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 · 250 ratings  · 32 reviews

Beginning your review of Conned Once again, Watson: Cautionary Tales Of Logic, Math, And Probability

Conned Again, Watson: Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability, is a fun attempt to teach statistical awareness through Sherlock Holmes stories.

If nothing else, Colin Bruce should be applauded for his ability to craft tight, curtailed stories that excellently illustrate whatever aspect of statistics he is trying to teach, perfectly paced and accessible to the layman. Each chapter, effectually two dozen pages in length, poses some mystery involving statistical sampling, or game theory, or indepe

Conned Once again, Watson: Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability, is a fun attempt to teach statistical sensation through Sherlock Holmes stories.

If nothing else, Colin Bruce should be applauded for his ability to craft tight, concise stories that excellently illustrate whatever attribute of statistics he is trying to teach, perfectly paced and accessible to the layman. Each chapter, around two dozen pages in length, poses some mystery involving statistical sampling, or game theory, or independent probabilities, and is often explained in two different ways by Watson and Holmes. The linguistic communication is clear and accessible, without relying on mathematical formulae, and I blazed through the whole book in no fourth dimension at all.

It didn't actually resonate with me on whatever emotional level – Bruce has a pretty good ear for the Victorian style of prose, but most of the vignettes come across every bit a lilliputian dry and passionless. You're not going to laissez passer AP Stats with this, either. Just they do a skilful job of providing basic explanations for why busses seem to bunch up, why you shouldn't gamble in casinos, and all the million little ways you lot can be deceived with statistics and graphs.

Very neatly done.

...more than

Oct 07, 2019 Philonous rated it really liked it

Well-written and entertaining. While the presented fallacies should be well-known and the stories seem at times a bit contrived, they are fun to read and demonstrate their points vividly and effectively. Would recommend this book to anyone who has fifty-fifty a passing involvement in rationality or statistics. Had a hard fourth dimension putting it away.

Very enjoyable read.

Mar 22, 2019 Paul Weiss rated information technology actually liked it

Y'all might want to re-call up that terminal bet you made!

Talk almost niche marketing! Bamboozled Once more, Watson is a pretty difficult volume to categorize. Perhaps the sub-title does a fair job of letting a potential reader know what it's all about - "cautionary tales of logic, math and probability".

It'southward not a pastiche in the typical sense. What writer Bruce does is just use the characters of Watson and Holmes and some very calorie-free-hearted mysteries to probe typical ignorance and common misunderstandings about

You might desire to re-remember that last bet you made!

Talk most niche marketing! Conned Once again, Watson is a pretty difficult book to categorize. Perhaps the sub-title does a fair task of letting a potential reader know what it's all about - "cautionary tales of logic, math and probability".

It's not a pastiche in the typical sense. What writer Bruce does is just utilize the characters of Watson and Holmes and some very light-hearted mysteries to probe typical ignorance and mutual misunderstandings near probabilities, statistics, game theory and so on. Bayesian conditional probabilities, the boozer'southward walk, probability distributions, the cab driver fallacy, gambling fallacies and other topics of interest in decision theory are touched upon and explained in a style that even the most math-phobic reader could hardly fail to understand.

That said, I expect this is the kind of book that would appeal merely to that specific niche marketplace I referred to before - past readers of the Sherlock Holmes catechism who also had an involvement in popular mathematics. That interest needn't be deep or at a university level only Conned Again, Watson is unlikely to succeed on the basis of an interest in Sherlock Holmes alone.

Recommended.

Paul Weiss

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This is an entertaining volume of Sherlock Holmes and Watson tales, all of which demonstrate flaws of agreement due to logic or probability errors. Many of the puzzles they are presented with defy normal understanding, but are explicated past Holmes to a very credulous Watson.

Jun 08, 2021 Erika marked it as lost-involvement-dnf-not-gonna-read-it  · review of another edition

Like the author explains, this is non a Sherlock Holmes pastiche. It'south a mathematics book TOLD with the characters of Holmes and Watson.
I did have fun reading the maths, but I feel unsatisfied 'cause what I like about Holmes/Watson story is their friendship, and non maths.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Bruce - le trappole della logica 8 - metti logica, matematica, Sherlock e Baker Street. Agitare bene e divertirsi

Oct 22, 2007 Russell rated information technology really liked it

This is a book that blends the aforementioned sort of material found in "What the Numbers Say", "Innumeracy" and "How to Recall Directly".

