What book would you recommend for life science research student to understand the concepts of statistics (parametric / non parametric) from the beginning?
For an introductory text, the following reference may be helpful. Schaum's outline series is also good for practical examples as already mentioned by Robichaud.
Morgan, G. A., Leech, N. L., Gloeckner, G. W., & Barrett, K. C. (2004). SPSS for introductory statistics: Use and interpretation. Psychology Press.