Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities by Jeffrey S. Rosenthal
Thursday, October 27th, 2005Reviewed by L.D.Y.
Hardcover, 258 pages, 2005
Rating: 8/10
Reason for Reading: I love seemingly strange coincidences, so why not find out how strange they really are?
Synopsis: You’re playing poker and can’t decide whether to stay in or fold; or maybe you’re wondering how impressed you should really by be the latest medical report; or perhaps you’re wondering if that man walking behind you that matches the description of a loose serial killer actually is the serial killer. What do you do? If you’re Jeffrey Rosenthal, you turn to probability theory for answers (and more likely than not, reassurance). In Struck by Lightning, Rosenthal examines the questions that plague us in every day life, explaining what probability theory is, how it works, and why life might be a lot less frightening than you’ve been led to believe.
