good book about basic statistics

[elliptic_curve]

Does anyone know of a good book about basic statistics? (stuff like calculating maximum likelihood estimates, confidence intervals, t-tests) My course is very confusing and not well-explained. I'm thinking of something at the "statistics for dummies" level -- something to explain the concepts behind the math so it makes sense.

thanks!

Comments

[sfllaw]

Would it surprise you that this title already exists?

[valacosa]

There's Dating for Dummies and Sex for Dummies. Saw them in a bookstore years ago. So no, it certainly doesn't surprise me.

[valacosa]

It's like the Kevin Bacon game, except it usually only takes one jump. :P

[swestrup]

sps once told me that there is a desperate need of a "statistics for mathematicians" book, because stats seems to be specifically formulated in a manner that makes it hard for math majors to learn. A large part of it is the divergent nomenclature. Using words like 'variable' when they mean something like 'sampling function' is a large part of it.

He said he had to write himself a booklet of terminological translations before he was able to pass a stats course.