HOW TO GET LUCKY

A deceptively superficial book that focuses on luck in a novel and enlightening way. Unlike the glut of ""How to Make It Big"" stuff, this is concerned about the randomness of our existence and how to make it work for us. Along the way, the author shows himself to be an entertaining iconoclast and a shrewd analyst of the hokum, propaganda and hypocrisy often peddled as the secret of success. Why is it that people who owe their break to serendipity would rather yap endlessly about the good, old work ethic, or their scintillating talents, or their stick-to-itiveness? And why is the public gullible enough to keep gobbling it up? Most people don't mention luck as a factor in their success because it would demean their great feats, he says; however, there are some honest enough to give credit where credit is due, and what they say has a ring of truth to it. The lady who made the crossword what it is today admits candidly that many people could have done what she did. She was simply in the right place at the right time. The author agrees and uses her insight to illustrate one of his techniques to make luck work for you. Not everyone need use all of them simultaneously, but most ""successful"" people will use many of them. Luck is that which happens by chance and it can be good or bad. ""The Factor Nobody Talks About,"" as Gunther puts it, has fascinated men like Descartes and every gambler since time immemorial. Not for those addicted to self-rating charts, checklist and number games--Gunther wants you to think about probabilities. In a rut? This bright and helpful book can open your eyes to the main chance.