-in Bias 11
2 The Well-Chosen Average 27
3 The Little Figures That Are Not There 37
4 Much Ado about Practically Nothing 53
5 The Gee-Whiz Graph 60
6 The One-Dimensional Picture 66
7 The Semiattached Figure 74
8 Post Hoc Rides Again 87
9 How to Statisticulate 100
10 How to Talk Back to a Statistic 122
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 19 )
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Sort by: Showing all of 19 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 8, 2001

    The truth about advertising

    I thought the book was very enjoyable. It allowed one to see the abilities of numbers and how deceiving they are. The book made me realize that even though you know you are looking at a certain number, you have no idea what it means. I loved the book, it was quite funny too in a sarcastic manner. It was very quick to read and contains many humorous illustrations;a great summer reading book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 4, 2001

    Numebrs can be deceiving

    I read this book for summer reading in high school...Although I was not looking foward to reading it by the end of the book I found it to be very interesting and humerous along the way....The overall purpose of the book as stated in chapter 10 is,'How to look a phony statistic in the eye and face it down,' (Huff, 122). This book has really changed my point of view on how I look at surveys that the world uses to solidify faulty gimics....Great book!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 3, 2011

    A Long-Lasting Value

    I still have the (paperback) copy of this book that I used for an introductory statistics course in the early 1970s. My wife was able to use it about five years ago for one of her university courses. I am very glad to see it now available for the Nook!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 10, 2008

    a reviewer

    Highly reccomended, very revealing. You should read it! It will tell you all you need to know about how you can be fooled by statistics.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 15, 2007

    An interesting look at statistics

    I had hesitations on reading this book. Not only was it about math, it was also a required reading for my AP statistics class. I was surprised when I finished that I enjoyed the book. It was well written and gave insight to look at numbers deeper than just a bunch a figures. It was humorous and very informing. A great read for anyone taking a statistics class or who needs help to look beyond the numbers written on the page.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 10, 2003

    dacula student

    Before reading this book, I thought Huff would offer nothing new to thought. Huff proves me wrong by a large margin. His insight in statistics proves the errors of number the common man misses. After being force to read this for school, I find some enjoyment in reading this since it shows that trusting in numbers is a large mistake. Not a bad book, but some parts tend to last a little too long.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 11, 2003

    A world of liars

    I had to read this book for my high school AP statistics class. I truly enjoyed reading this book. My dad had to read the same while he was in college 30 years ago. We were able to discuss the book. Huff was very insightful but humorous at the same time. This book helped me to learn how much goes into statistics and the way that they use their data however they want to. It was a fun way to learn not only about math but about the way that people use that math. It was interesting that even though the book was written over 50 years ago that his examples still worked and I could relate to things he said. I would recommend it to anyone high school level or above especially if you plan on taking or using statistics in your life.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 18, 2000

    essential statistics text

    This is an absolute classic, and is essential reading for both undegraduate statistics students and anyone who has to work with statistics produced by others --- particularly political polls and market surveys. It identifies and explains many of the ways in which data can be presented so as to entirely distort their meaning.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 8, 2000

    46 years old and still current!

    I first saw this book in college in the early '60s. I use it in my statistics and business research classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Other than dollar values much inflated in the past 46 years, Huff's comments are as current today as ever.

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    Posted September 23, 2009

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    Posted November 28, 2011

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    Posted August 11, 2009

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