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Struck by Lightning:: The Curious World of Probabilities Paperback – March 28, 2006

by Jeffrey S. Rosenthal (Author)

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From terrorist attacks to big money jackpots, Struck by Lightning deconstructs the odds and oddities of chance, examining both the relevant and irreverent role of randomness in our everyday lives. Human beings have long been both fascinated and appalled by randomness. On the one hand, we love the thrill of a surprise party, the unpredictability of a budding romance, or the freedom of not knowing what tomorrow will bring. We are inexplicably delighted by strange coincidences and striking similarities. But we also hate uncertainty's dark side. From cancer to SARS, diseases strike with no apparent pattern. Terrorists attack, airplanes crash, bridges collapse, and we never know if we'll be that one in a million statistic. We are all constantly faced with situations and choices that involve randomness and uncertainty. A basic understanding of the rules of probability theory, applied to real-life circumstances, can help us to make sense of these situations, to avoid unnecessary fear, to seize the opportunities that randomness presents to us, and to actually enjoy the uncertainties we face. The reality is that when it comes to randomness, you can run, but you can't hide. So many aspects of our lives are governed by events that are simply not in our control. In this entertaining yet sophisticated look at the world of probabilities, author Jeffrey Rosenthal--an improbably talented math professor--explains the mechanics of randomness and teaches us how to develop an informed perspective on probability.

Struck by Lightning:: The Curious World of Probabilities

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Product Details

Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Joseph Henry Press (March 28, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0309097347
ISBN-13: 978-0309097345
Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #819 in Books > Science & Math > Mathematics > Applied > Probability & Statistics

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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful

This Book is a Good Bet

By R. Schultz VINE VOICE on March 19, 2007

Format: Paperback

This book is written in short, digestible bites, and offers one of the best overview answers I've read to everyone's perennial question, "What are the odds?"

Early chapters are a primer on casino games. In less than an hour, you can read up on how the major casino games are played, how to calculate your odds of winning in many common situations - and how much you will lose on every play on average if you play for any length of time. Rosenthal emphasizes this last proviso. He shows how EVERY casino game is stacked against the players and will whittle away your stake to nothing in the long run. But some games offer better odds and will deplete you less rapidly than other games.

Then Rosenthal moves on to tell you how to win at the game of life - or more precisely, how not to be caught up in the frequent illogic and hysteria that is generated by headline news and TV shows. He gives a better perspective on what kinds of dangers you are likely to actually face - and they are not terrorists or SARS or street crime.

A few more mathematically challenging topics are addressed - such as the Monty Hall dilemma, and how trends are spotted using linear regression lines. Rosenthal makes the calculation of p-values (used to determine how often a result will happen just by chance) almost comprehensible.

Some of his suggestions about using utility theory when we have to reach a decision may be of questionable value. Probably many of us have tried to make decisions "rationally" by using some formula that involves assigning some level-of-desirability number to each of our options, then considering how likely it is that the benefits of that option will actually materialize.Read more ›

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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful

A Great Practical Book on Probability in the Everyday World

By George Poirier on October 25, 2005

Format: Hardcover

I love books like this! I saw this one, browsed through it a bit and bought it right away because it looked very good - it was. I can confidently say that this is one of the best books of its type. The author explains, in very clear language, the nature of probability and its use in understanding some of the many areas in everyday life that could otherwise remain very obscure or misunderstood. The topics covered include gambling games and methods, the ways casinos operate (this may be very surprising to many), card games and strategies, pre-election polls, certain game shows, the war against spam, weather prediction, and many other areas where probability plays a key role. The author, an expert in the field, writes very well and in such an engaging and often humorous style that the book is almost impossible to put down. Those who read this book will understand a bit more about how the world that we live in actually works. I highly recommended this book to everyone!!

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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Easy for the layman to understand

By Robert R. Depew on November 9, 2008

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

It's difficult enough to get a high school student interested in probabilty. It's nearly impossible to get an adult to understand the workings of probability theory. Sometimes I think that if I hear the "Law of Averages" invoked one more time by an aggressive driver or a lottery player, I'll scream. I wish there were some way to teach the average human being about probability.

