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Black holes and baby universes

In A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking gave us an introduction to some of the important ideas of modern phsyics. Black holes and baby universes takes a different tack. It is a collection of essays written by Hawking, many based on lectures he has given at various times. Many of these explain his views on various issues rather than trying to teach the reader about modern physics, Hence some people might find it a gentler introduction to his work than A Brief History and more advanced readers will benefit from insight into how a brilliant scientist goes about his work.

The book starts with three autobigraphical chapters, looking at Hawking's education and how he came to terms with his disease. The next two chapters look at public attitudes towards science, and Hawking's reaction to the success of A Brief History. Other chapters consider philosophical issues such as freewill, the creation of the universe and the possibility of an ultimate 'Theory of Everything'. The title chapter 'Black holes and Baby universes' looks at Hawking's work on black holes, and at speculations that they may be instrumental in the formation of new universes. The final chapter is a transcript of Hawking's interview on Desert Island Discs

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Paperback 192 pages
ISBN: 0553374117
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Published: 1994 Bantam

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Paperback 199 pages
ISBN: 0553406639
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Published: 1994 Bantam Books Ltd

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Paperback 192 pages
ISBN: 0553374117
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Published: 1994 Bantam

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Product Description
Readers worldwide have come to know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal million-copy hardcover best-seller A Brief History of Time. Bantam is proud to present the paperback edition of Dr. Hawking's first new book since that event, a collection of fascinating and illuminating essays, and a remarkable interview broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day, 1992. These fourteen pieces reveal Hawking variously as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and-always-the rigorous and imaginative thinker. Hawking's wit, directness of style, and absence of pomp characterize all of them, whether he is remembering his first experience at nursery school; calling for adequate education in science that will enable the public to play its part in making informed decisions on matters such as nuclear disarmament; exploring the origins of the future of the universe; or reflecting on the history of A Brief History of Time. Black Holes and Baby Universes is an important work from one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.

Product Description

Readers worldwide have come to know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal million-copy hardcover best-seller A Brief History of Time. Bantam is proud to present the paperback edition of Dr. Hawking's first new book since that event, a collection of fascinating and illuminating essays, and a remarkable interview broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day, 1992. These fourteen pieces reveal Hawking variously as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and-always-the rigorous and imaginative thinker. Hawking's wit, directness of style, and absence of pomp characterize all of them, whether he is remembering his first experience at nursery school; calling for adequate education in science that will enable the public to play its part in making informed decisions on matters such as nuclear disarmament; exploring the origins of the future of the universe; or reflecting on the history of A Brief History of Time. Black Holes and Baby Universes is an important work from one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.

An easy read from the modern Einstein *****
This is a great book for anyone remotely interested in cosmology. This includes the origin of the universe, black holes, or even the concepts of fate and free will. Hawking's essays are written to reach wide audiences, so this book does not require an engineering or other relevant background. Hawking begins with a brief background on his life, and although brief and concise, it is helpful to get a general understanding of his earlier life at Oxford and Cambridge. It also talks about the effects that ALS had on him in the early and later stages. The story then unfolds with a series of essays that he has written or given to different audiences, spanning the 80s and early 90s. He discusses in some depth the famous theories of Einstein in the early 20th century. The special theory of relativity in 1905, and the general theory of relativity in 1915, had significant impacts on the way scientists view the world and the universe. General relativity essentially describes the interactions of matter and energy on a large scale. However, small atoms and particles were found to behave much differently. The motion of these particles was defined by quantum mechanics, developed some fifteen years later. Hawking gives us a stronger understanding of these theories, and discusses the problem facing current scientists in trying to develop a single theory that describes the universe; one that unites quantum mechanics with gravity. He talks about currently theories, including string theory, and the problems those propose. We also learn much about black holes, the primary focus of Hawking's research. He discusses the big discovery he made in 1974 that black holes are not entirely black, but radiate tiny particles at a constant rate. He delves deep into their mistery, discussing what might happen if one were to fall into a black hole. Other essays talk about the origin and future of the universe. The problem with current physics is that Einstein's theory predict a singulariy, or "big bang", at the origin of the universe. However, current physical laws break down and fail to describe what existed or happened prior to the big bang. They lead to such profound and controversial questions that include fate and religion. Overall, the book is a fascinating step into the mind of one of the greatest and interesting physicists alive today. Many consider Hawking to be the modern-day Einstein; take a stroll through these essays, into the questions, observations, and conclusions this man has made, and you may just find yourself in agreement.

