The 1964 publication of "Inference and Disputed
Authorship" made the cover of "Time "magazine and
the attention of academics and the public alike for its use of
statistical methodology to solve one of American history’ s most
notorious questions: the disputed authorship of the Federalist
Papers. Back in print for a new generation of readers, this
classic volume applies mathematics, including the
once-controversial Bayesian analysis, into the heart of a literary
and historical problem by studying frequently used words in the
texts. The reissue of this landmark book will be welcomed by anyone
interested in the juncture of history, political science, and
authorship.
Frederick Mosteller (1916-2006) was professor of statistics at Harvard University. David L. Wallace is professor emeritus of statistics at the University of Chicago.
