100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

πŸ‰ πŸ”₯ Happy Threshing Day! Pre-order the Deluxe Edition of Rebecca Yarros' newest release today! πŸ”₯ πŸ‰

Covid By Numbers

Making Sense of the Pandemic with Data
Series: Pelican Books
4.02 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 215 ratings, 26 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Covid By Numbers by Anthony Masters and David Spiegelhalter offers a comprehensive analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of statistics. The authors explore various aspects of the pandemic, such as infection rates, health impacts, and vaccination progress, using clear data interpretations to demystify complex figures. The book aims to help readers make sense of diverse datasets and understand the pandemic's trajectory more clearly.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$2400
Elsewhere:
$2600
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the ways numbers and data illuminate our understanding of the world, particularly in the context of the pandemic. Written by experts in data analysis, it offers a clear exploration of statistics, making complex information accessible and engaging for those interested in the science behind COVID-19.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A vital and concise data-driven analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.

How many people have died because of COVID-19? Which countries have been hit hardest by the virus? What are the benefits and harms of different vaccines? How does COVID-19 compare to the Spanish flu? How have the lockdown measures affected the economy, mental health, and crime?

This year we have been bombarded by statistics - seven-day rolling averages, rates of infection, excess deaths. Never have numbers been more central to our national conversation, and never has it been more important that we think about them clearly. In the media and in their Observer column, Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter and RSS Statistical Ambassador Anthony Masters have interpreted these statistics, offering a vital public service by giving us the tools we need to make sense of the virus for ourselves and holding the government to account.

In Covid by Numbers, they crunch the data on a year like no other, exposing the leading misconceptions about the virus and the vaccine, and answering our essential questions. This timely, concise, and approachable book offers a rare depth of insight into one of the greatest upheavals in history, and a trustworthy guide to these most uncertain of times.

Series: Pelican Books

View all
  • The Art of Statistics
    In The Art of Statistics, David Spiegelhalter, a renowned statistician and former president of the Royal Statistical Society, demystifies the complex world of statistical science. As data becomes the new currency and with the rise of data science as a key discipline, the ability to understand and analyse statistical information is more crucial than ever. Spiegelhalter's writing offers an engaging...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Artificial Intelligence
    Artificial Intelligence by Melanie Mitchell offers an insightful and engaging journey into the heart of one of the most fascinating and rapidly advancing fields of our time. Bridging the gap between complex scientific concepts and everyday understanding, Mitchell's book delves into the inner workings of AI, presenting cutting-edge research and real-world applications in a manner that is both accessible and...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Economics: The User's Guide
    In Economics: The User's Guide, bestselling author Ha-Joon Chang demystifies the often intimidating field of economics and makes it accessible to everyone. By cutting through the jargon and complexity, Chang ensures that the powerful concepts and ideas that shape our world are easily understood. This isn’t just a textbook for students or professionals; it's a guide for any curious mind...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Think Like an Anthropologist
    Essential reading for anyone who wants a fresh take on our cultural values that goes beyond economics, psychology, and politics. What is anthropology? What can it tell us about the world around us? And why do we need it? For well over one hundred years, social and cultural anthropologists have traversed the world from Melanesia to suburban England, Taipei to...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Feminisms
    An authoritative and original history of global feminism from an award-winning historian. How has feminism developed? What have feminists achieved? What can we learn from the global history of feminism? Feminism is the ongoing story of a profound historical transformation. Despite being repeatedly written off as a political movement that has achieved its aim of female liberation, it has been...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Basic Income
    The essential guide to understanding the real economics behind a universal basic income Shouldn't everyone receive a stake in society's wealth? Could we create a fairer world by granting a guaranteed income to all? What would this mean for our health, wealth and happiness? A basic income is a regular cash transfer from the state, received by all individual citizens....
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Government of No One
    A magisterial study of one of the most controversial political movements that shows how anarchism works. Often associated with chaos or disorder, anarchy defies definition and routinely gets a bad press. And yet, from Occupy to Pussy Riot, Noam Chomsky to David Graeber, this philosophical and political movement is as relevant as ever. Contrary to popular perception, different strands of...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Architecture
    A groundbreaking history of architecture told through the relationship between buildings and energy. Reducing energy use is the single biggest challenge facing architecture today. From the humblest prehistoric hut to the imposing monuments of Rome or Egypt to super-connected modern airports, buildings in every era and place have been shaped by the energy available for their construction and running. This...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Aristotle
    Why has Aristotle had such an astounding influence on the world? What are his key ideas? What can he still teach us today? There is in Athens a rather plain ruin; a simple courtyard lined with fragments of wall. Yet, this little patch of land has a claim to be the most significant place in human history. It is the...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Power of Language
    An acclaimed psycholinguist reveals how language shapes our brain - and moulds the way we look at the world. Why should we learn more than one language? Can it change the way we think? Does it have the power to transform how we see the world? You may think you speak only one language. In fact, your mind is interpreting...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Object-Oriented Ontology
    A new introduction to one of the most influential philosophical movements in contemporary intellectual life. What is reality, really? Are humans more special or important than the non-human objects we perceive? How does this change the way we understand the world? We humans tend to believe that things are only real in as much as we perceive them, an idea...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • National Populism
    A crucial new guide to one of the most important phenomena of our timeβ€”the rise of populism in the West. A crucial new guide to one of the most urgent political phenomena of our timeβ€”the rise of national populism. Across the West, there is a rising tide of people who feel excluded, alienated from mainstream politics, and increasingly hostile towards...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Covid by Numbers is praised as a clear and timely exploration of the pandemic, offering an informed guide through the complex world of COVID-19 statistics. Reviewers believe it effectively cuts through misinformation, providing clarity amidst confusion and emphasising humanity in data interpretation. It's deemed essential for anyone aiming to understand the numbers behind the pandemic, described as both comprehensive and concise.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241547731