An easy read from the modern Einstein *****

This is a great book for anyone remotely interested in cosmology. This includes the origin of the universe, black holes, or even the concepts of fate and free will. Hawking's essays are written to reach wide audiences, so this book does not require an engineering or other relevant background.

Hawking begins with a brief background on his life, and although brief and concise, it is helpful to get a general understanding of his earlier life at Oxford and Cambridge. It also talks about the effects that ALS had on him in the early and later stages.

The story then unfolds with a series of essays that he has written or given to different audiences, spanning the 80s and early 90s. He discusses in some depth the famous theories of Einstein in the early 20th century. The special theory of relativity in 1905, and the general theory of relativity in 1915, had significant impacts on the way scientists view the world and the universe. General relativity essentially describes the interactions of matter and energy on a large scale. However, small atoms and particles were found to behave much differently. The motion of these particles was defined by quantum mechanics, developed some fifteen years later.

Hawking gives us a stronger understanding of these theories, and discusses the problem facing current scientists in trying to develop a single theory that describes the universe; one that unites quantum mechanics with gravity. He talks about currently theories, including string theory, and the problems those propose.

We also learn much about black holes, the primary focus of Hawking's research. He discusses the big discovery he made in 1974 that black holes are not entirely black, but radiate tiny particles at a constant rate. He delves deep into their mistery, discussing what might happen if one were to fall into a black hole.

Other essays talk about the origin and future of the universe. The problem with current physics is that Einstein's theory predict a singulariy, or "big bang", at the origin of the universe. However, current physical laws break down and fail to describe what existed or happened prior to the big bang. They lead to such profound and controversial questions that include fate and religion.

Overall, the book is a fascinating step into the mind of one of the greatest and interesting physicists alive today. Many consider Hawking to be the modern-day Einstein; take a stroll through these essays, into the questions, observations, and conclusions this man has made, and you may just find yourself in agreement.

A timely history of briefs ****
More from the mind that gave us A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, this is a collection that helps fill in a picture of the man and the philosophic framework that produced a lofty best-seller. Oh, and by the way, this work is also a semi-autobiography of (perhaps) the pre-eminent physicist of the 20th Century (Time -what else?- will tell. His reputation may eventually eclipse Einstein's, or absorb it like a black hole). Is the discovery of a complete theory of everything at hand? Is there a boundary to thought? Are we accidental tourists in an accidental universe? What recordings do you imagine Hawking would want to be toting if shipwrecked on a desert island? This collection includes the best short description of the current state of scientific knowledge about fundamental particles and forces that I have seen. Deep. And wide.

A timely history of briefs ****

More from the mind that gave us A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, this is a collection that helps fill in a picture of the man and the philosophic framework that produced a lofty best-seller. Oh, and by the way, this work is also a semi-autobiography of (perhaps) the pre-eminent physicist of the 20th Century (Time -what else?- will tell. His reputation may eventually eclipse Einstein's, or absorb it like a black hole). Is the discovery of a complete theory of everything at hand? Is there a boundary to thought? Are we accidental tourists in an accidental universe? What recordings do you imagine Hawking would want to be toting if shipwrecked on a desert island? This collection includes the best short description of the current state of scientific knowledge about fundamental particles and forces that I have seen. Deep. And wide.

A great scientist explains his work and his life *****
This book consists in two distinct parts. In one Hawking talks about his life, and in the other about his major areas of interest in his researches. Both parts of the work are written in clear and understandable language, though I admit that when he talks about black holes, singularities, and the real heart of his work my own lack of understanding and knowledge prevents me from feeling I really 'get it'. Hawking's work in these areas is considered foundational and of great importance. I cannot possibly evaluate it. As for the second simpler section on his life there is the one overwhelming fact. It was only after he contracted AMS that he decided to get down to work, and become a serious researcher. His meeting Jane Wilde was the key here for this gave him hope for his future. She became his wife and the mother of his three children. And though they later divorced he attributes her with having given the hope and belief he needed at that critical time. Despite his infirmity Hawking went on to make major scientific discoveries. He at one point lost his power his speech and learned to communicate through a special synthesizer. He is a widely appreciated figure whose 'Brief History of Time' won a worldwide readership. He has continued to speak out on issues such as global warming, the nuclear - war danger, the necessity for human population of space. The book is naturally reticent about many questions regarding Hawking's life which no doubt future biographers will more deeply explore. One more thought about the 'scientific work'. It seems to me and this is a layman's opinion that a lot of his work is done in areas and ways which are speculative and not as yet verifiable by experimental test. It thus seems to me that comparisons sometimes made of his work with that of Newton and Einstein are probably premature.

