Every time you so much as toast a drink with friends or blow out a birthday candle, you are tapping into the world of good luck symbols and superstitions. From everyday actions we scarcely think about to crystals, talismans, totemic objects and amulets, every culture on earth has traditions of luck and good fortune.

Whether it is an evil eye to ward off bad spirits or a Japanese 'waving' cat for prosperity, each of the 30 entries included in the book gives background on that symbol's origins and history, including myths, legends and cultural or religious significances, followed by ways to use it in rites and rituals. Interspersed throughout are fun facts about famous people and their chosen good-luck symbol, as well as 'beware' boxes on bad luck.

Discover the charms that famous people counted on: Ernest Hemingway carried a horse chestnut and a rabbit’s foot in his right pocket for luck. Theodore Roosevelt wore a gold ring containing a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair. Designer Diane von Furstenberg places a gold coin from her father in her shoe for every fashion show.

The entries are drawn from a huge variety of belief systems, cultures and nations, such as Buddhism, feng shui, ancient Egypt, paganism, Celtic lore, Native American legends.