So, Learning Data Science can be Fun Too!

 Review by Ronica Wahi

 



Master the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins

By Harish C. Rijhwani

First published: April 15, 2021, Self-published, Kindle. (Paperback pub.: April 30, 2021)

Kindle Edition Pages: 199. 

ASIN: B08YY7X4FX

“The world of Analytics/Data Science is like Magic to many people. In this book, I attempt to demystify this Art,” writes Harish C. Rijhwani in the Preface (p. 9) to his new book, Master the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins.

Like in his book Technology to Business: The Invisible Gap, the review for which can be read here, Rijhwani brings in personal and professional experiences, anecdotes, historical information to make clear the concepts that he wants his reader to grasp. In Master the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins, he adds examples from a wider range of material; he picks up aspects from well-loved movies, TV shows, stories, and baking trials to get the right texture and taste.

Importantly, Rijhwani points to how, to understand a given concept, all that may be required is to find a connection that makes sense to one; the basic notion might be present in one’s mind or may have been learnt before. Thus, he takes the reader on a journey where the complex bits of Data Science are made understandable when looked at through the connection with something already understood – for example, some scene from a movie or some childhood activity - by him/her.

Well-versed in the field of Analytics and experienced in teaching it, Rijhwani explains the concepts employing an organized approach. For each chapter, the elements of a story or instance he picks up – whether it be from his life or from a movie – become analogous to the different elements of the concept under study; it’s as the chapter progresses that the reader appreciates why a specific example has been chosen. For instance, the reader learns gradually that the story of the lion and the clever fox is aimed at elucidating different types of Analytics.

It does not feel like one is involved in the study of a subject mastering which is no cakewalk. Though, of course, since it’s Data Science, inclusion of concepts and formulae from Mathematics and Statistics, and of graphical representation of data was a given, demanding some degree of familiarity and comfort from the reader in these areas. Throughout the text, diagrams, charts, tables, and photographs serve to further understanding or interest, depending on what the image is.

Key concepts – primarily, regression, forecasting, classification, and Neural Networks – are evaluated and illustrated simply for a new learner or someone not initiated into the field previously. It’s important to note that the concepts taken up are basic ones – and the discussion is not too detailed, not too in-depth. The book is designed to be an entry point into the world of Data Science; as the subtitle says, The Journey Begins.

In Chapter 12, entitled “Technology to Business”, Rijhwani makes use of some of the introductory content from his book Technology to Business: The Invisible Gap to reach the assertion that “…without any specific business need, the purpose of Analytics is defeated.” (p. 162) Chapters 13 to 16 offer examples from different sectors that illustrate the application of all that is explained in the preceding parts of Master the Mystic Arts. The examples effectively underline why the field of Data Analytics is important – and thus, why it is a field that has been growing since the past few years.

The tone throughout is conversational – the writer brings himself in, using the personal pronoun “I”, and directly addresses the reader using “you”. The examples, as mentioned, are relatable, and the explanations lucid; the use of easy-to-follow language further aids smooth progression through the book. Only certain word choices could have been better; crisper editing was required for ensuring that the book had no typos, no missing words, and no unnecessary or incorrect punctuation.

Overall, it’s a good piece of work.


To know more about this work, Rijhwani’s writing journey, and his tips for writers, do watch his interview:

Interview - Harish Rijhwani, Healthcare IT Professional and Writer of a Unique Book on Data Science


Amazon link for Master the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins (paperback):

https://amzn.to/3qef52I

Amazon link for Master the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins (Kindle edition):

https://amzn.to/3qic69E

 


DISCLAIMER: Ronica Wahi is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. If you make a purchase through any of the Amazon links provided by Ronica here, she may receive a small commission, without any extra cost to you.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fifteen Stars Under the Sky!

Image
Review by Ronica Wahi We are the Champions By Rashmi Bansal and Devendra Tak First published: February 14, 2020, Bushfire. Pages: 206.  ISBN: 9788193182130 “It takes a child to raise a village.” This statement on the back cover is enough for the reader to know that encountered will be extraordinary tales. Yes, extraordinary indeed, for isn’t a child someone who needs to be raised? What the reader knows from the cover is proved as he/she moves through the pages of this interesting and inspiring chronicle of the achievements of fifteen children from across India whom the authors Rashmi Bansal and Devendra Tak rightly hail as the Champions of Change .  The book is inspiring because it shows how determination and the will to accomplish something can be truly rewarding. Raising a voice against established practices is hard enough and these children have not only raised their voices but also fought to bring real change, change that is not limited
Read more

Thorns and Roses

Image
  Review by Ronica Wahi   Melita By Gill D. Anderson First published: July 16, 2020, InHouse Publishing. Kindle Edition Pages: 165.  ASIN: B08D66WSBF While there is a plethora of written work being produced on the corona pandemic and the imagined post-COVID world, Gill D. Anderson has come up with a novel where this unprecedented challenge faced by the human race plays the role of a catalyst in resolving strained relationships by drilling home the uncertainty of life and the necessity of holding close the ones who matter the most. Melita is the story of Melita and her daughter, Emily, and as the dedication says, is written “For mothers and daughters everywhere.”. Melita and Emily have not shared a close bond and the ties have been weakened over the years, with the relationship having reached “an impossible stalemate” by February 2020. With the mounting fear and restrictions on movement, regrets over what was not done to bolster their relationship seep in. In playing an esse
Read more

An Engrossing Thriller!

Image
  Review by Ronica Wahi Shamus Dust: Hard Winter. Cold War. Cool Murder. By Janet Roger First published: October 28, 2019, Matador. Kindle Edition Pages: 295.  ASIN: B07VV4SLHP Set in London and spanning a few days during which 1947 drew to a close and 1948 just began, Shamus Dust , Janet Roger’s debut novel, is a memorable recreation of a suffering, post-war city. In the novel, the city of London is in the grips of a harsh winter, both literal and metaphorical. The war had destroyed a substantial part of the city, adversely impacted the economy, and led to shortages; such circumstances, in general, eventually lead to increased disparities and increased crimes. Additionally, this London is struggling to maintain the remnants of the crumbling Empire. The choice of such a time of turmoil, along with the dreariness and gloom of a biting winter, heightens the dark elements and deeds – for it is crime fiction – in the plot. Moreover, the fact that Roger has chosen Christmas and
Read more