A great scientist explains his work and his life *****

This book consists in two distinct parts. In one Hawking talks about his life, and in the other about his major areas of interest in his researches. Both parts of the work are written in clear and understandable language, though I admit that when he talks about black holes, singularities, and the real heart of his work my own lack of understanding and knowledge prevents me from feeling I really 'get it'. Hawking's work in these areas is considered foundational and of great importance. I cannot possibly evaluate it.
As for the second simpler section on his life there is the one overwhelming fact. It was only after he contracted AMS that he decided to get down to work, and become a serious researcher. His meeting Jane Wilde was the key here for this gave him hope for his future. She became his wife and the mother of his three children. And though they later divorced he attributes her with having given the hope and belief he needed at that critical time.
Despite his infirmity Hawking went on to make major scientific discoveries. He at one point lost his power his speech and learned to communicate through a special synthesizer. He is a widely appreciated figure whose 'Brief History of Time' won a worldwide readership. He has continued to speak out on issues such as global warming, the nuclear - war danger, the necessity for human population of space.
The book is naturally reticent about many questions regarding Hawking's life which no doubt future biographers will more deeply explore.
One more thought about the 'scientific work'. It seems to me and this is a layman's opinion that a lot of his work is done in areas and ways which are speculative and not as yet verifiable by experimental test. It thus seems to me that comparisons sometimes made of his work with that of Newton and Einstein are probably premature.

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays *****
Very very interesting. Made my husband very happy+

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays *****

Very very interesting. Made my husband very happy+

EVENT HORIZON *****
An event horizon is the boundary of a black hole, defined by the light that can reach out that far and no further. Hawking himself sometimes uses pictorial metaphors to illustrate abstruse mathematical concepts, and this one occurred to me by way of an analogy of the brilliant illumination that I am trying to persuade to shine out far enough to reach my own dim wits hovering hopefully in the outer darkness. The whole `feel' of Hawking's discourses reminds me of the stories I have read about Einstein at work - placid, orderly and without excitement (or should I say `perturbation'?). Genius of this kind seems to be a kind of glorified knack - such minds just operate naturally with concepts of this kind, and there is no sense of effort or struggle. Sandwiched between some biographical material and a radio interview, the main material in this book is a collection of essays and lectures. They include Hawking's inaugural lecture at Cambridge where he occupies the chair of mathematics once held by Newton, and all are intended in the first place for an audience of his peers. On the other hand, where Newton and Einstein did not try to address the general public, Hawking, like Russell, seeks to do just that, and he does it superbly. The style of writing is both literate and unpretentious, and the occasional jokes are very good. Readers who, like myself, are intensely interested in the subject-matter but entirely lacking in natural aptitude for it, ought to find this book enormously helpful. There is a certain amount of repetition inevitably, but the more of that the better so far as I'm concerned. Any amateur trying to get a handle on mathematical concepts like these has to get into a mathematician's way of thinking as best he can and stop thinking as a layman. We can all understand the basics of gravitation without being Newton, but if we are still struggling with the general idea of the General Theory of Relativity in 2006 it's worth remembering that it was propounded in 1915 and that physics and astronomy have came on a long way since then, so we had better get our minds round it at last. At least as astounding to me as Hawking's triumph over his physical paralysis is the fact that this professor of mathematics at Cambridge never graduated in that subject. His degree subject was physics, allegedly on the grounds that the Oxford physics course was easy. Not easy enough to tempt me away from Latin and Greek, I must say, but doubtless for him. Mathematics is just a technique that Hawking invokes as a tool in his quest for a grand unified theory of the entire cosmos. This, said he 20 or 30 years ago, is something he hoped and largely expected could be achieved in 20 or 30 years. I'm sure we would have heard if he thought by now that he had got there, but he honours us with his ideas at the time of writing on the origin and future of the universe. The main obstacle to the final resolution of the issue is apparently that no one has yet successfully integrated old Newton's gravitation with the rest of it. However he also helps us with some more `back-at-the-office' theory concerning black holes, on which topic he appears to be the leading thinker, and that gives him the opportunity to remind us of the outlines of the most important advances since Einstein, namely quantum mechanics and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. The latter principle enunciates that the better the position of a particle can be predicted the less well its velocity can be predicted, and conversely. Since it is necessary to predict both, all we can do is predict the combination on a `smeared' statistical basis. It seems to come into everything, and Hawking invokes it to try to comfort us with the belief that although everything (and everyone) actually is determined by particle physics, the extent of the unpredictability is such that we might as well consider ourselves to be free agents. For once, I would dare question him. In the first place such a view doesn't seem to require Heisenberg - simply viewing the story of the cosmos as a chain of events constituting causes and effects would surely get us that far, as the permutation of these is incalculably large and therefore only to some extent predictable. Secondly, when we talk about `free will' and `determinism' what are we even talking about? I'm often told in arguments that I can think what I like. On the contrary, I wish I could, but my own observation and reason, such as they are, leave me unable to. When I exercise `free choice', e.g. in choosing from a menu, I can quite understand that my choice might be determined by physical causes (whether that is the truth of it or not). However when I change my mind about something factual or theoretical, which is taken as a sign of free intelligence, I do so because I feel that the evidence leaves me no choice, and evidence is not an `event' or a `cause' or any matter of particles or physics. Where does all this leave `free will'? Those seeking God or a Creator will find that Hawking hedges his bets, so that any capable by nature of thinking what they would prefer to think remain, I suppose, `free' to do so. The issue is beyond me, and my own quest is for a better understanding of the cosmos I have been born into and will have to leave before too long. May I wish Professor Hawking a long and productive further career. We are much the same age, and his 20-30-year estimate for solving the riddle of the cosmos is up around now. If he finds it, I hope I can recognise it when I see it.