Here's a quick review from Amazon:

"Some people who think they hate math are lucky to learn that they actually just can't abide its frequently dry, abstract presentation. Physicist Colin Bruce turns math teaching on its head by using disharmonize, drama, and familiar characters to bring probability and game theory to brilliant life in Conned Again, Watson! Cautionary Tales of Logic, M

This is a book that blends the same sort of material found in "What the Numbers Say", "Innumeracy" and "How to Think Straight".

Hither's a quick review from Amazon:

"Some people who recollect they detest math are lucky to larn that they actually just can't abide its often dry out, abstruse presentation. Physicist Colin Bruce turns math instruction on its caput past using conflict, drama, and familiar characters to bring probability and game theory to vivid life in Conned Again, Watson! Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability. Using short stories crafted in the mode of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he lets Sherlock Holmes guide Watson and his clients through elementary mathematical reasoning. This kind of thinking is growing more and more important as poll numbers, economic indicators, and scientific information discover their way into the mainstream, and Bruce's gambit pays off handsomely for the reader. Delving into such arcana as normal distribution, Bayesian logic, and take chances taking, the stories never dry up, fifty-fifty when presenting tables or graphs. Holmes's quick wit, Watson's patience, and their diverse friends' and clients' dubious decisions unite both to entertain and to illuminate tough but important problems. Even the cleverest numerophile volition probably still find a asset or two of hidden knowledge in the book, or at least a few new ways to explain statistical concepts to friends and students. The rest of the states tin relax, savour the tales, and come up away a little fleck tougher to con. --Rob Lightner"

Information technology was a fun book. No, really!

I loved the Sherlock Holmes stories when younger, and the author does a fairly skillful chore of imitating the two famous characters and the feel for story fashion.

If you liked the same books, this volition fit correct in. I recommend it.

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"Sherlock Holmes east le trappole della logica", titolo originale: "Bamboozled Once again, Watson", di Colin Bruce, traduzione di Luca Scarlini eastward Lorenzo Stefano Borgotallo, Raffaello Cortina editore, ISBN: 978-88-7078-712-2.

La traduzione del titolo in italiano risulta un po' fuorviante perché questo bel libro è più incentrato sulle applicazioni del calcolo delle probabilità rispetto a quanto faccia effettivamente riferimento alla sola applicazione della logica deduttiva.

Fifty'Autore si serve della famosa copi

"Sherlock Holmes due east le trappole della logica", titolo originale: "Conned Again, Watson", di Colin Bruce, traduzione di Luca Scarlini east Lorenzo Stefano Borgotallo, Raffaello Cortina editore, ISBN: 978-88-7078-712-2.

La traduzione del titolo in italiano risulta un po' fuorviante perché questo bel libro è più incentrato sulle applicazioni del calcolo delle probabilità rispetto a quanto faccia effettivamente riferimento alla sola applicazione della logica deduttiva.

L'Autore si serve della famosa copia costituita da Holmes eastward Watson per illustrare una serie di micro enigmi fra essi concatenate, con l'intenzione di svelarci alcune applicazioni ingegnose del calcolo combinatorio, ma anche per mettere in guardia il lettore riguardo alla scorretta applicazione delle informazioni che possono derivare da un'osservazione superficiale eastward da una non corretta valutazione dei fattori di scala.

La morale è che il ragionamento scientifico è uno strumento potente del pensiero, ma anch'esso not è privo di insidie e la sua cattiva applicazione può portare altrettanto lontano dalla verità quanto la superstizione, l'istinto, oppure la banale ignoranza.

Leggero, scorrevole e educativo!

...more than

February 09, 2017 Jen rated it really liked it

3.five stars. My non understanding probability/statistics/etc. likewise well aside, the math bug sometimes felt a bit out-of-identify in the mysteries, and the historical figures and references inserted into the text felt a bit forced (the author even mentions at the end that a few of them were non fifty-fifty from the time menstruation where the stories took place).

Dec 12, 2011 Carly rated it it was astonishing

**edited 01/xxx/14

Holmes fans will welcome this extension of Holmes' powers into the probabilistic and game-theoretic domain. Sherlock Holmes enters the domain of probability and game theory with brio, tackling well-loved favorites such as the gambler's fallacy, the birthday paradox, the Monty Hall trouble, Prisoner's Dilemma, independent versus dependent events, and martingales. Holmes fits well into the image--after all, isn't Holmes' well-loved saying, "In one case you have eliminated the impos

**edited 01/thirty/xiv

Holmes fans will welcome this extension of Holmes' powers into the probabilistic and game-theoretic domain. Sherlock Holmes enters the domain of probability and game theory with brio, tackling well-loved favorites such every bit the gambler'south fallacy, the birthday paradox, the Monty Hall problem, Prisoner'due south Dilemma, independent versus dependent events, and martingales. Holmes fits well into the paradigm--after all, isn't Holmes' well-loved proverb, "One time yous have eliminated the incommunicable, any remains, withal improbable, must be the truth", just another way of stating conditional probability?

