THE GRAND DESIGN is a remarkably accessible book. It's incredible how Hawking and Mlodinow manage to convey so much complicated information in such a short and even somewhat easy text. THE GRAND DESIGN definitely covers what I was missing from other works on theoretical physics: a discussion about the metaphysics/epistemology of choosing this particular model of reality, and a COMPREHENSIBLE explanation of quantum physics and Feynman's sum-over-histories. Also, it was of course enjoyable to see how the authors directly address the "God issue," especially after Hawking's being labeled "religious" by those who want to claim that some brilliant scientists believe in God. (And the irony of the religious-sounding title is genius.)