EVENT HORIZON *****

An event horizon is the boundary of a black hole, defined by the light that can reach out that far and no further. Hawking himself sometimes uses pictorial metaphors to illustrate abstruse mathematical concepts, and this one occurred to me by way of an analogy of the brilliant illumination that I am trying to persuade to shine out far enough to reach my own dim wits hovering hopefully in the outer darkness.

The whole `feel' of Hawking's discourses reminds me of the stories I have read about Einstein at work - placid, orderly and without excitement (or should I say `perturbation'?). Genius of this kind seems to be a kind of glorified knack - such minds just operate naturally with concepts of this kind, and there is no sense of effort or struggle. Sandwiched between some biographical material and a radio interview, the main material in this book is a collection of essays and lectures. They include Hawking's inaugural lecture at Cambridge where he occupies the chair of mathematics once held by Newton, and all are intended in the first place for an audience of his peers. On the other hand, where Newton and Einstein did not try to address the general public, Hawking, like Russell, seeks to do just that, and he does it superbly. The style of writing is both literate and unpretentious, and the occasional jokes are very good. Readers who, like myself, are intensely interested in the subject-matter but entirely lacking in natural aptitude for it, ought to find this book enormously helpful. There is a certain amount of repetition inevitably, but the more of that the better so far as I'm concerned. Any amateur trying to get a handle on mathematical concepts like these has to get into a mathematician's way of thinking as best he can and stop thinking as a layman. We can all understand the basics of gravitation without being Newton, but if we are still struggling with the general idea of the General Theory of Relativity in 2006 it's worth remembering that it was propounded in 1915 and that physics and astronomy have came on a long way since then, so we had better get our minds round it at last.

At least as astounding to me as Hawking's triumph over his physical paralysis is the fact that this professor of mathematics at Cambridge never graduated in that subject. His degree subject was physics, allegedly on the grounds that the Oxford physics course was easy. Not easy enough to tempt me away from Latin and Greek, I must say, but doubtless for him. Mathematics is just a technique that Hawking invokes as a tool in his quest for a grand unified theory of the entire cosmos. This, said he 20 or 30 years ago, is something he hoped and largely expected could be achieved in 20 or 30 years. I'm sure we would have heard if he thought by now that he had got there, but he honours us with his ideas at the time of writing on the origin and future of the universe. The main obstacle to the final resolution of the issue is apparently that no one has yet successfully integrated old Newton's gravitation with the rest of it. However he also helps us with some more `back-at-the-office' theory concerning black holes, on which topic he appears to be the leading thinker, and that gives him the opportunity to remind us of the outlines of the most important advances since Einstein, namely quantum mechanics and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.

