Everyone knows that rubbing a rabbit's foot will bring good luck—but did you know this superstition was introduced to the United States by slaves from West Africa? Field Guide to Luck features the fascinating origins of the most popular charms and signs—everything from crossed fingers and full moons to four-leaf clovers and Friday the thirteenth. Each entry features information about the origins and cultural context of the superstition, with plenty of interesting trivia along the way. (For the record, Chinese fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco!)

Also included are dozens of talismans and symbols from around the world, including cows (India), money cats (Japan), akuaba dolls (Ghana), jade (China), and more. Best of all, Field Guide to Luck showcases many of these lucky charms with 48 pages of full-color illustrations—so you'll be sure to recognize them wherever you encounter them!