A Briefer History of Time
The Science Classic Made More Accessible
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3.9 • 166 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
#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 universe. A Briefer History of Time is Professor Hawking’s response.
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
Customer Reviews
Interesting and Simple
When I first saw this book was by Stephen Hawking, you could say I was a bit intimidated. The thing is he actually dumbed it down for average people to be able to understand. And the concepts talked about in the book weren’t simple; there was string theory and he got my mind to think in different viewpoints. Although it was a simple read, it had me really thinking about some interesting concepts, like how did the universe really start?
I mean, I didn’t fully grasp quite a few of these concepts, that might be because of his writing or because I’m not scientifically inclined, and I got a bit lost in his words at some points, but it did dumb some things down for me to understand and I appreciate that.
Everyone should be able to understand key concepts such as the ones mentioned in this book, and I’m happy to see something that gives normal people this opportunity.
a briefer history of time
This book is more up to date than the brief history of time. It may be very confusing but, once you read it second time it will make more sence. I would highly recomend this to space lovers and people who like to learn about scientific laws.
Not really what I expected
Has some interesting parts. Nice and short, thought it would be more scientific I guess. Too many instances of talking in circles. Good overall review of what theories and ideas we've had and have today. If you watch enough science/history channel and have gone on some YouTube binges watching basic physics videos then you've heard this all before.