The Hot Hand

How the Search for a Missing War Hero, Shakespeare’s Lucky Flea, a Wall Street Champion, Three Guys in Front of a TV and a Series of Long, Long Shots Reveal the Hidden Secrets of the Winning Streak

Ben Cohen

Recommended By

Book Reviews

Anthony Pompliano: ["I've really enjoyed it and highly recommend!"](https://twitter.com/APompliano/status/1301137301607714816\)

Book Synopsis

"The Hot Hand" by Ben Cohen delves into the fascinating phenomenon of streaks and its implications in the world of sports. Cohen explores the belief in 'the hot hand' - that players who have experienced success are likely to continue performing well. Through extensive research and interviews with athletes, coaches, and statisticians, Cohen investigates the validity of this notion and its influence on professional basketball.

In this thought-provoking analysis, Cohen includes engaging storytelling to highlight memorable moments in sports history and the uncanny performances that have defied statistical odds. He examines the scientific explanations behind streaks, including the role of psychology and the human drive for patterns.

Additionally, Cohen offers a critical examination of how the hot hand belief impacts decision-making in sports and beyond. He uncovers the paradoxical nature of streaks, where the faith in a hot hand influences players and teams yet can also disrupt rhythm and hinder performance.

Ultimately, "The Hot Hand" challenges our common assumptions about winning streaks and redefines our understanding of luck, skill, and the complex interplay between the two. With thoughtful analysis and captivating storytelling, Cohen provides readers with a refreshing exploration of streaks in sports and their wider implications.

Explore More Books

See All
Capital Ideas
Scotland
The Age of Entitlement
Mohammed and Charlemagne
Feeding the Dragon
Who We Are and How We Got Here
Frisco Kid
The Plant Paradox
The New Economics
The Warren Buffett Way
Live Your Truth
What We Owe the Future
With the Old Breed
The Greatness Mindset
Werner Herzog - A Guide for the Perplexed
Amusing Ourselves to Death
The Razor's Edge
The Little Prince
Lifespan
Foundation
The First Conspiracy
Proof of Corruption
Karl Marx's Theory of History
Masters of the Word
Black Flags
Thermoinfocomplexity
Fewer
Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning
The American Challenge
The Network State
Bel Canto
Mao
The Victorian Internet
Spain in Our Hearts
Asset Management
The Sovereign Individual
The French Revolution and What Went Wrong
Confessions of a Philosopher
The Innovators
Misbehaving
All Marketers are Liars
Off The Record
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out
Programming Bitcoin
A Random Walk Down Wall Street
The Great CEO Within
Founders' Son
Think Like a Monk
The Last Lion
Why We Believe in God(s)
The Poems of Dylan Thomas
Home Game
Platform Revolution
The Ethics of Money Production
Loonshots
In the Heart of the Sea
A Magic Web
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
The Little Bitcoin Book
The Sketchbooks of Chris Wilkinson
A Time for New Dreams
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
Thing Explainer
Monetizing Innovation
The Right Stuff
The Great War of Our Time
Our Mathematical Universe
Direct Truth
What You Want
Connectography
Why America Is Not a New Rome
The World According to Garp
Water in Plain Sight
An American Marriage
P53
Levels of the Game
The End of Power
Invariances
Think Like a Rocket Scientist
How to Be Topp
Intellectuals and Race
Hopping Over The Rabbit Hole
The Story of Civilization: Caesar and Christ
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
House On Fire
Personal Knowledge
From Third World to First
Little, Big
The Sports Gene
First a Dream
Innovating Out of Crisis
Team of Rivals
Disruptor
The Score Takes Care of Itself
As One Is
Where Mountains Roar
Justice on Trial
Return to the Little Kingdom
Mastery
Lords of Finance