...
Due to my disapproval of GR'south new and highly subjective review deletion policy, I am no longer posting full reviews here.

The rest of this review tin can be found on Booklikes.

...more

Jul 23, 2016 Gary Holt rated it it was astonishing

I've been reading this volume to our boys (ix and 12), and this is I call back the showtime time they've always been able to understand why math might be interesting. (Sadly, thank you to our elementary school curriculum from time immemorial, elementary schoolhouse math is nothing more than arithmetic.)

I stumbled on this book years ago, and I loved it considering it was such a beautiful presentation of some rather interesting math--especially for somebody who loved Sherlock Holmes. On a whim, I decided to meet if our bo

I've been reading this book to our boys (nine and 12), and this is I call back the first time they've ever been able to empathize why math might be interesting. (Sadly, thanks to our elementary school curriculum from time immemorial, elementary school math is nothing more than than arithmetic.)

I stumbled on this book years ago, and I loved it because it was such a beautiful presentation of some rather interesting math--especially for somebody who loved Sherlock Holmes. On a whim, I decided to see if our boys could acquire anything from information technology. I was very surprised to find that my boys seemed to like it, and keep asking for more--they liked it improve than the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Apparently this book is expert not only for people who like a beautiful presentation of things they already know, but too for people who don't know the stuff yet.

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(3.5 stars) This volume uses Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in a serial of illustrative cases to explain several statistical and mathematical concepts that bear witness the errors in some "mutual sense" approaches. The cases comprehend topics as diverse as the shortest line (why y'all always seem to exist in the longest line), the altogether paradox (how likely is it that in that location is a shared altogether in a room), random number generation (how bad people are at generating truly random numbers), throwing proficient money later (3.5 stars) This volume uses Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in a serial of illustrative cases to explain several statistical and mathematical concepts that show the errors in some "common sense" approaches. The cases cover topics every bit various equally the shortest line (why you e'er seem to be in the longest line), the birthday paradox (how likely is information technology that at that place is a shared birthday in a room), random number generation (how bad people are at generating truly random numbers), throwing skillful coin afterward bad, and the prize behind one of iii closed doors (the Monte Hall problem). Some game theory is too thrown in, besides as some well known gambling cons. The lessons are well integrated in the stories and I institute the explanations to exist thorough without getting pulled down into extreme detail or minutiae. ...more

Aug 26, 2014 Ethan Aegon rated it did not similar it

Très décevant. Les problématiques mathématiques sont bien décrites et expliquées quoique souvent connues. C'est plus dans le style, la plume que le bat blesse. Les histoires sont très très loin d'avoir la qualité des nouvelles de Conan Doyle. De plus à role le nom des deux compères, fifty'époque et les lieux, on ne retrouve pas m chose de nos personnages favoris complètement dénaturés. L'univers, fifty'ambiance et le style de l'auteur north'est pas respecté. Je vois donc dans ce livre, outre l'objectif Très décevant. Les problématiques mathématiques sont bien décrites et expliquées quoique souvent connues. C'est plus dans le fashion, la plume que le bat blesse. Les histoires sont très très loin d'avoir la qualité des nouvelles de Conan Doyle. De plus à function le nom des deux compères, l'époque et les lieux, on ne retrouve pas grand chose de nos personnages favoris complètement dénaturés. L'univers, fifty'ambiance et le style de l'auteur northward'est pas respecté. Je vois donc dans ce livre, outre l'objectif pédagogique louable, une tentative purement mercantile d'associer united nations nom célèbre (Sherlock Holmes) sans le respect (ou le travail littéraire) qui lui est dû dans le simply, cette fois moins louable d'écouler des exemplaires. Je north'ai pas fini le livre. ...more

