A Brief History of Time
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4.3 • 655 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? Does time always flow forward? Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Are there other dimensions in space? What will happen when it all ends?
Told in language we all can understand, A Brief History of Time plunges into the exotic realms of black holes and quarks, of antimatter and “arrows of time,” of the big bang and a bigger God—where the possibilities are wondrous and unexpected. With exciting images and profound imagination, Stephen Hawking brings us closer to the ultimate secrets at the very heart of creation.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hawking's discovery that black holes emit particles caused great excitement among astronomers. In this succinct overview of current theories of the cosmos, the Cambridge University physicist modestly weaves in his own notable contributions while giving due credit to his colleagues. He explains why relativity implies that a "big bang'' occurred and examines string theory, which posits a universe of 10 or 26 dimensions. His understanding of time's flow leads him to conclude that intelligent beings can only exist during the expansion phase of our increasingly chaotic universe. New research on black holes and subatomic particles holds implications for scientists who, like Hawking, are attempting to devise a unified theory linking Einstein to quantum mechanics. The merit of this book is Hawking's ability to make these ideas graspable by the lay reader.
Customer Reviews
Review of A Brief History of Time
I enjoyed reading this book although it took me some time as there is quite a bit to absorb. I appreciate that while Hawking is a well known atheist he actually spends very little time discussing God. In fact, it is not until the last chapter that he really has anything to say about God at all. Even then he doesn’t draw the conclusion that God had nothing to do with the creation of the universe. Hawking seems content to let the reader draw his own conclusions.
I can’t say that after reading this book I am now an expert on the origins of the universe, and that’s okay. That was never the point of the book to begin with. Hawking simply sets up a road map showing where the current theories of physics came from and possible destinations as to where science in general and physics in particular is taking us.
I can see me reading more of Hawking’s books should the opportunity present itself.
Unparalleled (In Our Universe)
Hawking brings forth ideas of labyrinthine complexity with unequaled clarity and eloquence. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever asked the question... Well, come to think of it, anyone who has ever asked ANY question.
How The Universe Works
“A Brief History of Time” reads like the Biblical equivalent of the origin story for those whose world view is grounded in science. Separating the author’s recent scandalous associations from this book I can only focus on what he has to say about how the universe works and as a summarization of the efforts by many to advance human understanding.
In that sense it is a refreshingly simplified and cohesive breakdown of the physical principles that control existence. To be clear I mean simple in the broadest possible picture that can be seen by all. You won’t finish this book and start giving lectures on Quantum Physics or String Theory. You will, however, finish it and know why we have these theories and how they help fill in the parts of the history of the universe that we don’t know.
That wider understanding gives the reader a view into what remains to be discovered and the challenges that lie in front of that search. For me it raised a broader question of what more knowledge of how things work serves or undermines our understandings of ourselves. Maybe even more complex a take on that idea is what does scientific discovery do to bolster or dismantle religious views.
For me there is a beautiful simplicity in the ordered understanding of the universe beyond the stories we ascribe to it. Beliefs and tales born out of fear mostly but also hope. In the scientific view, I see only hope even when it seems that our own agency cannot conquer the tremendous forces out there. Hope because we can maybe focus on fixing the immediate problems when we step into the freedom of knowing how the rest takes care of itself.