The latter principle enunciates that the better the position of a particle can be predicted the less well its velocity can be predicted, and conversely. Since it is necessary to predict both, all we can do is predict the combination on a `smeared' statistical basis. It seems to come into everything, and Hawking invokes it to try to comfort us with the belief that although everything (and everyone) actually is determined by particle physics, the extent of the unpredictability is such that we might as well consider ourselves to be free agents. For once, I would dare question him. In the first place such a view doesn't seem to require Heisenberg - simply viewing the story of the cosmos as a chain of events constituting causes and effects would surely get us that far, as the permutation of these is incalculably large and therefore only to some extent predictable. Secondly, when we talk about `free will' and `determinism' what are we even talking about? I'm often told in arguments that I can think what I like. On the contrary, I wish I could, but my own observation and reason, such as they are, leave me unable to. When I exercise `free choice', e.g. in choosing from a menu, I can quite understand that my choice might be determined by physical causes (whether that is the truth of it or not). However when I change my mind about something factual or theoretical, which is taken as a sign of free intelligence, I do so because I feel that the evidence leaves me no choice, and evidence is not an `event' or a `cause' or any matter of particles or physics. Where does all this leave `free will'?

Those seeking God or a Creator will find that Hawking hedges his bets, so that any capable by nature of thinking what they would prefer to think remain, I suppose, `free' to do so. The issue is beyond me, and my own quest is for a better understanding of the cosmos I have been born into and will have to leave before too long. May I wish Professor Hawking a long and productive further career. We are much the same age, and his 20-30-year estimate for solving the riddle of the cosmos is up around now. If he finds it, I hope I can recognise it when I see it.

Black Holes *****
This is a great book to start with if you're feeling a little intimidated by Hawkings ideas, or have tried to read 'A Brief History...' and failed, (although I'd say that book is well worth persevering with). It covers a wide selection of essays about Hawkings theories, as well as his personal life and illness. The essays are short enough to not be too heavy to enjoy and they are mostly clear and informative. Overall this is a good read with some interesting ideas.

Black Holes *****

This is a great book to start with if you're feeling a little intimidated by Hawkings ideas, or have tried to read 'A Brief History...' and failed, (although I'd say that book is well worth persevering with). It covers a wide selection of essays about Hawkings theories, as well as his personal life and illness. The essays are short enough to not be too heavy to enjoy and they are mostly clear and informative. Overall this is a good read with some interesting ideas.

