Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Bantam (1998), Edition: 10th anniversary, Paperback, 212 pages
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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mrminjares
Stephen Hawking attempts an explanation of everything we know about physics - from the large motion of planets to the small motion of quarks - and it is a daunting task. His compelling title drew incredible interest in the subject when the book was published in the late 1980s. To many readers this
Does the book succeed? I do not think so. But it makes a worthwhile attempt that I think will wet the appetite for some. It didn't succeed with me because it was a bit too dry and technical. In many places I had trouble following the explanation of theories. For example, theories that describe particles as having spins of 3/2, or even 1/2. There are particles that only spin left, and particles that can only spin twice around. Also difficult is the description of space as having more than four dimensions, or singularities where matter is crushed into a single point in space. These are all very strange properties of our universe. They have not been observed and are only theories. This makes the visualization of them very difficult. I also caught myself wondering how important all of this is, and whether I should bother spending any more time understanding. I won't be using this knowledge, and it isn't very useful to me. I found myself many times pushing onward with the book past issues or topics that I simply couldn't understand.
In the end I suppose it is very interesting to learn and ultimately to appreciate that our universe is a very strange and still poorly understood place. I am very glad that Stephen Hawking wrote this book. I think it speaks very much to his abilities as a professor, a scientist, and a disabled person navigating the world.
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is the definitive book for the layperson on the status and accomplishments of physics.Does the book succeed? I do not think so. But it makes a worthwhile attempt that I think will wet the appetite for some. It didn't succeed with me because it was a bit too dry and technical. In many places I had trouble following the explanation of theories. For example, theories that describe particles as having spins of 3/2, or even 1/2. There are particles that only spin left, and particles that can only spin twice around. Also difficult is the description of space as having more than four dimensions, or singularities where matter is crushed into a single point in space. These are all very strange properties of our universe. They have not been observed and are only theories. This makes the visualization of them very difficult. I also caught myself wondering how important all of this is, and whether I should bother spending any more time understanding. I won't be using this knowledge, and it isn't very useful to me. I found myself many times pushing onward with the book past issues or topics that I simply couldn't understand.
In the end I suppose it is very interesting to learn and ultimately to appreciate that our universe is a very strange and still poorly understood place. I am very glad that Stephen Hawking wrote this book. I think it speaks very much to his abilities as a professor, a scientist, and a disabled person navigating the world.
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LibraryThing member Cecrow
For the most part I was following along, up to chapter seven or so. Then I encountered portions where my eyes glazed over and I had to skim the details, just trying to grasp the big picture. While the presentation is very good (especially in the illustrated edition), there's a lot here to retain.
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The humour was welcome, and I can always appreciate a good metaphor. The Einstein biography I read last autumn provided a stepping stool, and this book in turn provides good background for understanding certain science-fiction novels more clearly (e.g. Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War", Dan Simmons' "Ilium", etc.). I'm sorry that I'll most likely never have the pleasure of attending a Stephen Hawking lecture, I'm sure it would be fascinating. Show Less
LibraryThing member fletchulence
I'm reading this again. It's probably my 20th time with this, my favourite book. Hawking does an outstanding job of explaining what the worlds' greatest physicists have been doing throughout the 20th century, without forcing you to learn any mathematics at all.
At it's core, this book offers a
At it's core, this book offers a
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fundamental view of how reality actually works. To get the most from it, you really do need to leave all your preconceptions about reality behind you. Put it another way, as Yoda said, "you must UNLEARN what you have learned". Show Less
LibraryThing member KayPrime
Considering that I haven't taken a physics class since high shcool, I started this book expecting to follow only a minority of the information presented. However, Hawking does an excellent job explaining complex mathematical theories in the most basic of terms.
Even so, the book did require my
I absolutely loved this book (so much, in fact, that I read it twice) and can't wait to read more from Hawking. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the universe in which they live ranging from the extraordinarily vast (general theory of relativity) to the extraordinarily small (quantum mechanics) and the search for the Theory of Everything (uniting the two theories in a quantum theory of gravity).
Even so, the book did require my
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undivided attention and still I couldn't follow every single idea. (For example: it was difficult for me to wrap my mind around imaginary time and to think in four dimensions.)I absolutely loved this book (so much, in fact, that I read it twice) and can't wait to read more from Hawking. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the universe in which they live ranging from the extraordinarily vast (general theory of relativity) to the extraordinarily small (quantum mechanics) and the search for the Theory of Everything (uniting the two theories in a quantum theory of gravity).
