The Norm Chronicles: Stories and Numbers about Danger and Death (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780465085705)

Is it safer to fly or take the train? How dangerous is skydiving? And is eating that extra sausage going to kill you? We've all heard the statistics for risky activities, but what do they mean in the real world? In The Norm Chronicles, journalist Michael Blastland and risk expert David Spiegelhalter explore these questions through the stories of average Norm and an ingenious measurement called the MicroMort-a one in a million chance of dying. They reveal why general anesthesia is as dangerous as a parachute jump, giving birth in the US is nearly twice as risky as in the UK, and that the radiation from eating a banana shaves 3 seconds off your life. An entertaining guide to the statistics of personal risk, The Norm Chronicles will enlighten anyone who has ever worried about the dangers we encounter in our daily lives.

Author: Michael Blastland, David Spiegelhalter
ISBN-10: 0465085709
ISBN-13: 9780465085705
Publisher: Basic Books
Language: English
Published: 06/03/2014
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.40w x 1.20d

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2014
Library Journal 06/01/2014 pg. 123
Publishers Weekly 06/23/2014
New York Times Book Review 08/03/2014 pg. 30