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 07 October 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pelican

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 120.0mm

Height: 187.0mm

Weight: 285g

Pages: 320

About the Author

David Spiegelhalter (Author) Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE is Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge. His bestselling book, The Art of Statistics, has been published in 11 languages. He was knighted in 2014 for services to medical statistics, was President of the Royal Statistical Society (2017-2018), and became a Non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority in 2020. He is @d_spiegel on Twitter. Anthony Masters (Author) Dr Anthony Masters is a Chartered Statistician, a Statistical Ambassador for the Royal Statistical Society, and a frequent blogger and explainer of statistical ideas. He is @anthonybmasters on Twitter.

Also by David Spiegelhalter

View all
  • The Art of Statistics
    In The Art of Statistics, David Spiegelhalter, a renowned statistician and former president of the Royal Statistical Society, demystifies the complex world of statistical science. As data becomes the new currency and with the rise of data science as a key discipline, the ability to understand and analyse statistical information is more crucial than ever. Spiegelhalter's writing offers an engaging...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Art of Statistics
    Delve into the world of numbers and discover how statistics can shed light on some of life's most pressing issues in The Art of Statistics by David Spiegelhalter. This enlightening book offers an engaging exploration of statistical science, showing readers how to wield the power of data analysis to gain meaningful insights into everyday problems. Spiegelhalter masterfully guides readers through...
    Paperback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $4800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pre-order
    The Art of Uncertainty
    β€˜Probably the UK’s greatest living statistician’ Telegraph From the UK’s β€˜statistical national treasure’, a clever and data-driven guide to how we can live with risk and uncertainty We live in a world where uncertainty is inevitable. How should we deal with what we don’t know? And what role do chance, luck, and coincidence play in our lives? David Spiegelhalter has...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Pre-order
    Out 22 Sep 2026
  • The Norm Chronicles
    Meet Norm. He's 31, 5'9", just over 13 stone, and works a 39-hour week. He likes a drink, doesn't do enough exercise, and occasionally treats himself to a bar of chocolate (milk). He's a pretty average kind of guy. In fact, he is the average guy in this clever and unusual take on statistical risk, chance, and how these two...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Art of Uncertainty
    From the UK's 'statistical national treasure', a clever and data-driven guide to how we can live with risk and uncertainty. We live in a world where uncertainty is inevitable. How should we deal with what we don't know? And what role do chance, luck, and coincidence play in our lives? David Spiegelhalter has spent his career dissecting data in order...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Science & Nature

View all
  • Murder Under the Mistletoe
    BOOK 4 IN THE BESTSELLING CANON CLEMENT MYSTERY SERIES 'The best of the new cosy crime writers' Daily Telegraph 'You'll want to take a front row pew in Champton while this delicious series unfolds' Janice Hallett It is Christmas Day and at Champton Rectory, Canon Daniel Clement and his mother Audrey are joined by the residents and guests of the...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • John and Paul
    THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'A triumph.' Deborah Levy, New Statesman 'Tremendous.' Alwyn Turner, The Times 'Revelatory.' Simon Schama, Financial Times 'The gold standard of Beatles books.' Anthony Quinn, Observer 'As enthralling and astonishing as their music.' Jon Dennis, Sunday Telegraph 'A masterpiece.' Dylan Jones, Evening Standard '[Ian Leslie]...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Raising Hare
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE HATCHARDS AND BIOGRAPHERS' CLUB FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE HAY FESTIVAL, SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND iNEWS 'A beautiful book' - ANGELINA JOLIE 'I...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • What If? 10th Anniversary Edition
    CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' β€” BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' β€” TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' β€” NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...
    Hardback
    $4200
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Nuclear War
    The Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction thriller that has to be read to be believed. Baillie Gifford shortlisted, a favourite of Steven Bartlett, with an average reader rating of 4.6, sure to be a mass-market hit. Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Anxious Generation
    A powerful argument for reclaiming childhoodβ€”and all human relationshipsβ€”from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spacesβ€”communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Prisoners of Geography
    Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...
    Paperback
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Booker Prize
    Orbital
    Winner of the Booker Prize 2024. Chair of the judges, Edmund de Waal, describes the winner as 'a book about a wounded world' adding that the panel's 'unanimity about Orbital recognises its beauty and ambition'. Life on our planet as you've never seen it before. A team of astronauts in the International Space Station collect meteorological data, conduct scientific experiments...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Diddly Squat: Home to Roost
    It's been another memorable year on Diddly Squat Farm - will the chickens finally come home to roost? Welcome back to Clarkson's Farm. The spring crop failed. Farming sheep, pigs, and cows was hardly more lucrative (better off breeding ostriches...) But in the face of uncooperative weather, bureaucracy, and the world's persistent refusal to recognise his genius, our hero's not...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Place of Tides
    To save the world, we have to start somewhere. One afternoon many years ago, James Rebanks met an old woman on a remote Norwegian island. She lived and worked alone on a tiny rocky outcrop, caring for wild ducks and gathering their down. Hers was a centuries-old trade that had once made men and women rich, but had long been...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Ultra-Processed People
    Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Island of Missing Trees
    The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is a captivating and poignant novel that delves into the intertwined lives of two star-crossed lovers in war-torn Cyprus and their enduring legacy decades later. This Sunday Times bestselling novel intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and identity amidst a backdrop of cultural and historical turmoil. Set in 1974 on the island...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.