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
A friend of mine loves this book and has read it more than once. Reassuring, since like me, she doesn't hold a doctorate in the sciences! In fact, as someone who used to do a lot of science reading--I read many a astronomy book by Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan once upon a time--most of the concepts
Hawking gives the history of the science surrounding the ultimate questions of the universe starting from the arguments of Aristotle in 340 B.C. for a round earth to the very strange land of today's physics of quantum mechanics with its different colored quarks and antimatter on the micro level and the strange interstellar beasties of relativistic physics of dark matter, black holes, quasars, and neutron stars and the very weird string theory that might unite both. I do think his explanations are lucid and elegant. I can't remember a better description of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity by explaining its historic relationship to Newton and how the theory tried to answer questions about the relationship between space and time. And Hawking manages to explain some sophisticated concepts without loading the book with jargon or equations. Hawking was also great at explaining how the theory of Relativity fits--or rather doesn't fit--with Quantum Mechanics and the search for a theory that could unify them both. I'm not saying I understood everything in the book. The concepts are counter-intuitive and hard to digest, and there's only so far you can go in explaining difficult subjects in simple terms to people lacking the background. But I understood it better, and certainly got the implications Hawking spelled out.
About the only stylistic quirk I had an issue with was Hawking's refusal to use the B-word. (A Briticism?). I find it a lot easier to wrap my mind around ten billion than "ten thousand million." The edition I read was written in 1996, updated from the first edition from 1988 which was a enormous bestseller. In the Foreword to that revised edition, Hawking wrote he thought that "within a few years we should know whether we can believe that we live in a universe that is completely self-contained and without beginning or end." Hawking definitely leaves me wanting to read more to find out the verdict. Worth reading, although not always easy to grasp.
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here were very familiar. Well, until we reached the very weird land of quantum mechanics and string theory and imaginary numbers, where I admit I was pretty lost. Hawking gives the history of the science surrounding the ultimate questions of the universe starting from the arguments of Aristotle in 340 B.C. for a round earth to the very strange land of today's physics of quantum mechanics with its different colored quarks and antimatter on the micro level and the strange interstellar beasties of relativistic physics of dark matter, black holes, quasars, and neutron stars and the very weird string theory that might unite both. I do think his explanations are lucid and elegant. I can't remember a better description of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity by explaining its historic relationship to Newton and how the theory tried to answer questions about the relationship between space and time. And Hawking manages to explain some sophisticated concepts without loading the book with jargon or equations. Hawking was also great at explaining how the theory of Relativity fits--or rather doesn't fit--with Quantum Mechanics and the search for a theory that could unify them both. I'm not saying I understood everything in the book. The concepts are counter-intuitive and hard to digest, and there's only so far you can go in explaining difficult subjects in simple terms to people lacking the background. But I understood it better, and certainly got the implications Hawking spelled out.
About the only stylistic quirk I had an issue with was Hawking's refusal to use the B-word. (A Briticism?). I find it a lot easier to wrap my mind around ten billion than "ten thousand million." The edition I read was written in 1996, updated from the first edition from 1988 which was a enormous bestseller. In the Foreword to that revised edition, Hawking wrote he thought that "within a few years we should know whether we can believe that we live in a universe that is completely self-contained and without beginning or end." Hawking definitely leaves me wanting to read more to find out the verdict. Worth reading, although not always easy to grasp.
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LibraryThing member NateJordon
Hawking presents a scientific and philosophical view of the universe via the most complicated theories of mathematics and science in layman's terms. That said, the book requires a second reading. There's so much intriguing information in the book's 191 pages that on a first reading, I believe it
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would be difficult for anyone (without advanced knowledge of astrophysics, quantum mechanics, etc.) to conceptualize all the book contains and postulates. Nonetheless, an incredible book for anyone asking such questions as: how did we get here and where are we going? among others. Show Less
LibraryThing member Martin444
I would say one would really need to be a mathematician with a major grounding in theoretical physics or at least have a lot more spare time than I do to fully appreciate what this work contains. That may suggest the author lacked the ability to explain his subject but I think it has more to do
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with the extraordinary difficulty of the subject so I admired his attempt to explain it to people like me (with little physics in my background) and suggest he probably did the best job possible. Show Less
LibraryThing member Karin7
I have had more fun reading this book than I've had in quite a while with a nonfiction book. It's interesting, of course, and at times Stephen Hawkings shows a dry wit. But, to be honest, sometimes I chuckled just because I do that with any sort of this type of material and this sort of theory.
