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A Briefer History of Time

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 7,792 ratings · 397 reviews

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS

The science classic made more accessible
• More concise • Illustrated

FROM ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS OF OUR TIME COMES A BOOK THAT CLARIFIES HIS MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS

Stephen Hawking’s worldwide bestseller A Brief History of Time remains a landmark volume in scientific writing. But for years readers have asked for a more accessible fo...more

Paperback, 176 pages

Published May 13th 2008 by Bantam (first published 2005)

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Oct 04, 2009 Brooke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, 2009

Very readable, and I was actually surprised to realize I'd learned most of this information in an astronomy class I took in college. Who knew I was this educated?

The end of the book, where Hawking discusses the theories that scientists are currently trying to prove, started getting to be a bit above my head - in my lay opinion, I think it was a combination of Hawking getting a bit more vague and having fewer concrete facts and observations to state.

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Jan 29, 2010 Rusty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, goal, physics, read-in-2010, to-buy, science

To begin, I am not….scientifically inclined. But I would like to get a better grasp on some scientific principles, so I thought I would give this book a whirl. I didn’t grasp everything, by any means, but the book is very informative. I found it very interesting to learn how little/much physicists know about the universe, its properties, and the struggle to find natural governing laws that consistently prove true. I feel that I’ve learned a great deal from this book, and will probably read it ag...more

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Jul 11, 2008 Briynne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow and wow. I am not by nature a science person. The largely-repressed memories I have of high school chemistry still make me feel a little ill. But this, friends, is more like reading poetry than it is like reading a textbook. I am officially in awe of Stephen Hawking - the man can actually make you feel about subatomic particles and forces of nature. It's nothing short of amazing, really. I don't pretend to understand 99% of what the book discusses beyond an extremely superficial level, but I...more

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Mar 30, 2008 Rick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: non-scientists

I love Physics. And I suck at understanding Physics. But I try. I can actually identify the paragraph where I get lost. I guess that, at least at this time in my life, I'm not capable of getting my head around the concept of a unified and relative space-time and all the implications it carries (such as the bending of time near large gravitational fields, differences in aging the farther one gets from the center of a large gravitational field, and that whole section about time travel). I really w...more

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Jun 24, 2008 Bruce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone who has not yet made it to a grad-school-level physics class

This will be a shorter-than-usual review for me, but it doesn't seem necessary to add much more to the many excellent reviews of this book. This is the Hawking-Mlodinow easy-reader (because his best-seller A Brief History of Time was bought to make people seem better informed, but not actually really read. The challenge here was to comprehensively and cogently present complex concepts like relativity, quantum theory, string theory, etc. without using *any* numbers whatsoever (not even powers of...more This will be a shorter-than-usual review for me, but it doesn't seem necessary to add much more to the many excellent reviews of this book. This is the Hawking-Mlodinow easy-reader (because his best-seller A Brief History of Time was bought to make people seem better informed, but not actually really read. The challenge here was to comprehensively and cogently present complex concepts like relativity, quantum theory, string theory, etc. without using *any* numbers whatsoever (not even powers of ten!) and yet without coming off as patronizing. After a few initial hiccups (the first chapter's historical survey of the evolution of human understanding was a touch treacly and almost lost me), the book completely and remarkably succeeds at this.

Two minor quibbles:
(1) The illustrations, while very pretty (and all in color!), add absolutely nothing to the text. Rather than seek to use pictures to flesh out the more difficult-to-grasp ideas (e.g., particles vs. waves, what Feynman diagrams mean and why or how they are used, why we might view a superstring as a particle, etc.), the drawings are irrelevant window-dressing (a magnifying glass next to a telescope to show the range of scale explored by modern physics, a "Dark Side of the Moon" album cover to accompany a discussion of how starlight can be analyzed to learn what elements the star contains and how quickly it is receding from us, a cutesy drawing of Hawking being pulled toward a photograph of Marilyn Monroe to show... attractive force?). Hey, pobody's nerfect, but this really seems like a tremendous missed opportunity. Had the authors not seen NASM's "Adventures of Priscilla the Proton?" A classic. Anyway...