"Lightning" is a good start. It does not read like a textbook. It presents the ideas behind probability using object lessons and examples that even the dullest layman can relate to. It introduces the concepts first, using concrete examples such as lottery winnings and crime statistics, and then presents the abstract principle behind the concepts, and attaches the proper technical labels to the concepts and the principle.

The author introduces the reader early to the idea of a "Probability Perspective," a new way to look at the world through eyes that understand probability. The author returns constantly to this theme of the Probability Perspective, with the expectation that by the end of the book the reader will understand what is meant by the term, and will have claimed such a perspective as his own.

Some of the chapters can be read independently, and some build on previous chapters. It's most useful to read the book from cover to cover. The final chapter is a carefully disguised "final exam," at the end of which the readers can decide for themselves whether they have acquired a Probability Perspective.

The language of the book is appropriate for a high school senior or a college student, and is easily readable by an adult.

The only problem with the book is not the book itself, but the subject.Read more ›

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Struck By Lightning

By L. Quagliata on December 12, 2010

Format: Paperback

This book was well written and provided a lot of information about statistics in an interesting way. I found the book to a quick read that held my attention. Sometimes books on statistics can be wordy and use too many mathematical terms that lead to the text being hard to follow and uninteresting, but this book did not do that. The author did a very good job of giving a brief overview of what probability is and what it means, but at the same time, he went into detail about some of the more complicated applications of probability.

I think the reason why I got a lot of this book and enjoyed it so much is because the author related probability to real life situations. Throughout the chapters, the author will present a true story that relates to probability and the topic he is discussing in the chapter. For example, the chapter "Dealing the Cards", the author tells the story of two people arguing about whether the card game bridge was all luck or not. These stories help the reader get through a topic that can be difficult for others to understand.

Another reason why this book captured my attention was because of the variety of topics this book talked about. I found a lot of these topics to be interesting and fun to think about how probability can be a part of your everyday life. Some examples of chapters in this book deal with themes and topics such as randomness, playing cards, genes, making decisions, and voting for politicians. If you are interested in how probability relates to any of these topics, this book would be a good start in learning something about it.

This book also includes a "Final Exam" chapter at the end of the book so you can test yourself on the information that is given to you in the book.Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Three Stars

Great facts but not well written

Published 3 months ago by Clayton Reynolds

Five Stars

Good quality received in a timely manner.

Published 11 months ago by Tom Ballen

Using rational thought rather than emotions to make decisions.

Struck by Lightning Jeffrey Rosenthal

Rosenthal is a professor of statistics at the University of Toronto, and has technique that is pleasantly conversational, not... Read more

Published 20 months ago by Fascinated explorer

Lightening Strikes

Professor Rosenthal brings to life the mathematics of probability without boring the lay reader with incomprehensible jargon. Interesting and accessible. Enjoyed all of it.

Published on November 4, 2013 by Insync

Probably funny, given its British

This book is awkwardly perched between being introductory material, overview of applications, & comic relief. Read more

Published on April 29, 2013 by Amazon Customer

Educational and fun book to learn about probability

Probability is one of those areas of knowledge over which I would like to ultimately get a handle. I've read a number of books that seek to make this sometimes difficult subject... Read more

Published on February 14, 2011 by bronx book nerd

A fun way to use statistics

This book uses statistics to demonstrate that "truths" that we often site just are not proven when we look at the numbers. A good read

Published on January 9, 2010 by Ian Robson

Excellent Intro to Statistical Concepts

Jeffrey Rosenthal's book 'Struck by Lightning' provides a fun introduction to statistical concepts without the need for higher math. Read more

Published on June 26, 2009 by C. Muser

Struck By Simplicity

Honestly, if there was a .5 rating system I would give this book 3.5/5 stars. The author delivers a great basic look at statistics and I will admit I took away information from it... Read more

Published on December 28, 2008 by Geoff Howard

Not Exactly Freakonomics

Maybe I've been spoiled after reading Freakonomics, which was so clever and unique it was hard to put down, but I found this book to be pretty dull in comparison. Read more

Published on February 6, 2008 by Soccerfan

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