In this irreverent and enlightening book, Leonard Mlodinow shows us how luck and probability reveal much about our daily lives and how we misunderstand the significance of our experiences, from a casual conversation to a serious financial setback. The result is that we often attribute life's successes and failures to clear causes, while in reality, they are crucially influenced by luck. The success of our favorite actor or writer ―in fact, the fate of all of us― reflects, as much as inherent virtues or planning ability, the impact of luck. Even a businessman like Bill Gates, who built an empire, may not have been extraordinarily capable but simply luckier than others. And it may be shocking to realize that you are twice as likely to be killed in a car accident going to buy a lottery ticket than to win the lottery. Mlodinow vividly shows why polls, school grades, and many other quantitative assessments of everyday life are less reliable than we think. By revealing the psychological illusions that lead us to misjudge the world around us, he illuminates the true causes of things with immediacy and humor. At the same time, he narrates the novelistic chronicle of randomness, written by prominent gamblers and intelligent mathematicians. From doctors' diagnoses to court 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.