The
The
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brief history is basically a twofold history; it gives some history of the views of time and space beginning with Aristotle (most likely anyone with atheist view on this prior to Aristotle's writings or works have long since been destroyed or rotted away, as I highly doubt no one ever thought along these lines prior to Aristotle, and it would be interesting to read if only we could), but primarily with modern physics. The second history is on the theoretical histories of the universe. I would love to find a similar book that is new, as no doubt some of this is already outdated. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheAmpersand
If your understanding of physics is limited to describing interactions between your coffee cup, the force of gravity, and your kitchen floor, "A Brief History of Time" is your kind of book about astrophysics. There's hardly any math in the book, and Hawking's prose is remarkably accessible. It's
I also enjoyed this book for other, perhaps less obvious, reasons. I'm a very textually-oriented reader, and while a few people have told me that they think mostly in pictures, I've never quite understood what that might feel like. "A Brief History of Time," however, is the sort of book that forces you into that mode of thinking -- it all but guides its readers through the formulation of a set of science-related mental images. It's challenging, if you're not accustomed to thinking that way, but imagining how, say, light particles act at the rim of a black hole is a fun exercise nonetheless. Hawking deals with extremes: the infinitesimally tiny, the awesomely large. There's a chilling sort of grandeur to many of his descriptions of the universe, which is largely composed of huge expanses of cold, empty space. Some readers might find some of Hawking's descriptions disconcerting, but there's a hint of the sublime here, too. "A Brief History" made me very aware that my mind spends most of its time considering things on a relatively familiar human scale; it is, perhaps, a sign of Hawking's intelligence that he can consider the immensity of the universe without having his mind simply boggle at its size. There's a lot in this book that is, from an anthropomorphic perspective, pretty humbling, a blow to anyone's ego. Still, maybe it's not a terrible thing to be asked to consider oneself a tiny speck in an infinitely large and indifferent universe, at least once in a while.
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even, at times, elegant, using a variety of metaphors that will help curious non-scientists get a handle on some pretty wild ideas. Hawking takes things slow, emphasizes repeats his most important points, and doesn't forget that that it's often the scientists themselves that make science interesting. He's good about providing the historical background of the theories he discusses and often provides short biographies or anecdotes of the scientists who originated them. "A Brief History" isn't exactly bedtime reading, but probably not as challenging a read as some people might assume. I also enjoyed this book for other, perhaps less obvious, reasons. I'm a very textually-oriented reader, and while a few people have told me that they think mostly in pictures, I've never quite understood what that might feel like. "A Brief History of Time," however, is the sort of book that forces you into that mode of thinking -- it all but guides its readers through the formulation of a set of science-related mental images. It's challenging, if you're not accustomed to thinking that way, but imagining how, say, light particles act at the rim of a black hole is a fun exercise nonetheless. Hawking deals with extremes: the infinitesimally tiny, the awesomely large. There's a chilling sort of grandeur to many of his descriptions of the universe, which is largely composed of huge expanses of cold, empty space. Some readers might find some of Hawking's descriptions disconcerting, but there's a hint of the sublime here, too. "A Brief History" made me very aware that my mind spends most of its time considering things on a relatively familiar human scale; it is, perhaps, a sign of Hawking's intelligence that he can consider the immensity of the universe without having his mind simply boggle at its size. There's a lot in this book that is, from an anthropomorphic perspective, pretty humbling, a blow to anyone's ego. Still, maybe it's not a terrible thing to be asked to consider oneself a tiny speck in an infinitely large and indifferent universe, at least once in a while.
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LibraryThing member banjo123
This book has been hanging out on my bedside table for a couple of years, I think. I always think that I should do some science reading, on the principle of being a well-informed citizen; but somehow novels and history manage to have a stronger call to my reading time. It was written in 1988, so
Hawking has a nice way of not only explaining theories of time, but also illustrating why one might care about these theories. In the end he talks about how these theories are confusing for most people, but speculates that if a unified theory is developed, it will make it possible for the general population to understand.
"Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason---for then we would know the mind of God."
These leaves the question, which Hawking does not really address, of whether we really need a unified theory. But it does illustrate why people like Hawking and Einstein really WANT a unified theory.
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not completely up-to-date; but I found this book interesting and readable. Although, I have to admit, parts were over my head, I do like physics, though, and now I feel a bit motivated to read up on some more modern books. Hawking has a nice way of not only explaining theories of time, but also illustrating why one might care about these theories. In the end he talks about how these theories are confusing for most people, but speculates that if a unified theory is developed, it will make it possible for the general population to understand.
"Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason---for then we would know the mind of God."
These leaves the question, which Hawking does not really address, of whether we really need a unified theory. But it does illustrate why people like Hawking and Einstein really WANT a unified theory.
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LibraryThing member dbsovereign
Amazing that this book even exists -- much less shines! I suppose I can admit to not understanding everything in it completely, but what I did understand I found fascinating. Hawking has a voice!
LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Let's just get this part out of the way. I am the epitome of the lay person when it comes to physics. I could understand the book's introduction, general statements, and conclusion. That's about it. So, for what it's worth, my take away is that humans continue to be driven to make meaning of their
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existence and scientists do so by trying to find absolutes. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrthebutler
A concise but sometimes overwhelming explanation of time, the origins of the universe, and Einstein's theory of relativity.
LibraryThing member JoseArcadio
The current generation's genius and scientific pioneer, Stephen Hawking provides and entertaining and informative look into quantum mechanics and the workings of the cosmost. Although posessing a brain capacity far out of reach of most people, Hawking is able to write in a style accessible by
Although the he writes simplistically the content is certainly mind blowing. I recommend this book for people who have had a partial scientific background and a definite interest in physics. I have read the book three times and I would be exaggerating if I said I understand it completely. Despite this it is still an excellent book and I recommend to anyone with scientific interest.
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people of all IQ's. Using clear explanation, analogies and a touch of humour Hawking is able to present the most difficult and abstract current theories in an accessible manner. Although the he writes simplistically the content is certainly mind blowing. I recommend this book for people who have had a partial scientific background and a definite interest in physics. I have read the book three times and I would be exaggerating if I said I understand it completely. Despite this it is still an excellent book and I recommend to anyone with scientific interest.
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LibraryThing member chersbookitlist
I love books about the origins, workings and mysteries of the universe, and books by Stephen Hawking in particular. He makes the complex and unfathomable more accessible to the layperson using very entertaining prose.
LibraryThing member andrewlovesoldbooks
Self = geek.
With that admission out of the way, this book is a lot of fun. Hawking, an uber-genius, has an almost boyish sense of wonder at the makeup of the universe. Note that since the writing of this book, the author has altered some of his theories, especially with regard to singularities.
With that admission out of the way, this book is a lot of fun. Hawking, an uber-genius, has an almost boyish sense of wonder at the makeup of the universe. Note that since the writing of this book, the author has altered some of his theories, especially with regard to singularities.
LibraryThing member Pretear
It's books like this that make me wish for a better brain.
LibraryThing member maggieball
Though it remains the world’s bestselling science book, A Brief History of Time has become notorious as one of the most commonly purchased but unread books. Reading it, it’s hard to see why. Hawking's prose is as smooth and accessible as Bill Bryson’s, and the ground he covers is still
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groundbreakingly relevant and fascinating, twenty years on. It’s hard to believe that Hawking is not only able to elucidate some of the more complexing scientific puzzles in a way that is clear, engaging, and exciting, but that he discovered and presented these notions for the first time. Perhaps when Hawking first wrote this book, the average layman understood little of some of the more advanced hypotheses and breakthroughs of physics, but it’s partly testament to the power of this, and other similarly stunning books, that these scientific ideas have become part of how we perceive our world and ourselves. No other scientist since Einstein, who, along with Newton and Galileo, is given a chapter, has had such a massive impact on the “common person” as Stephen Hawking. This book’s penetration into the mind of the reading public, whether they’ve actually read through from start to finish or not, has been the key reason for that impact.I’m almost ashamed to admit that this is the first time that I’ve read A Brief History of Time. Like Hamlet or The Odyssey it has become so iconic, that I feel as if I had already read it before I came to the actual text. I knew that it was important, and I knew, to an extent, that it would be accessible, but what I didn’t know was that it would be as funny and engaging as any book I’ve read. Hawking is charming and self-deprecating, and his prose is both clear and intimate. This latest edition is a neat, smallish size hardcover version of the 1996 version and contains a number of black and white diagrams, images, and figures. There are also chapters on wormholes and time travel, and discussion around a unified theory of physics, which didn’t appear in the original version. From the original book are chapters on such things as the nature of space and time, the expanding universe, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and its implications on how we view the world, quarks and other elementary particles, black holes (and how they also emit energy), the beginning and potential end of the universe, time and how it works (and doesn’t).In its way, A Brief History of Time is comprehensive and detailed enough to be considered a kind of bible, but at