(2) In a weird attempt to justify their life's work, the authors write at length in the opening and concluding chapters about both the place of/rationale for God in the universe (drawing no potentially controversial conclusions) and the "uniqueness" of humankind. It's ironic, considering that their consideration of Ptolemy, Galileo, LaPlace (and Occam!) had already long removed us vain and self-congratulatory Earthpeople from our place at the center of the universe. So why perpetuate the "anthropic principle" fallacy to answer the unanswerable philosophical question, "Why is the universe the way we see it?" (p. 130). Out of billions and billions of possible configurations of the whole shootin' match we call existence, this one happened to arise. Freakish coincidence? Not really. After all, if we take as our premise that *AT LEAST ONE* configuration *MUST* emerge out of billions and billions of possible configurations of the whole shootin' match we call existence (the alternative being no existence of anything), then to do otherwise is to beg the premise. Presumably the gamma-tasting collective consciousness of silicon, potassium, chlorine, and fluorine living across a ring-system near-zero-temperature orbiting a red giant in some far distant galaxy perceives the remarkableness of a universe that makes possible its best of all possible worlds?

Logic doesn't appear to be Hawking's forte when it comes to seeking existential self-justification. The answer is neither "We see it this way because we exist and that's what we must expect our environment to look like for our existence to be possible," nor "If the universe were otherwise we would not exist," but because we don't know how to describe it otherwise. Our descriptions are but metadata we superimpose on the data, why conflate the two? I should hope that we are ever-more-detailed, precise, and accurate in matching our descriptions to the reality of our environment on the assumptions that (a) we are aiming at this conceit, (b) we desire consistency, and (c) we (hopefully and when we don't try to make the data fit our theories instead of the other way around) are honest enough to discard those outdated models that don't seem to gibe with what our extended senses have recorded or which others without ulterior motives can independently confirm. Not to get on my high horse here (who am I ranting at, anyway?) but except in philosophy, our later identification of a tree as a yew or a hemlock and our theoretical use of a virtual graviton has no impact on the squirrel who gets conked on the head by a falling cone. Unless we are sharing a mass delusion straight out of Philip K. Dick, the universe appears to exist independently of and without concern for our appreciation of it. The ol' Trekkie-ism, "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it," is inherently contradictory. Better to say, "It's life, Jim, but not as we knew it." God bless us, we're always learning.(less)

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Apr 19, 2010 Cait rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lost-lit, non-fiction, science, read-in-2010

There's nothing like the contemplation of the universe for making one feel simultaneously awe struck and incredibly insignificant.

Kind of random, but I loved Hawking's frequent use of the exclamation mark. For example::

"However, when an antiparticle and a particle meet, they annihilate each other. So if you meet your antiself, don't shake hands - you would both vanish in a great flash of light!"
and
"The supermassive black hole has a star orbiting it at about 2 percent the speed of light, faster t...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

In an attempt to prove to some recent mega-brainiac friends (not that they asked me) that I was capable of some limited understanding of physics, I picked up this slim volume. The result: my brain hurts, I learned a few things, and I humbly submit that I will stay in the humanities. Although I think I got most of it, I nonetheless find it hard to accept certain things. I need some time-travel pills, as I am queasy. A lot of this material I learned in school or absorbed over time in media (and St...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Whoa! Readable! Surprise! Very, very readable physics!! Leonard Mlodinow and Stephen Hawking have made a more accessible version of Hawking's bestselling book A Brief History of Time-- and it's a winner that presents fascinating physics concepts in digestible sentences and paragraphs with pleasing, if somewhat superfluous, graphics. This is just what I was looking for -- I inhaled this one in rather short order, though I can't say that I am particularly coherent on explaining topics like quantu...more

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Jul 10, 2008 Michael Lawrence rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone interested in the physical world

Recommended to Michael by: Stephen himself

Shelves: space-science-philosophy

An even shorter version of a History of time... then a brief history of time and now a briefer history of time. I dont care how short he makes the next one. If it will take physics and make it digestible to the average joe then I'm all for it.

It surprises me how disinterested we are today about things like physics, space, the universe and philosophy of our existence, our purpose, our final destination.