Oct 03, 2011 Franco Arda rated it actually liked it

Twelve brusque Sherlock Holmes stories challanging logic, probability, statistic, game theory, more than or less relevant to daily life. The authors approach of telling the story seen through Holmes and Watson is brilliant (incl. the dialogue between the two). Some stories are a bit simple and slow while others were quite amazing. Example Chapter 7 illustrates the mistake of assuming that a well-defined ordering retlation must also define a unique bureaucracy. In higher mathematics it is quite possible t Twelve brusk Sherlock Holmes stories challanging logic, probability, statistic, game theory, more or less relevant to daily life. The authors arroyo of telling the story seen through Holmes and Watson is bright (incl. the dialogue between the 2). Some stories are a bit uncomplicated and irksome while others were quite amazing. Example Chapter 7 illustrates the error of assuming that a well-defined ordering retlation must also ascertain a unique hierarchy. In college mathematics it is quite possible to have x greater than y, y greater than z, and yet z greater than 10! Final simply not to the lowest degree, the afterword is extremely useful where the author sheds more light on each chapter.
...more than

While the book offers a smashing introduction to many of the more than pop issues in probability, statistics, and game theory, the narrative is all the same seriously defective. I will concede that creating stories in which you are simultaneously attempting to explain a complicated mathematical principle is a challenge. Furthermore his explanations of these issues is really very good and I believe that it has the ability to brainwash a wide audition regardless of mathematical acumen. Nevertheless the narrative While the volume offers a dandy introduction to many of the more popular problems in probability, statistics, and game theory, the narrative is still seriously defective. I will concede that creating stories in which yous are simultaneously attempting to explain a complicated mathematical principle is a challenge. Furthermore his explanations of these problems is really very good and I believe that it has the power to educate a wide audience regardless of mathematical apprehending. Still the narrative is cheesy and is awkwardly made to fit the mathematical problems Bruce discusses. ...more than

kitap, mantık ve olasılık hikayelerini yaşanmış ve ya o tarihten sonra yaşanacak aynı vakitte bir kısım uyarlama hikaleri üzerinde anlatılmaya çalışılmış. Olasılık konunda ve ya dersinde bu konuyu uzak duranlara tavsiye ederim,çünkü ben de lise 2 den beri bu konudan uzak duruyordum. Lakin matematik kültür kitaplarını okumaya başlayınca bir başka gelmeye başladı. Artık matematik üzerinde bilgiler edindiğim vakit inanılmaz keyif alıyorum. Bu kitaptan önce Sihirli Matematik Hikayelerini Okumanızı t kitap, mantık ve olasılık hikayelerini yaşanmış ve ya o tarihten sonra yaşanacak aynı vakitte bir kısım uyarlama hikaleri üzerinde anlatılmaya çalışılmış. Olasılık konunda ve ya dersinde bu konuyu uzak duranlara tavsiye ederim,çünkü ben de lise 2 den beri bu konudan uzak duruyordum. Lakin matematik kültür kitaplarını okumaya başlayınca bir başka gelmeye başladı. Artık matematik üzerinde bilgiler edindiğim vakit inanılmaz keyif alıyorum. Bu kitaptan önce Sihirli Matematik Hikayelerini Okumanızı tansiye ederim. ...more

Sep 05, 2014 Rena Sherwood rated information technology it was amazing

This is one of those titles that you read and retrieve, "Ugh." Fortunately the book is better than the title or subtitle suggests. So good I think I'm going to buy a copy instead of just taking information technology out of the library over again and over again. Although technically it's a not-fiction book, it teaches basic concepts of logic, math and statistics in a series of stories taught by Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

This is one of those titles that you read and think, "Ugh." Fortunately the book is better than the title or subtitle suggests. So skilful I think I'k going to buy a copy instead of but taking it out of the library again and again. Although technically it'south a non-fiction book, it teaches basic concepts of logic, math and statistics in a series of stories taught by Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

...more

Feb xv, 2012 C.O. Bonham rated information technology really liked it

This volume was about Simple. In twelve original Sherlock Holmes stories author Colin Bruce explains elementary probability theory without Algibra. This volume is great for anyone who has ever seen the TV prove Numb3rs or merely likes Sherlock Holmes. Though Bruce's writting style does not quite mimic Sir Doyle'south information technology is still very readable and not at all the worst attempt I've read. And so don't permit a fear of math finish you from reading this book. Give-and-take trouble take never been so entertaining. This volume was most Unproblematic. In twelve original Sherlock Holmes stories author Colin Bruce explains elementary probability theory without Algibra. This book is keen for anyone who has ever seen the TV show Numb3rs or simply likes Sherlock Holmes. Though Bruce's writting style does not quite mimic Sir Doyle'southward information technology is still very readable and non at all the worst attempt I've read. And so don't let a fright of math stop you lot from reading this volume. Word problem have never been so entertaining. ...more

