How to become famous Lost Einsteins, forgotten superstars, and how the Beatles came to be

This probing analysis from Sunstein (Decisions About Decisions) explores serendipity's role in determining why some thinkers, artists, and athletes hit the big time while others languish in obscurity. For instance, Sunstein recounts how after Muhammad Ali's bicycle was stolen when he was 12, the future champion reported the theft to a police officer who happened to run a boxing gym and recommended Ali try out the sport. Talent matters, but it's not sufficient to explain why some artists become famous, Sunstein argues, reporting that though 19th-century Scottish novelist Mary Brunton enjoyed greater acclaim in her lifetime than her contemporary Jane Austen, the former had no children whereas the latter's descendants were ceaseless champions of Austen's oeuvre and succeeded in posthumously boosting her profile. Elsewhere, Sunstein suggests that one of the factors that fueled Beatlemania in the 1960s was group polarization, which describes the tendency of individuals to become more enthusiastic in their opinions when around like-minded people. Sunstein's argument that circumstance rather than talent drives fame is well observed, though the plethora of case studies feels like overkill as Sunstein struggles to find new ways to elaborate on his thesis in the book's final stretch. It's a stimulating if overlong study of the vagaries of fame. Photos. Agent: Rebecca Nagel, Wylie Agency. (May)

Great success requires talent, resilience, and a large dose of serendipity, according to this intriguing investigation. Sunstein, a professor at Harvard Law School and author of numerous books on law and related subjects, admits early on that the title is something of a cheat. The author doesn't intend his latest book to be a how-to manual; instead, he delivers a fascinating crash course on why some people--or bands or movies or works of art--become famous. Sunstein is wary of books that look for common attributes among people who have done well (especially in business) and then conclude that a particular characteristic is the reason. This is confusing correlation with causation, he notes, and ignores individuals who have that attribute but do not reach the pinnacle. Sunstein argues for a wider frame of reference, looking at numerous cases such as the Beatles, Muhammed Ali, Bob Dylan, and Stan Lee, although he admits that his list is largely a collection of personal favorites. Simply being very good at what you do is not enough, and the author cites cases of people who had remarkable talent but were unable to reach peak success. There is a great deal of luck involved, and it extends to having the right skin color, the right parents, and a mentor or champion and being in the right place at the right time, as well as untold other elements. True, famous people might have been able to take advantage of the good fortune that came their way, but that ability is itself a complex variable. Some readers may want a firmer conclusion, but the author is not one for easy answers. Ultimately, the text is an engaging study of the lottery that is life. Sunstein weaves research and storytelling into a book that contains not only provocative insights, but a lot of fun. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.