That was somehow lost in our information generation. So like I said, if this tiny take on life...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars

1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS

The science classic made more accessible
• More concise • Illustrated

FROM ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS OF OUR TIME COMES A BOOK THAT CLARIFIES HIS MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS

Stephen Hawking’s worldwide bestseller A Brief History of Time remains a landmark volume in scientific writing. But for years readers have asked for a more accessible formulation of its key concepts—the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, and the history and future of the

...more

1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS

The science classic made more accessible
• More concise • Illustrated

Although “briefer,” this book is much more than a mere explanation of Hawking’s earlier work. A Briefer History of Time both clarifies and expands on the great subjects of the original, and records the latest developments in the field—from string theory to the search for a unified theory of all the forces of physics. Thirty-seven full-color illustrations enhance the text and make A Briefer History of Time an exhilarating and must-have addition in its own right to the great literature of science and ideas.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In the 17 years since the publication of A Brief History of Time, Dr. Hawking's bestselling exposition of physics, new data from particle physics and observational astronomy have shed light on efforts to find a Grand Unified Theory of Everything that Hawking and Mlodinow use to enhance and update their answers to basic questions about the universe: where it's going and how it began. Discussed at length are the mysterious dark matter and dark energy-both of which can only be observed by their gravitational effects and are believed to make up 90 percent of the universe. Another area of research that has exploded in the past 20 years is string theory. Hawking and Mlodinow provide one of the most lucid discussions of this complex topic ever written for a general audience. Readers will come away with an excellent understanding of the apparent contradictions and conundrums at the forefront of contemporary physics. Recognizing that much of their audience will also be science fiction buffs, they include a chapter on the possibility of time travel. "Don't bet on it," the authors advise. Throughout these discussions, the authors maintain the same wry, lively tone that made the original Brief History such a delight. They close with a discussion of where physics ends and philosophy begins, "Why does the universe exist at all?" They cannot provide the answer, but they do provide an immense amount of food for thought. Highly recommended.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Scientific American

Hawking's A Brief History of Time, published in 1988, was a surprise best-seller but a tough read for most people who tackled it. Hawking received many requests for a version that would make his discussion of deep questions about the universe more accessible. This book does that. Hawking and Mlodinow, a physicist turned science writer, proceed by small and careful steps from the early history of astronomy to today's efforts to construct a grand unified theory of the universe.

Editors of Scientific American

(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, sci-tech

This book is much easier to get through than A Brief History of Time. There were parts in that first book (mostly about quantum theory) that I had to reread just to properly understand what was being said, but I didn't have such problems in this book. Maybe it's easier to read because I've read A Brief History before, and also other quantum theory-related articles between that book and this one, but I don't think so.

A Briefer History of Time is true to its name in that it really is briefer and t...more

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May 24, 2012 Bart Breen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a Fascinating Read!

I read the earlier book, "A Brief History of Time" by Hawking and this book delivers where it states, in updating where things have advanced as well as putting the cookies on the lower shelf by writing conversationally and without the use of academic verbiage and mathmatical equations that would be lost on the general audience it targets.

What criticisms can no doubt be leveled for it's simplicity, are somewhat specious because its simplicity is the point.

The explanations...more What a Fascinating Read!

I read the earlier book, "A Brief History of Time" by Hawking and this book delivers where it states, in updating where things have advanced as well as putting the cookies on the lower shelf by writing conversationally and without the use of academic verbiage and mathmatical equations that would be lost on the general audience it targets.

What criticisms can no doubt be leveled for it's simplicity, are somewhat specious because its simplicity is the point.

The explanations offered for the creation of stars, black holes, white holes, dark energy, dark matter, parrallel dimensions and universes and the possibility of time travel are fascinating and very enlightening. Science indeed has come a long way in a relatively (pun intented) brief (second pun also intended) period of time.

I applaud Hawking and those in his field with their progress and discoveries. They are indeed exciting.

I don't tend to put the same amount of faith into Stephen Hawking's belief that Physics is on the verge of coming up with a "Grand Unified Theory" that explains every element of the beginnings, development and sustenance of the universe. I tend to believe that as more answers are found, there will be new questions raised and that we may well find ourselves in the paradox of the finite seeking to comprehend and grasp the infinite. In that regard, I find Hawking's goals and beliefs, while laudable, somewhat unrealistic. That is not unexpected because what Hawking is doing here is pushing right up on the border of Physics with Metaphysics. Science can answer "what" and "how," but it will forever be limited to answer "why".

A prime example of this is when Hawking in effect dabbles in the realm of predestination speculating as to the possibility of all biological action, development and even thought as explainable should formulas be determined for the random possibilities. Interesting. Welcome to the realm of Reformed Theology approached through a different venue but with the same mysteries for which there is no apparent satisfying answer, Mr Hawking! ;)

I do not doubt or discount the need to continue the attempt to reduce the universe to complete scientific equation and understanding. I came away from this book excited at the progress, curious as to future developments and very much better for the time and effort expended.

