Product Description

We all lose time and money because of bad decisions, perfectly happy in the illusion that our common sense is choosing the right path for us. In Conned Again, Watson! Sherlock Holmes uses his vast knowledge solve crimes and protect the innocent in a series of cautionary tales of greedy gamblers, reckless businessmen and ruthless conmen. From 'The Execution of Andrews' to 'The Case of the Gambling Nobleman' and 'The Case of the Paranoid Student', there has never been a more exciting way to learn when to take a calculated risk - and how to spot a scam. In this illuminating collection of twelve new Sherlock Holmes stories, challenges of logic, probability, statistics, game theory and more are illustrated. A thought-provoking introduction to maths relevant to everyday life, this book will change the way you look at making decisions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #536426 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 299 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In Conned Again, Watson!: Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability physicist Colin Bruce turns maths teaching on its head by using conflict, drama and familiar characters to bring probability and game theory to vivid life. People who think they hate maths will luckily learn that they actually just can't abide its dry, abstract presentation. Using short stories crafted in the style of 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 data find 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 risk taking, the stories never dry up, even when presenting tables or graphs. Holmes' quick wit, Watson's patience, and their various friends' and clients' dubious decisions unite both to entertain and to illuminate tough but important problems. Even the cleverest numerophile will probably still find a nugget 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 us can relax, enjoy the tales, and come away a little bit tougher to con. --Rob Lightner

From the Publisher
Sherlock Holmes and Cautionary Tales of Logic
Twelve new Sherlock Holmes stories illuminating the everyday challenges of logic

We all lose time and money because of bad decisions, perfectly happy in the illusion that our common sense is choosing the right path for us. In Conned Again, Watson! Sherlock Holmes uses his vast knowledge solve crimes and protect the innocent in a series of cautionary tales of greedy gamblers, reckless businessmen and ruthless conmen.

From ‘The Execution of Andrews’ to ‘The Case of the Gambling Nobleman’ and ‘The Case of the Paranoid Student’, there has never been a more exciting way to learn when to take a calculated risk – and how to spot a scam. In this illuminating collection of twelve new Sherlock Holmes stories, challenges of logic, probability, statistics, game theory and more are illustrated. A thought-provoking introduction to maths relevant to everyday life, this book will change the way you look at making decisions.

Praise for The Strange Case of Mrs. Hudson’s Cat:

‘Readers will enjoy pitting their wits against the universe in such stimulating company’ New York Times Book Review

‘A unique new book which combines the joys of detective fiction with great science writing…A total delight, and I unreservedly recommend it’ Boston Book Review

About the Author
Colin Bruce is a physicist and science writer living in Oxford. He is an expert in mathematical paradoxes and a lover of mysteries.