the same time, Hawking plants so many seeds that he opens the door on a welter of new notions. At no point is he ever condescending, nor does he descend into overly technical, acronym rich (linguistically poor) language. There are almost no formulas in this book. His reverence towards the great scientists who preceded him, and who support and work with, and sometimes against him is always obvious. Nor does he attempt to “dumb down” what he’s presenting. Some of the concepts are unbelievably complex. Superstring and membrane theory, with their corresponding multiverses are pretty hard to take on board, but they are presented thoughtfully, carefully, and in a way which is extremely interesting. The notion of a boundless, singularity free universe is also quite difficult to visualise. Much of what Hawking writes about in this book is still in the news, from particle accelerators to the black holes at the centre of the universe, and he addresses his concepts in a timeless way that transcends the limitations of our knowledge, moving between a poetic levity and a childlike excitement.A Brief History of Time is far more than a science book. It’s one of the renaissance books that is so seminal to the notion of who we are, and where we might be in the next fifty years, that it should be required reading for every person from high school on. If that seems like a big ask you've got the wrong idea about this book. It’s light and easy and fun, full of subtle humour and provocative notions. Show Less
LibraryThing member boweraj
The best popular non-fiction science book ever written. If you are reading this and don't own the book...go buy it NOW! Even for those who think they have no interest in physics or science. Hawking shows that we are instinctively tied to the subject. He presents his material in a way that even a
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high school student can understand the basics. Show Less
LibraryThing member lycomayflower
Well-written and concise discussion of some nifty theoretical physics including black holes, the big bang, time, and the search for a unified theory of everything. Hawking explains complex science well (I've come away with a satisfying, if non-working*, understanding of most of the concepts he
*By which I mean that I grasp the concepts in general terms but would have a hard time teaching them to anyone else and certainly could not draw conclusions from or otherwise use my knowledge.
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discusses), and his funky sense of humor helps make this a fun read. *By which I mean that I grasp the concepts in general terms but would have a hard time teaching them to anyone else and certainly could not draw conclusions from or otherwise use my knowledge.
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LibraryThing member amerynth
Stephen Hawking says in "A Brief History of Time" that his book is one of the most owned but unread. He says he's sold one book for every 750 people on Earth!
It's a shame that those copies go unread... Hawking's book is a pretty readable lesson on physics and the general ideas behind work relating
I've never taken a physics class and mostly found the book interesting. As his thoughts grew more complex at the end of chapters, I did find myself getting a bit lost (mainly because some of these concepts are beyond me.) However, Hawking frequently "dumbs things down" by giving concrete real world examples that help at least provide a general idea.
Glad I read this one, though it did confirm that a career path in science was not for me!
It's a shame that those copies go unread... Hawking's book is a pretty readable lesson on physics and the general ideas behind work relating
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to space and time.I've never taken a physics class and mostly found the book interesting. As his thoughts grew more complex at the end of chapters, I did find myself getting a bit lost (mainly because some of these concepts are beyond me.) However, Hawking frequently "dumbs things down" by giving concrete real world examples that help at least provide a general idea.
Glad I read this one, though it did confirm that a career path in science was not for me!
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LibraryThing member 06nwingert
There's a reason why Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time is the best-selling science book of all-time: it's wonderfully written and detailed. Hawking takes us on a journey beginning with the Big Bang through the present, giving us a glimnpse of the origins, size adn scope of the universe.
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Hawking also begins the book with a brief science lesson about Newton, Einstein and the like, and their contributions to science/ astronomy. Show Less
LibraryThing member benfulton
I can't really say if I think this is a great book or not. To my mind, it leans too far in the direction of the layman, glossing over mathematics and detailed explanations in favor of overviews and quick touches on a lot of subjects. I suppose that's how it became "brief". But I don't think it
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compares to other great science books like Godel, Escher, Bach or some of Einstein's books on relativity that were also aimed at the non-expert. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmcdbooks
Rated: C+
difficult to stay on his plan of thought regarding space and time; he presents theories of how the universe began & will end; references to God are from New Age perspective vs. Creator
difficult to stay on his plan of thought regarding space and time; he presents theories of how the universe began & will end; references to God are from New Age perspective vs. Creator
LibraryThing member plenilune
Eminently readable and graspable. My brain is not wired for physics but Hawking makes it fun to read. Tough in spots (at least for someone who struggles w/ science in general and physics in particular) but worth it. Also, he's funny.
Language
Physical description
212 p.; 5.98 inches
ISBN
0553380168 / 9780553380163