This is a keeper and I will reread it. Great book!(less)

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Apr 18, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My rating of this quite remarkable book reflects my arm's length relationship with science in opposition to my determination to reacquaint myself with some of my forgotten knowledge of it. Hawking states that he wanted to make this book "more accessible" to readers than his earlier book -- "A Brief History of Time." While it is indeed brief (148 pages plus glossary) and clearly written, even including some humorous illustrations, the subject matter is definitely complex. I must give myself credi...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stephen Hawking, famous physicist and atheist, undertakes in this book to explain to the casual reader some of the most complex and mind-bending concepts of modern physics while asking ultimate questions regarding the origin and destiny of the universe. Hawking surveys the development and revision of scientific theory regarding space and time from Aristotle to Ptolemy to Newton to Einstein and beyond, briefly and simply (as possible) elucidating concepts such as gravity, relativity, curved space...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Paul Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science

By Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, published in 2005.

This is an updated version of “A Brief History In Time” as you may have guessed from the title. It is a slightly toned down version meaning the formulas have been stripped out and an attempt has been made to explain things in a more concise and less technical way.

Does it work? I’m not entirely sure.

I find space and time and gravity very interesting topics and inside this book you will find discussions of them all and how they relate and...more By Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, published in 2005.

This is an updated version of “A Brief History In Time” as you may have guessed from the title. It is a slightly toned down version meaning the formulas have been stripped out and an attempt has been made to explain things in a more concise and less technical way.

Does it work? I’m not entirely sure.

I find space and time and gravity very interesting topics and inside this book you will find discussions of them all and how they relate and behave. Very complicated concepts abound, and no real amount of layman speak can truly elucidate the hard to imagine reality we inhabit.

It is just too darn complicated and not really what we observe in our day to day lives. Do we notice time moving more slowly the closer we get to centers of gravity? Do we see and feel the weak and strong nuclear forces at work? Can we really envision a black hole where time and space essentially curl in upon themselves and even light can not escape?

How about that everything tangible we see may in fact be just the manifestation in four dimensional space-time of waves vibrating on open or closed looping strings that have only one dimension?

Sound confusing? Well, actually it is and made more so by the fact that none of it is readily observable/explainable to the general man/woman on the street. Still, damn fascinating though.

This book does a great job of getting the message across of what is know in science today to explain how the universe works based on repeatable observations so far. But, unless you are already up on general relativity and quantum mechanics all of the layman speak in the world cannot really relate what is going on.

If you haven’t already read “A Brief History Of Time”, or even if you have, I think it’s time to pick up “A Briefer History Of Time” anyhow.

One cool thing added at the end is a two page discussion on Einstein, Newton and Galileo. Some things in these short passages that I didn’t know. Very cool addition.

Anyhow, this is great stuff that never fails to get me thinking about the ultimate questions of life, the universe and everything.(less)

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Nov 13, 2011 Bruno Cunha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mais um livro lido, mas esse bem diferente dos temas antes viajados… Esse agora é uma viagem muito mais emocionante, muito mais reveladora, muito mais grandiosa e o principal, muito mais verdadeira.

Uma Nova História do Tempo, de Stephen Hawking e Leonard Mlodinow, revela as verdades científicas de nosso universo, de nossa matemática, de nossa ciência! É simplesmente fantástico ler sobre a primeira e segunda leis de Newton, sobre a teoria da Relatividade, teoria do Espaço Curvo, o Universo em Ex...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Alazzar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I feel this book will mean different things based on a person’s prior experience with physics (or science in general), so I should start by giving a quick recap of my own background:

I never liked science in school. I basically memorized things long enough to do well on tests, then quickly forgot the information because I just didn’t care.

A few years ago, I started reading science fiction and found I loved it. Since a lot of SF is just social commentary or an analysis of the human condition, I th...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A book about the vastness of space and it's history written in a understandable for mortals style by a very successful and famous physicist (also referred to as the new Galileo and/or Newton).
I have a little trouble with concentrating and this is not really a good book to read if you have those problems too. Many times I've just dozed off while reading the technicalities mentioned in the book. To tell you the truth I was somewhere else while reading most of it. But that's not directly the books...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Todd Wilhelm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Today we know that stars visible to the naked eye make up only a minute fraction of all the stars. We can see about five thousand stars, only about .0001 percent of all the stars in just our own galaxy, the Milky Way. The Milky Way itself is but one of more than a hundred billion galaxies that can be seen using modern telescopes - and each galaxy contains on average some one hundred billion stars. If a star were a grain of salt, you could fit all the stars visible to the naked eye on a teaspoon...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Doug Dillon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having one of the most brilliant minds in the world, Stephen Hawking continues to amaze the world with his scientific explanations of all Creation.

