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):
Amazon link for Master
the Mystic Arts: The Journey Begins (Kindle edition):
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Ronica Wahi is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate
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Thank you for the Review Ma'am
ReplyDeleteGlad to have read and reviewed this book! :)
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