11 Business Books Bill Gates Wants You to Read

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8. “How to Lie with Statistics” by Darrell Huff

Gates picked up this book after seeing it appear on Wall Street Journal’s recommended books for investors. It has a 4.5 rating on Amazon from 363 customer reviews with 66% of readers giving it 5 stars. Despite being published in 1954, Gates said that “it doesn’t feel dated.” In fact, he thinks that it’s relevant now more than ever.

What is the book about? Gates described it as, “A great introduction to the use of statistics, and a great refresher for anyone who’s already well versed in it.” He added that the author reveals how statistics can be used to give distorted analysis and even exaggerate trends. Gates also said that, “it’s a timely reminder, given how often infographics show up in your Facebook and Twitter feeds these days.”

Author Darrell Huff warns readers, “The secret language of statistics, so appealing in a fact-minded culture, is employed to sensationalize, inflate, confuse, and oversimplify.”

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