Mar 26, 2008 Laleh rated it really liked it

I love this book. It's a drove of brusque stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who are charming and lovely as ever. Each story is pieced together to brand you lot retrieve, and teaches an appreciation for uncommon math in our order. I want my futurity kids to read this one, because I know they'll go outside and look at trouble-solving in new and exciting ways. I love this volume. It's a collection of short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who are mannerly and lovely as always. Each story is pieced together to make you recall, and teaches an appreciation for uncommon math in our society. I want my future kids to read this one, because I know they'll go outside and await at problem-solving in new and exciting ways. ...more

Sherlock Holmes teaches lessons in probability and statistics. A relatively painless series of lessons couched as mysteries, though Holmes purists and sticklers for historical or geographical accurateness (how, exactly, does Baker Street intersect with the London Docklands?) may be irked. But ignore the quibbles and you lot'll learn why what you call back is likely, probably isn't. Sherlock Holmes teaches lessons in probability and statistics. A relatively painless series of lessons couched as mysteries, though Holmes purists and sticklers for historical or geographical accurateness (how, exactly, does Bakery Street intersect with the London Docklands?) may be irked. But ignore the quibbles and you'll acquire why what you recollect is probable, probably isn't. ...more

Apr 15, 2010 The Tick rated it really liked it

The writer did a nice job explaining the mathematical principles fix out in each story, but some of the characters rubbed me the incorrect way. Holmes'southward attitude toward Watson wasn't very overnice, and I don't understand why Watson would put up with someone who's e'er insulting his intelligence. Is Holmes like this in Doyle'southward stories, as well? The author did a nice job explaining the mathematical principles ready out in each story, but some of the characters rubbed me the wrong way. Holmes'due south mental attitude toward Watson wasn't very nice, and I don't understand why Watson would put up with someone who's always insulting his intelligence. Is Holmes similar this in Doyle's stories, too? ...more than

Math! Mystery! Honey!

Okay, love has very little to do with information technology; I just actually honey math and mystery, so this book, while I already knew all fo the concepts tackled past Bruce, was perfect plane reading for me.

I had never really noticed how pitiful of a character Watson is, though. Simply that's neither here nor there.

Math! Mystery! Love!

Okay, honey has very petty to do with it; I just really love math and mystery, then this volume, while I already knew all fo the concepts tackled by Bruce, was perfect aeroplane reading for me.

I had never really noticed how sad of a character Watson is, though. But that's neither here nor at that place.

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Sep 08, 2009 Pablo Meier rated it really liked it

Cute. A little slow, and some cases a footling contrived (Sherlock Holmes being a master statistician/probability guru is a bit much, and Watson is e'er a buffoon), just if in that location'southward whatever way to larn this stuff, this is it. It has the air of a mystery novel in that you know some major fallacy will ascend, and y'all endeavor and anticipate information technology. Practiced fun ^_^
Beautiful. A picayune tiresome, and some cases a little contrived (Sherlock Holmes beingness a master statistician/probability guru is a fleck much, and Watson is always a buffoon), but if there's any manner to acquire this stuff, this is it. It has the air of a mystery novel in that you know some major fallacy will arise, and you endeavour and anticipate it. Good fun ^_^
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Jul 04, 2011 Adil rated it really liked it

An interesting spin on Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Holmes and Watson take on cases and solve them by applying common sense and probability rules. This was an entertaining read and it tended to emphasize its mathematical lessons very gently. The author is also a very competent mystery writer.

Aug 21, 2009 Dad rated it it was ok

Packaging interesting $.25 of math and game theory in the late Victorian cloak of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Not an obvious combination.
If you thought the steam-driven mechanical spider in "Wild, Wild W" was awesome, you'll like this book.
Packaging interesting bits of math and game theory in the late Victorian cloak of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Non an obvious combination.
If you thought the steam-driven mechanical spider in "Wild, Wild West" was awesome, y'all'll like this book.
...more

Jun 07, 2010 Rissie rated it actually liked it

Cleverly written stories involving Sherlock Holmes and Watson in which the mysteries are solved using mathematics, logic and probability.

All of the mathematical concepts are conspicuously explained and very attainable to the average reader.

Sep 28, 2013 Bethany rated information technology really liked it

Entertaining. The writer is not Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, merely I enjoyed it. I would recommend it for high school students interested in puzzles and/or mathematics.

intrigantissimo. Come determinate field of study (prime fra tutte la statistica eastward la teoria dei giochi) siano fondamentalmente cotrointuitive

Let's only say this helped me enhance money. . . Let's merely say this helped me heighten money. . . ...more

April 17, 2008 Senshisteph rated it it was astonishing

Statistics and probability e'er made my brain glaze over, til I read this volume!
Brilliant :)

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