Medical Illuminations

Howard Wainer is a statistician and author; Medical Illuminations is his 20th book. His first two medical books (technical works in pediatrics) were published almost 40 years ago. He has been working primarily on medical topics since 2001 as the Distinguished Research Scientist of the National Board of Medical Examiners. At various times in his career he has taught at Princeton, The University of Chicago and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.He has a PhD from Princeton and is a fellow in the American Statistical Association and the American Educational Research Association. He has been the recipient of many awards for his broad ranging research and has served internationally on many editorial boards of leading statistical journals as well as a consultant to both government and industry. He has also written a column in the magazine Chance for the past 24 years.

In science, information without understanding can be useless and even harmful. Science requires a depth of understanding. To assist this understanding, data must be accurate, lucid and comprehensible. Dr. Wainer has done an extraordinary job of explaining this reality. Medical Illuminations is well written, insightful and thought provoking. It is filled with evocative stories and examples that are memorable, forcing one to think critically. In addition to the book's important message and examples, I would also recommend this book because it is a pleasure to read. Medical Illuminations is an important work that puts the data used to explain much of medical science in a realistic and important context. In a word, this work is - brilliant!

• SECTION I - COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC ; SECTION II - SOME ADVANCES ; SECTION III - ANOTHER HINDRANCE TO PROGRESS