In this irreverent and enlightening book, Leonard Mlodinow shows us how luck and probabilities reveal much about our daily lives and how we often misunderstand the significance of our experiences, from a casual conversation to a serious financial mishap.

The result is that we often attribute the successes and failures of life to clear causes, while in reality, they are profoundly influenced by luck. The success of our favorite actor or author — indeed, the fate of all of us — reflects, equally with inherent virtues or planning ability, the impact of chance. Even an entrepreneur like Bill Gates, who built an empire, might not have been extraordinarily capable but simply luckier than others.

And it is perhaps shocking to realize that one has twice the chance of being killed in a car accident while going to buy a lottery ticket than of actually winning the lottery. Mlodinow vividly illustrates why polls, school grades, and many other quantitative evaluations of everyday life are less reliable than we believe.

By revealing the psychological illusions that lead us to misjudge the world around us, he illuminates with directness and humor the true causes of things. Meanwhile, he narrates the novelistic chronicle of randomness, written by prominent gamblers and brilliant mathematicians.

From doctors' diagnoses to courtroom decisions, Mlodinow's exploration fascinates, surprises, and inspires. Offering us a tour of randomness, as well as a new way of perceiving the world, this original and unexpected journey reminds us that many things in life are as predictable as the steps of someone staggering home after a night at the bar.