13 essays + 1 interview transcript: get Prebble's recording *****
The essays are drawn largely from various lectures delivered by Hawking over the years; the occasion of each is mentioned as it comes up. Since they were designed to be spoken, it's worth getting a good recording of these as well as the book itself. I recommend the audio edition narrated by Simon Prebble over that read by Connor O'Brien, although the Prebble recording omits "DESERT ISLAND DISCS". (O'Brien's reading is very stilted, while Prebble conveys Hawking's sense of humour properly.) The first 3 essays, "Childhood", "Oxford and Cambridge", and "My Experience with ALS" are autobiographical, drawn from talks presented to various Motor Neurone Disease Societies in 1987, with material added in 1991. Much of this (particularly "My Experience with ALS") should be familiar to anyone who watched Errol Morris' A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME or read the transcript (STEPHEN HAWKING'S A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME: A READER'S COMPANION, edited by Gene Stone). To me, this material is most interesting taken together with the film and with Jane Hawking's MUSIC TO MOVE THE STARS. For example, the filmmakers followed up the professor's childhood friends who once bet a bag of sweets on whether he'd ever amount to anything, while Jane Hawking in her book discussed her theory that the professor (like their sons) is probably dyslexic, explaining why he learnt to read relatively late. "Public Attitudes Toward Science" (October 1989) isn't a history of science, but instead (after pointing out the drawbacks - and impossibility - of putting the clock back to a 'simpler' age) a talk about the need for basic scientific literacy for the general public to be able to make informed decisions. Hawking is careful to make clear that understanding the concepts, not the math, is fundamental. "A Brief History of A BRIEF HISTORY" (THE INDEPENDENT, December 1988) describes how Hawking came to write the book, first published on April Fools Day 1988, why he avoided heavy mathematics in it, and the predictable outline followed by many popular articles about Hawking and his book to this day. "My Position" (May 1992) "I would say that I am a realist in the sense that I think there is a universe out there waiting to be investigated and understood...But we cannot distinguish what is real about the universe without a theory...A theory is a good theory if it is an elegant model, if it describes a wide class of observations, and if it predicts the results of new observations. Beyond that, it makes no sense to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what reality is independent of a theory." Discussion of how better theories replace less complete theories, such as how Einstein's theory of relativity replaced the notions of absolute space and time, and some discussion of Schrodinger's cat experiment. (This last is even better if followed by reading THE SCIENCE OF DISCWORLD series). "Is the End in Sight for Theoretical Physics?" (April 1980) was Hawking's inaugural lecture as Lucasian Professor. This is the first essay that might lose the lay reader, but be patient; various terms left unexplained here, such as the uncertainty principle, are explained more fully in subsequent essays. "Einstein's Dream" (July 1991) explains the fundamentals of both relativity and quantum mechanics, and why Einstein was unhappy about quantum mechanics. Includes a nice, simple explanation of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, ends with some discussion of black holes. "The Origin of the Universe" (June 1987) corresponds to a sizeable chunk of chapter 1 of THE ILLUSTRATED BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, but the material is organized differently and includes somewhat different details. "The Quantum Mechanics of Black Holes" (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, January 1977) explains what black holes are, where they come from, and work done by Hawking and various colleagues to understand them better. Should be read with "Einstein's Dream", since each essay lays some groundwork for the other. (If you'd care to pursue Hawking's comment that a black hole could emit almost anything, see Diane Duane's SO YOU WANT TO BE A WIZARD.) "Black Holes and Baby Universes" (April 1988) What happens to objects that fall into black holes (where do they go?) and the possible consequences (or not) for rapid-transit space travel. "Is Everything Determined?" (April 1990) Philosophical discussion; if a grand theory of everything is found that can "explain everything", can people have free will? "The Future of the Universe" (January 1991) starts with a discussion of prophecies in general, from the Oracle at Delphi to modern-day doomsayers. ("These have even tended to depress the stock market, though it beats me why the end of the world should make one want to sell shares for money. Presumably, you can't take either with you.") Leads into a discussion of whether the universe might expand forever or eventually recollapse, and whether time travel might be possible. Some of this material also appears in THE UNIVERSE IN A NUTSHELL. "DESERT ISLAND DISCS: An Interview", first broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day 1992. The show's guests are asked at various points in the interview to name 8 CDs, one book, and a luxury object they'd want if stranded on a desert island. The music is played during the interview (though not during O'Brien's narration on the audio edition). Hawking mainly talks about why he chose each piece (which turns a bit autobiographical for very old favourites), answers stock questions about his speech synthesizer, and deflects questions about his personal life.

13 essays + 1 interview transcript: get Prebble's recording *****

The essays are drawn largely from various lectures delivered by Hawking over the years; the occasion of each is mentioned as it comes up. Since they were designed to be spoken, it's worth getting a good recording of these as well as the book itself. I recommend the audio edition narrated by Simon Prebble over that read by Connor O'Brien, although the Prebble recording omits "DESERT ISLAND DISCS". (O'Brien's reading is very stilted, while Prebble conveys Hawking's sense of humour properly.)

The first 3 essays, "Childhood", "Oxford and Cambridge", and "My Experience with ALS" are autobiographical, drawn from talks presented to various Motor Neurone Disease Societies in 1987, with material added in 1991. Much of this (particularly "My Experience with ALS") should be familiar to anyone who watched Errol Morris' A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME or read the transcript (STEPHEN HAWKING'S A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME: A READER'S COMPANION, edited by Gene Stone). To me, this material is most interesting taken together with the film and with Jane Hawking's MUSIC TO MOVE THE STARS. For example, the filmmakers followed up the professor's childhood friends who once bet a bag of sweets on whether he'd ever amount to anything, while Jane Hawking in her book discussed her theory that the professor (like their sons) is probably dyslexic, explaining why he learnt to read relatively late.

