The Best R Programming Language Books of All Time

Discover the most influential r programming language books, recommended by leaders, experts, and readers worldwide

We may earn commissions for purchases made via this page.

Not sure what to read? Our AI can suggest the most recommended R Programming Language books!

1
Book Cover of Hadley Wickham, Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel, Garrett Grolemund - R for Data Science: Import, Tidy, Transform, Visualize, and Model Data

By Hadley Wickham – Chief Scientist at RStudio, R Foundation member (you?) and 2 more 

4.81
| 2023 | 576 Pages
Recommended for: 
Aspiring data scientists and educators. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn how to import data into R for analysis and visualization.
  • Discover techniques for transforming data into usable formats.
  • Understand the principles of data visualization using ggplot2.
  • Explore the tidyverse packages for efficient data science workflows.
  • Communicate results effectively by integrating code and prose.
Reviews:
Well Written
Comprehensive
Practical Examples
Clear Explanations
Engaging
Not Deep Enough
Limited Advanced Topics
  • #2 Best Seller in Mathematical & Statistical Software on Amazon
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • Rated Amazon Best Book of the Year
Tim @RealscientistsIf you are interested in learning programming, there are lots of great tutorials. For data analysis, R and the R 4 data science book is a great way to go and for general R syntax, there is the swirl learning package /20
Kareem Carr Data ScientistBOOK: R for Data Science (hadleywickham and StatGarrett)
BEST FOR: People want to get their hands dirty but don't know where to start. Teaches you how to work with data using the R programming language without bogging you down with a lot of theory
EXTRAS: Free ebook
|Read Amazon reviews |Rate or write a review
2
Book Cover of Gareth James, Daniela Witten, Trevor Hastie, Robert Tibshirani - An Introduction to Statistical Learning: with Applications in R (Springer Texts in Statistics)

By Gareth James – Co-author of The Elements of Statistical Learning (you?) and 3 more 

4.80
| 2021 | 622 Pages
Recommended for: 
Aspiring data scientists and statisticians. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn key statistical learning techniques applicable in various fields like biology and finance.
  • Discover how to implement analyses using R, a popular statistical software platform.
  • Understand the importance of model complexity and its impact on data analysis.
  • Explore advanced topics like deep learning and survival analysis in a comprehensible manner.
  • Gain insights into practical applications of statistical methods through real-world examples.
Reviews:
Accessible Overview
Practical Examples
Clear Explanations
Well-Structured
Comprehensive Content
Small Font Size
Limited Solutions
  • #21 Best Seller in Mathematical & Statistical Software on Amazon
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • Rated Amazon Best Book of the Year
Recommended by Computer Cowboy
Computer CowboyThis is awesome!
Here is the Introduction to Statistical Learning book:
And the Deep Learning lab (chapter 10) in Torch in R:
The book (and accompanying exercises) is a *great* resource
|Read Amazon reviews |Rate or write a review
R Programming Language Book made by AI

By TailoredRead – AI that creates personalized books for you 

4.98
| 2025 | 30-300 pages
Learn R Programming Language faster with a book created specifically for you by state-of-the-art AI. Our AI has vast knowledge of R Programming Language, and will craft a custom-tailored book for you in just 10 minutes. This tailored book addresses YOUR unique interests, goals, knowledge level, and background. Available for online reading, PDF download, and Kindle, your custom book will provide personalized insights to help you learn faster, expand your horizons, and accomplish your goals. Embark on your R Programming Language learning journey with a personalized book - made exclusively for you.
Recommended for: 
All readers across all knowledge levels.
You will:
  • Get a R Programming Language book tailored to your interests, goals, and background
  • Receive a book precisely matching your background and level of knowledge
  • Select which topics you want to learn, exclude the topics you don't
  • Define your learning goals and let your book guide you to accomplish them
  • Get all the knowledge you need consolidated into a single focused book
Reviews:
Insightful
Focused
Highly Personalized
Easy to Read
Engaging
Actionable
Up-to-Date
3
Book Cover of Tilman M. Davies - The Book of R: A First Course in Programming and Statistics

By Tilman M. Davies – Comprehensive guide to R programming and statistics (you?) 

4.71
| 2016 | 832 Pages
Recommended for: 
Beginners in programming and statistics. Beginner to Intermediate readers.
You will:
  • Learn the fundamentals of programming in R, including data handling and functions.
  • Discover statistical concepts like exploratory data analysis, hypothesis tests, and regression modeling.
  • Understand how to access R's functions, libraries, and datasets.
  • Learn to draw valid conclusions from data and create publication-quality graphics.
  • Gain a solid understanding of statistics and R's functionality for data analysis.
Reviews:
Comprehensive Guide
Beginner-Friendly
Real-World Examples
Hands-On Exercises
Clear Explanations
Not for Advanced Users
Heavy on Theory
  • #5 Best Seller in Mathematical & Statistical Software on Amazon
Recommended by Kirk Borne
Kirk BorneLove this!! —> "The Book of R: A First Course in Programming & #Statistics"
830-page complete book of R #coding fundamentals
——————
#Rstats
|Read Amazon reviews |Rate or write a review
Loading
Category:
Choose a different view:
Format:
Print | Kindle |