In the beginning of the 20th century, the father of modern science fiction, H.G. Wells, predicted that statistical thinking would be as necessary for citizenship in a technological world as the ability to read and write. Yet, a century on, most of us, from TV weather forecasters to the American President, seem to have no idea of how to reason about uncertainties. This volume offers a treatment for the "disease" of statistical illiteracy. Aimed at helping us understand risks in the real world, it shows how a proper understanding of uncertainties can make the difference between hope and despair.