In this shortened, more readable/accessible version of their book, A Brief History of Time, Hawking and Mlodinow once again probe the nature of space and time. Written for the general public, this effort is a successful attempt to target pockets of interest within that market. Two such areas are "relativity" and "curved space." In the process, however...more

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Jul 04, 2011 William rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sciences, favorites

I'm kind of a TV bimbo. I'll watch any show that features the FBI and/or pop-science tidbits. The show "Numb3rs," for example, is full of anecdotes that try to describe the cosmology of the universe and a bit of its underlying mathematical language. Hawking's "Briefer History of Time" provides a scope and sequence for our current understanding of the universe, both our questions and what we think we know.

I couldn't put this book down. There was just so much to make sense of. Hawking boils down...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Danny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my first attempt to wade through any material produced by Stephen Hawking. I am an amateur to this topic so I began reading this material with the expectation that some of this information would go over my head. I was surprised to find that he did a reasonable job in explaining the necessary knowledge and it wasn't until quantum physics was discussed that I began to have trouble. So based on the information itself and some of his nice illustrations I would give this book a very high rati...more This is my first attempt to wade through any material produced by Stephen Hawking. I am an amateur to this topic so I began reading this material with the expectation that some of this information would go over my head. I was surprised to find that he did a reasonable job in explaining the necessary knowledge and it wasn't until quantum physics was discussed that I began to have trouble. So based on the information itself and some of his nice illustrations I would give this book a very high rating.

What held this book back for me was that as I read it, I noticed that he occasionally decided to "philosophize" about the implications of various subjects like a possible universe with no beginning(or "edge" as he might describe it), the limitations of a scientific theory, the nature of God, what it would mean if we could not find a unified "theory of everything", etc. During these brief moments, I couldn't help but to think: "Mr. Hawking really needs to consult a few good philosophers before he provides commentary like this."

Imagine my shock then, at the end of this book where just pages before he uses philosophy(although, perhaps unaware of it?) to speculate about the ramifications of various theories, that he gives philosophy a major kick to the groin on the last page of the last chapter when he says:

"...the people whose business it is to ask why, the philosophers, have not been able to keep up with the advance of scientific theories. In the eighteenth century, philosophers considered the whole of human knowledge, including science, to be their field and discussed questions such as whether the universe had a beginning. However, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, science became too technical and mathematical for the philosophers, or anyone else except a few specialists. Philosophers reduced the scope of their inquiries so much that Wittenstein, the most famous philosopher of the twentieth century, said, "The sole remaining task for philosophers is the analysis of language." What a comedown from the great traditions of philosophy from Aristotle to Kant!" pg 142

To me this simply seemed as though he felt that philosophy was an unnecessary discipline and could be set aside - even though even he was unable to set it aside in his analysis of the significance of pieces of scientific knowledge. He may not have intended to imply such a thing, but this is not the first time I have encountered this perspective among a theoretical physicist. The study of philosophy, logic, and critical thinking are essential to correct and explicable knowledge.

This is still a worthwhile read (hence, 3 stars which is "GoodReads" equivalent to: "I like it"), but I felt it was necessary to point out an inconsistency on his part. (less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Betsy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-math

The original "A Brief History of Time" was billed as a book to explain relativity etc. to the interested layman. With degrees in Chem/Physics, Comp Sci and Math I still gave up trying to follow the discussion. When the "condensed" version came out I thought I would give it another shot. Although the writing style was entertaining, the book still defeated me. Perhaps the absences of equations was a drawback rather than an asset. I felt that my understanding of the meaning of time in the cosmologi...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Tariq A rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, علوم

رائع!
كتاب لطيف، مختصر، ومركّز، يجعلك تعرف بشكل جيد أكثر الموضوعات التي تهم علماء الفيزياء اليوم
يحوي الكتاب عدة موضوعات متّصلة بطريقة ما، قرأت عن أكثرها سابقا بشكل منفصل، لكني لم أجد كتابا مثل هذا جامعا لها، بشكل واضح يجعلني أفهم رغم أني لستُ مختصّا
استمتعت به، وأراه مناسبا لكل من لديه أسئلة حول الفيزياء والكون بشكل عام.

