- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Icon Books Ltd; Enlarged ed. edition (13 Jan 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1840466189
- ISBN-13: 978-1840466188
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 383,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The second half of the book is full of anecdotes that describe accounts of strange coincidences. There is no way to know whether the events are true but they are quite good to talk about in the pub.
The first half is full of half-baked philosophy, not very deep and a bit like a scrap book of ideas but if you are new to them you may find it interesting. Or not, if you think C G Yung is a bit of a looney.
The first half is full of half-baked philosophy, not very deep and a bit like a scrap book of ideas but if you are new to them you may find it interesting. Or not, if you think C G Yung is a bit of a looney.
Quite an easy read, perhaps for youngsters as well. And because of the author's connections with Radio 4 (the best radio station in the universe) it is good pedigree stuff.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Mixing tales of the truly extraordinary with the truly banal, beyond coincidence is a fun book that occasionally tries to take itself too seriously.
It introduces mathematical equations, relays between atomic particles and the mystery of connected universes and parallel worlds. Plimmer and King use a light brush with some deeply complex academic and scientific issues in an attempt to solve a plethora of lucky, chanceful meetings and events that colourfully pepper the book.
The section on probability is illuminating; the supposed odds for certain events occurring are both astronomical – in the millions and billions to one such as wining the lottery; and highly likely – 100 to one such as being killed in a road accident. How many of us like to think we’ll win the lottery one day compared to considering the risk in using the car?
The book goes on to explain how the complex and interconnected world we live in will inevitably throw up freakish and seemingly unlikely coincidences at some point in everyone’s life. Whether this draws us to worship at the temple of fate and destiny or one takes a more sober view, when coincidence strikes it never fails to amaze, excite and turn into a tale to tell down the pub.
So a rewarding read for part one of the book. Where Beyond Coincidence often fails to amaze and excite itself is in part two. This is merely a long, long, sloppy list of coincidence stories most of which are trite and everyday – she went to a party she didn’t want to go to and met the man of her dreams who also didn’t want to be there and happened to live in the rented flat she was going to rent beforehand – so what!
Disappointingly this turns what was a semi-scientific dip into coffee table material. Indeed it’s unlikely you’ll be interested enough to last much more than twenty or so pages into the 150 pages of the second section. The chances of you thinking the same? Highly likely!
A fun compendium with a few intellectual markers, albeit spoilt by some lazy filling in the second half.
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Few books leave me with a smile on my face everytime I pick them up to read just a few pages. This manages it. It really does make the reader wonder if there is something controlling events around us. Over 100 pages of coincidence 'stories' including chance meetings, strange deaths etc. One example is a 10 year old girl releases a balloon only for it to land 140 miles away in the garden of a girl with the same name and date of birth! Truth can be stranger then fiction....
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Pseudo-scientific waffle dressed up as science
This book lulls you into a false sense of security with sections on statistics and mathematical models (and the chapters on these are OK), but ends up giving as much weight to... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Al
Just coincidence, not beyond
If you are considering buying this, then I presume that you are interested in what may lye BEYOND coincidences, not just coincidences themselves. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2009 by Summers
From a left handed women who knows, well so far.
This would make a good birthay or christmas present for adults over the age of around 25. I would know being 24, left handed and female. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2004 by Miss D Longley
Not very interesting and to long.
I gave this book two stars because whilst it may sound like an interesting and amusing subject it is way to long and doesn't present us with anything more than one coincidence... Read more
Published on 20 May 2004 by R. Britain
Initially compelling, shame about the second half
I really enjoyed about the first half of this book. It introduced a few accounts of coincidences but only to illustrate a mathematical or scientific reason. Read more
Published on 5 April 2004 by Doug
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