Introduction to Mathematical Statistics and Its Applications, An (4th Edition)

I am surprised by the number of negative reviews for what I consider to be a nicely written, well thought out, and logically presented introductory course on mathematical statistics. Yes, a working knowledge of elementary calculus is a prerequisite. But the mathematics invoked in the exposition of concepts and theorems are kept as simple as possible while maintaining that modest level of rigor appropriate for a introductory exposition. If you do not have the minimal mathematical prerequisites (such as freshman calculus), blame your instructor or your school for selecting an inappropriate text. But don't blame the authors! I thought the examples and problems were appropriate in their level of difficulty (mostly not so hard) and the relation to the material just covered. There are plenty of poorly written, impossibly dry, inpenetrable texts on statistics out there - this is not one of them. In addition, the book is attractively packaged, the paper quality is excellent, the visuals are informative and clearly presented - that also should not be taken for granted. Lastly the authors have a wicked entertaining sense of humor that spice the presentation throughout. I consider this book to be a welcome addition to the set of modern textbooks available to the curious serious student of probability and statistics.