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Aug 01, 2011 Shireen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction, writing

**I'm not really sure you can have spoilers in a non-fiction book and one that was extensively discussed in the press, but if so, there is a tiny bit of a spoiler four paragraphs down and on.**

In preparation for my next-next novel, I decided to read the briefer (and, I assume, easier) of Stephen Hawking's books on time and space for the lay person. It's something I would've been loathe to do even six months ago because of the state of my reading ability. But Goodreads has done for me what I'd ho...more

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Apr 19, 2008 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the previous version of this book, and this one is even better. I came away with a much better understanding of relativity, the uncertainty principle & even string theory. I would recommend this book to anybody interested in science. It is very well written.

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Aug 28, 2012 Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science, for-the-philosophy-fan

As someone who never took physics, even in high school, I sometimes feel I have some catching up to do scientifically. In general, I think this book does an excellent job of explaining some very difficult concepts. The authors also have condensed the book to a manageable size, which I appreciated. There's only so much cosmology I can take in one dose!

I'm still a bit vague about string theory, but I think that's more my lack of concentration on listening than the fault of the writing--I learn be...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Ergun Coruh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Physics for mere mortals. "A Briefer History of Time" is a popular-science book from the English physicist Stephen Hawking and the American physicist Leonard Mlodinow. It is an update and rewrite of Hawking's 1988 "A Brief History of Time". I read the original long time ago and had great difficulty to grasp the subject despite my relatively strong background in Physics. My objective of reading the "Briefer" version was to learn where we are at in understanding our Universe today and the backgrou...more

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May 14, 2013 Krishna Sameer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Too good a book to read. Very informative. Ive been trying to learn about the various aspects of physics ranging over a long period of time in history. Ive had to struggle to find all the different things ( to know the things that i wanted to know about, then find it and then try to understand it) this book has got all the things under one roof. So , to me, its very concise and highly informative and presented in a lucid style that is easily graspable. If you ever wouldnt understand something, i...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Tanmay Tathagat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is just as long as the book it purports to have abridged and does in fact carry more content. Like my experience with all popular science books, my understanding of what is in them is partial. I was with this one until that chapter on quantum gravity. Then it sort of slipped away from me. I do need to re-read this much more thoroughly, maybe even with a pen and paper. That will happen. Soon. Still, a very satisfying reading experience. I still like The Grand Design more. I think with popula...more

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About Stephen Hawking

Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Ste...more Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Stephen wanted to do Mathematics, although his father would have preferred medicine. Mathematics was not available at University College, so he did Physics instead. After three years and not very much work he was awarded a first class honours degree in Natural Science.

Stephen then went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology, there being no-one working in that area in Oxford at the time. His supervisor was Denis Sciama, although he had hoped to get Fred Hoyle who was working in Cambridge. After gaining his Ph.D. he became first a Research Fellow, and later on a Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. After leaving the Institute of Astronomy in 1973 Stephen came to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and since 1979 has held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. The chair was founded in 1663 with money left in the will of the Reverend Henry Lucas, who had been the Member of Parliament for the University. It was first held by Isaac Barrow, and then in 1669 by Isaac Newton.

Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great Scientific development of the first half of the 20th Century. One consequence of such a unification that he discovered was that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science.

His many publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G.F.R. Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W. Israel, and 300 Years of Gravity, with W. Israel. Stephen Hawking has three popular books published; his best seller A Brief History of Time, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays and most recently in 2001, The Universe in a Nutshell. There are .pdf and .ps versions of his full publication list.

Professor Hawking has twelve honorary degrees, was awarded the CBE in 1982, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1989. He is the recipient of many awards, medals and prizes and is a Fellow of The Royal Society and a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

Stephen Hawking continues to combine family life (he has three children and one grandchild), and his research into theoretical physics together with an extensive programme of travel and public lectures. (less)

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Books by Stephen Hawking

The Illustrated A Brief History of Time & The Universe in a Nutshell

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“It's the gravity that shapes the large scale structure of the universe, even though it is the weakest of four categories of forces” — 6 people liked it

“Physics as we know it will be over in six months - Max Born” — 3 people liked it

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