Shouldn't all the other books be called that?
It seems to me that, as a society, while we value and we are investing a lot in fundamental research, we pay more and more attention to practical applications of said research.
It's always been the case in the business world where we don't necessarily need to understand it as long as it works.
Also, as Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut said, "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." (not 100% sure about the attribution)
It's the practice that kills us, it's there that the battle takes place, where we need to asses the context and adapt the theory accordingly. We need to practice before practicing.
I personally witnessed the trend taking place in the academic world where certificate and diploma programs are gaining in popularity in both undergraduate and graduate levels.
These programs offer specialization in a certain area in a shorter period than a bachelor's or a master's and they are particularly useful for people wishing to gain practical knowledge they can use right away.
Moreover, they are offered in hybrid mode or fully online to accommodate already employed students who wish to advance their education by focusing in a particular area of a larger field.
I’m pretty sure that this type of student is part of the targeted audience for the “Dummies” series. Along with autodidact professionals and curious people who have "how to" questions.
A book for dummies offers a roadmap which points to a destination and leaves it up to you to explore the side roads. You can refer back to it at any point, continue in any direction and validate you’re still on course to reach your target.
