The Book of Odds: Winning the Lottery, Finding True Love, Losing Your Teeth and Other Chances - Softcover

Shook, Michael D.; Shook, Robert L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0451177487 ISBN 13: 9780451177483

Publisher: Signet, 1993

Synopsis

A collection of probabilities answers such questions as What are the chances that you will win the lottery? and What is the likelihood that you will get married? By the authors of It's About Time. Reprint.

About this title

From Library Journal

This mistitled volume is less a book of odds than a compilation of miscellaneous statistics grouped into 13 broad categories. The majority of entries are purely statistical ("The average person eats almost 25 lbs. of bananas a year"), while only a few sections, such as "Gambling" and "Sports," contain actual odds ("The odds that a kickoff will be returned for a touchdown is sic 45 to 1"). The 241 pages may be deceiving; since the print is so large there is an average of only four entries per page. Although most sources are cited, a majority do not indicate the age of the data; those that are dated range from 1959 to 1990. A random entry traced to the 1987 edition of the Statistical Abstract of the United States contained 1980 information. The headings for many entries are insensitive at best ("S-Stuttering," and "Four Eyes"). It is unlikely that librarians will think to look in this book for such facts as the number of airbags in Ford automobiles or the average tax refund, but if they do, the odds are they will not find them quickly: there is no index. A useful book on mathematical probabilities in everyday life remains to be written. Not recommended.
- James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Signet
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0451177487
• ISBN 13: 9780451177483
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240