Beyond Coincidence (Hardcover)

A Little Book of Coincidence: in the Solar System by John Southcliffe Martineau 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £4.99

A Mind of Its Own: How Your Brain Distorts and Deceives by Cordelia Fine 4.4 out of 5 stars (13)  £5.39

The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind by Richard Wiseman 4.2 out of 5 stars (25)  £6.69

Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives by Richard Wiseman 4.4 out of 5 stars (28)  £4.79

Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives by Michael Newton 4.8 out of 5 stars (93)  £12.49

› Explore similar items

Review
Better than fiction is a phrase that effectively describes some of the incredible stories of coincidence that are scattered throughout this fascinating book. We all love a good tale of a striking coincidence and most of us, at some time in our lives, will have an experience to share. It may be a case of travelling half way around the world and finding ourselves seated next to an old neighbour or school friend, that sets us wondering if 'someone' all powerful if playing a game of "snap" with our lives. Or is there magic at play? Coincidence, according to the authors of this book, is everywhere. We only notice it, they claim, when those strange intersections are meaningful to us and take on a poignant significance. We don't understand all the forces affecting us. Suggestions include a higher universal intelligence, gods and aliens, a psycho-magnetic field, the power of our own thoughts, or a universal system of parallel universes operating in different dimensions from our own. Undoubtedly, part of the reason that we all enjoy such coincidences is that we are a highly connected species and we relish such connections. Whatever your chosen explanation, there is a wealth of incredible stories to be enjoyed in this book. The authors look in depth at the possible explanations, discuss how coincidence affects our lives and provide over 200 amazing stories, some of which will send a shiver down the reader's spine! Enjoy! (Kirkus UK)

London-based journalists Plimmer and King take on probability and chance and describe many of the scofflaws in the confounding realm of coincidence. As the subtitle promises, the stories, adapted from a BBC series, are amazing-so amazing as to be redolent of vintage pulp magazines, of the oeuvre of the late Robert L. Ripley or of the latest supermarket tabloids. Luck, they find, is not an equal opportunity phenomenon. Some people are luckier than others. The first half of the text provides sprightly essays about the metaphysics of chance and the arithmetic of coincidence, citing such worthies as B.F. Skinner, Carl Jung and Arthur Koestler. Heuristics and superstition, plagiarism and precognition, astrology, feng shui, telepathy, personal synchronicity and vagrant invisible forces all share the work in the pursuit of coincidence. The rest of the book provides, simply, case after dubious case (more than 200 in all). They range from the unfortunate situation of Oedipus to the many instances of lost rings recovered in fish and the heartwarming stories of reunited twins. The authors surmise that coincidences occur now more frequently than in the past. Maybe, they say, it's the profligacy of information. It's a compendium of coincidences, ladies and gents, an enchiridion of fortuitous encounters, a barrage of bunkum! As luck-or something-would have it, many of their anecdotes are tales more than twice told. What are the odds? An awful lot of coincidence, ranging from unremarkable to unbelievable. (Kirkus Reviews)

Simon Hoggart, The Guardian
"Pretty amazing"

See all Product Description

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover

Search inside this book:

7 Reviews 5 star:    (0) 4 star:  (3) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 3.0 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Quite interesting but lacks a message, 19 Mar 2005 By  Ben (Chester, Cheshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews This review is from: Beyond Coincidence (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. 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. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   12 of 14 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars beyond belief, 8 May 2004 By  monlibu "monlibu" (london) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       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. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   12 of 15 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars This book is clever and funny - a coincidence?, 9 Mar 2004 By  "upthedale" - See all my reviews 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.... Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 7 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars 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 6 months ago by Summers 4.0 out of 5 stars 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 2.0 out of 5 stars 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 3.0 out of 5 stars 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 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 7 customer reviews...

Eclectic and fine: A list by Chris Wood "Sherlock Holmes and the Underpants of Death"   Books for the soul: A list by Miss Doodle "Scribbles on the page"   more books y'all: A list by John "greasychimp" Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

• Books > Children's Books
• Books > Reference

Unexplained phenomena / the paranormal
Coincidence
Body, Mind & Spirit / Unexplained Phenomena
Controversial Knowledge & Mysteries
General Knowledge
The Paranormal


i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.