The Norm Chronicles: Stories And Numbers About Danger And Death (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
The Norm Chronicles had me laughing from the front matter on. This book covers statistical risks in everyday life with fictional vignettes starring three characters: Prudence, Norm, and Kelvin. Prudence leads a careful life, worried about remote possibilities, while Kelvin takes every risk imaginable. Norm, as his name implies, represents the average person. Although the two authors are based in the UK, the majority of the data has been pulled from both US and UK sources, often making for interesting comparisons. Risky activities are compared to a one-in-a-million chance of death, termed a MicroMort. Lifestyle choices that have long term consequences (e.g., having 2 alcoholic drinks a day) are measured in terms of MicroLives, one millionth of the average lifespan. Statistically, the first alcoholic drink will add slightly to your lifespan, but the second takes away from it. Far and away the most humorous book about statistics I have ever seen. Full of fascinating data and clearly rigorously thought through, but accessible to the lay reader. I received this book through the First Reads program. I am interested in the different ways in which individuals assess risk and found this book fascinating reading. The risks in various everyday situations are illustrated by imaginary scenarios featuring Norm – Mr Average; Prudence – ultra cautious and Kevin/Kelvin and variations who see no risk in anything or choose to ignore the risks which others would take seriously.My perception is that many people overestimate the risks of many things and underestimate the risks of things which they regard as safe. Health screening is a typical example of the latter and there are some interesting charts and diagrams in this book which appear to show that health screening may expose you to greater risks than not being screened. If you want to know whether there is a risk of being hit by an asteroid, having something, or someone fall on you out of an aeroplane, dying in a plane crash, receiving a fatal dose of radiation, being killed or injured in a road accident, developing cancer or being adversely affected by the mobile phone mast at the end of the road then this is the book for you. But you might end up surprised and disturbed by many of the figures.The book shows how human beings can incorrectly assess risk because of the fear factor. We find it difficult to separate our emotions from the real facts and figures. Headline news of four stabbings in a small area on the same day provoke alarm and fear and the perception that violent crime is increasing when in fact it is falling and the four cases are a statistical anomaly. The book is written in an amusing and light hearted way but it does have a serious message to convey – that we need to look at the real figures behind the headline scare stories before we pack our bags and move into a nuclear bunker. The book has notes on each chapter and an index.
What do You think about The Norm Chronicles: Stories And Numbers About Danger And Death (2014)?
Basic idea is very interesting but execution is a little slow-moving. Still, nothing quite like it.
—karamelbonita
Pretty interesting but you have to get through a bit of fluff to get the good stuff.
—abbromley