"Public Attitudes Toward Science" (October 1989) isn't a history of science, but instead (after pointing out the drawbacks - and impossibility - of putting the clock back to a 'simpler' age) a talk about the need for basic scientific literacy for the general public to be able to make informed decisions. Hawking is careful to make clear that understanding the concepts, not the math, is fundamental.

"A Brief History of A BRIEF HISTORY" (THE INDEPENDENT, December 1988) describes how Hawking came to write the book, first published on April Fools Day 1988, why he avoided heavy mathematics in it, and the predictable outline followed by many popular articles about Hawking and his book to this day.

"My Position" (May 1992) "I would say that I am a realist in the sense that I think there is a universe out there waiting to be investigated and understood...But we cannot distinguish what is real about the universe without a theory...A theory is a good theory if it is an elegant model, if it describes a wide class of observations, and if it predicts the results of new observations. Beyond that, it makes no sense to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what reality is independent of a theory." Discussion of how better theories replace less complete theories, such as how Einstein's theory of relativity replaced the notions of absolute space and time, and some discussion of Schrodinger's cat experiment. (This last is even better if followed by reading THE SCIENCE OF DISCWORLD series).

"Is the End in Sight for Theoretical Physics?" (April 1980) was Hawking's inaugural lecture as Lucasian Professor. This is the first essay that might lose the lay reader, but be patient; various terms left unexplained here, such as the uncertainty principle, are explained more fully in subsequent essays.

"Einstein's Dream" (July 1991) explains the fundamentals of both relativity and quantum mechanics, and why Einstein was unhappy about quantum mechanics. Includes a nice, simple explanation of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, ends with some discussion of black holes.

"The Origin of the Universe" (June 1987) corresponds to a sizeable chunk of chapter 1 of THE ILLUSTRATED BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, but the material is organized differently and includes somewhat different details.

"The Quantum Mechanics of Black Holes" (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, January 1977) explains what black holes are, where they come from, and work done by Hawking and various colleagues to understand them better. Should be read with "Einstein's Dream", since each essay lays some groundwork for the other.

(If you'd care to pursue Hawking's comment that a black hole *could* emit almost anything, see Diane Duane's SO YOU WANT TO BE A WIZARD.)

"Black Holes and Baby Universes" (April 1988) What happens to objects that fall into black holes (where do they go?) and the possible consequences (or not) for rapid-transit space travel.

"Is Everything Determined?" (April 1990) Philosophical discussion; if a grand theory of everything is found that can "explain everything", can people have free will?

"The Future of the Universe" (January 1991) starts with a discussion of prophecies in general, from the Oracle at Delphi to modern-day doomsayers. ("These have even tended to depress the stock market, though it beats me why the end of the world should make one want to sell shares for money. Presumably, you can't take either with you.") Leads into a discussion of whether the universe might expand forever or eventually recollapse, and whether time travel might be possible. Some of this material also appears in THE UNIVERSE IN A NUTSHELL.

"DESERT ISLAND DISCS: An Interview", first broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day 1992. The show's guests are asked at various points in the interview to name 8 CDs, one book, and a luxury object they'd want if stranded on a desert island. The music is played during the interview (though not during O'Brien's narration on the audio edition). Hawking mainly talks about why he chose each piece (which turns a bit autobiographical for very old favourites), answers stock questions about his speech synthesizer, and deflects questions about his personal life.

extension to brief history of time *****
Well i found this book very interesting. As a reader of a brief history of time this book is a must as it expands on many of the ideas introduced there leading to a better understanding of many of the concepts. Although it is only a collection of essays i think it makes the topics more digestible as subjects range from a personal account of hawking's childhood to a description of a baby universe created by a dying black hole! If you were fascinated by the brief history of time this book is definately worth the money.

extension to brief history of time *****

Well i found this book very interesting. As a reader of a brief history of time this book is a must as it expands on many of the ideas introduced there leading to a better understanding of many of the concepts. Although it is only a collection of essays i think it makes the topics more digestible as subjects range from a personal account of hawking's childhood to a description of a baby universe created by a dying black hole! If you were fascinated by the brief history of time this book is definately worth the money.

