ChangeType

using System.ComponentModel;
 
public static U ChangeType<U>(this object source, U returnValueIfException)
{
    try
    {
        return source.ChangeType<U>();
    }
    catch
    {
        return returnValueIfException;
    }
}
 
public static U ChangeType<U>(this object source)
{
    if (source is U)
        return (U)source;
 
    var destinationType = typeof(U);
    if (destinationType.IsGenericType && destinationType.GetGenericTypeDefinition().Equals(typeof(Nullable<>)))
        destinationType = new NullableConverter(destinationType).UnderlyingType;
 
    return (U)Convert.ChangeType(source, destinationType);
}

string a = "1234";
int b = a.ChangeType<int>(); //Successful conversion to int (b=1234)
string c = b.ChangeType<string>(); //Successful conversion to string (c="1234")
string d = "foo";
int e = d.ChangeType<int>(); //Exception System.InvalidCastException
int f = d.ChangeType(0); //Successful conversion to int (f=0)