'Odd Socks' Reveals Great Moments in the Unplanned
By: Christina Mancuso Oct. 10, 2013
What is there to do when you put an even number of socks into the washing machine, but no matter what you try there is always an odd number at the end?
This is the basis for the mathematical odd socks theorem, which inspired author David Clapham to write a social themed version of the concept in his new novel "Odd Socks." The story tells a fascinating tale of how the unexpected, or odd, events in life can often yield the greatest results.
"I was born and raised in England, worked in Wales, moved to Sweden to start a family and worked with an aid program that led me to Vietnam," Clapham said, "Needless to say I pretty much live in the unexpected."
Even from the prologue in "Odd Socks" main character Andrew starts taking unexpected career and schooling choices as he transitions from Cambridge to a lesser-known technical school. The book follows Andrew through different stages of his life as he meets unexpected opportunities and situations head-on only to realize they were the best decisions he ever made.
"People today are so concentrated on following specific plans and trying to anticipate everything that will happen in life," Clapham said, "I wrote this book to help people realize that sometimes everything can change in an instant, and that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"Odd Socks"
By: David Clapham
ISBN: 978-1-4759-8951-9
Retail price: $17.95
Available at Amazon.com.
About the author
David Clapham studied plant science at Oxford University and got his first career position working at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station. After meeting his future wife at a conference in Rome he moved to Sweden to get married and start a family. He faced the challenges of being an immigrant in a new country trying to learn the language and find work. Eventually he got a research position at the Agricultural University and has since authored 75 academic papers and acted as supervisor for a Vietnamese Ph.D. candidate, which has allowed him to travel to Vietnam several times.
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