Summer Staff Picks: Coincidence, Serendipity, Synchronicity
Exploring Life's Unlikely Connections
"The logical brain understands life as the result of causal circumstances; we assume an explanation lies behind every meaningful encounter. But what about those more mysterious moments when experience becomes imbued with something…more? Coincidences, serendipity, and synchronicity are all related phenomena united by their roots in chance, their lack of obvious causality, and the way they provoke us to notice unexpected connections or patterns in our lives. These are moments like running into an old friend on vacation, stumbling across an Instagram post that inspires a career switch, or dreaming of a place then encountering it in waking life—experiences that often feel uncanny and can lead to a shift in perspective, a happy accident, or an "aha" moment. The books in this display all attend to these kinds of experiences. From the sociological insights of Robert K. Merton's The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity to C.G. Jung's foundational work on Synchronicity, you'll find books that examine these phenomena through various lenses—scientific, philosophical, and personal. Dive into these captivating reads and re-examine the role of chance, choice, and meaning in your life."
-- Ava Kaplan, Research and Instruction Librarian
Coincidence, Serendipity, Synchronicity: Exploring Life's Unlikely Connections is curated by Ava Kaplan, Research and Instruction Librarian, and designed by Kai Oh, Library Associate / Art and Design.
Where: Second Floor Collaboration Space
Staff Picks is curated and designed each month by the Gottesman Libraries' staff to highlight resources on educational topics and themes of special interest.
