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.

 

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