Cashing in on "A Brief History" *
Hawking's best known book "A Brief History of Time" is one of the classics of it's type, managing to get across the essential elements of some very complex science in a simple manner. Unfortunately this is not in the same league and appears to be a shameless attempt to cash in on the Hawking name by lashing together a collection of old essays and a radio script. There is a LOT of material which will seem very familiar to readers of "A brief history" and a lot of repetition even between the different essays in the book. Very disappointing - lots of recycled science - and anyone looking for an insight into Hawking himself rather than his work would be better to look at John Gribbin's excellent "Stephen Hawking - A Life in Science".

Cashing in on "A Brief History" *

Hawking's best known book "A Brief History of Time" is one of the classics of it's type, managing to get across the essential elements of some very complex science in a simple manner. Unfortunately this is not in the same league and appears to be a shameless attempt to cash in on the Hawking name by lashing together a collection of old essays and a radio script. There is a LOT of material which will seem very familiar to readers of "A brief history" and a lot of repetition even between the different essays in the book. Very disappointing - lots of recycled science - and anyone looking for an insight into Hawking himself rather than his work would be better to look at John Gribbin's excellent "Stephen Hawking - A Life in Science".

The History of the Universe and Stephen Hawking ****
I listened to this audio tape on my drive to Vegas. It did its duty in keeping me awake and interested. I have read much of Stephen Hawkins's theories, but never much about his life, so this was interesting in that in included some biographical sketches of the scientist before his brain was wired for genius. It took this book to remind me that Hawking is in fact a Brit, and that the American accented voice we associate with him is due only to the American programming of his vocal synthesizer. Hawking says that he identifies so much with that voice now that he could never trade it in for a proper accent. Hawking was a standard guy who could have gone in any number of professional directions. He choose cosmology, but was rather undistinguished it seems until his body began deteriorating, causing his mind to come into sharp focus. His really is an interesting story. Many of the ideas encompassed in this volume can be found in other works of his, but like a trusted friend, they are always worth revisiting. Some of the witty lines have been used before. Hawking never shies away from his ability to turn a phrase, so when he turns a good one, as if delivering a stump speech, he anchors his future dissertations around the worthy analogies crafted for past lectures. I really enjoy reading and listening to Hawking. He has a good mind and a nice enough grasp of the language to present his thoughts to a mass audience.

The History of the Universe and Stephen Hawking ****

I listened to this audio tape on my drive to Vegas. It did its duty in keeping me awake and interested. I have read much of Stephen Hawkins's theories, but never much about his life, so this was interesting in that in included some biographical sketches of the scientist before his brain was wired for genius.

It took this book to remind me that Hawking is in fact a Brit, and that the American accented voice we associate with him is due only to the American programming of his vocal synthesizer. Hawking says that he identifies so much with that voice now that he could never trade it in for a proper accent.

Hawking was a standard guy who could have gone in any number of professional directions. He choose cosmology, but was rather undistinguished it seems until his body began deteriorating, causing his mind to come into sharp focus. His really is an interesting story.

Many of the ideas encompassed in this volume can be found in other works of his, but like a trusted friend, they are always worth revisiting. Some of the witty lines have been used before. Hawking never shies away from his ability to turn a phrase, so when he turns a good one, as if delivering a stump speech, he anchors his future dissertations around the worthy analogies crafted for past lectures.

I really enjoy reading and listening to Hawking. He has a good mind and a nice enough grasp of the language to present his thoughts to a mass audience.

Science, but for non egg-heads. ****
It's kinda hard to review a book that has no plot per se, but more of an explanation on the theories of space, time travel, our universe and its creation and demise, and of course black holes. What is really nice about this relatively short scientific book, is that Stephen Hawking makes his research and theories very accessible to the everyday reader. His explanations are not overly complex and deep that it leaves you with a headache afterwards. In other words, you need not be a rocket scientist or have and alphabet soup degrees to catch on. Mr. Hawking keeps his chapters relatively short and not mired into too much techno-babble, but gets straight to the meat of any said topic and presents wonderful layman analogies that we can all identify with. It's also pleasant that he interjects a certain degree of wit and self humor into his style so as he doesn't come across as a stiff scientist. The book ends with a transcript of a wonderful radio interview he did when he was 50, which surprisingly depicts a very human side to Mr. