Based on Amazon reviews recommending this book to a beginner is like recommending rudin to a high school junior that wants to learn calculus for the first time. Is there a better book?
https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Predict...
vs
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-App...
The former seems to assume prior knowledge and the latter seems more beginner friendly, except it uses R (in case anyone wants the distinction).
I would like to add www.codingthe matrix.com for any developers, which has a MOOC as well (Coursera), as a complement to Strang.