Statistician’s new book explores the meaning of luck in everyday life

When Joe Parker offered to take a photo of a vacationing family at a beach in Waikiki, he had no idea at first that he’d just met his half-brother. Rick Hill, the man he’d just photographed, had a noticeable Massachusetts accent, and Parker commented on it. They soon discovered that they grew up in neighbouring towns. Parker started throwing out some names, including his dad’s, Dickie Halligan. To Parker’s great surprise, Hill replied that Halligan was his father too.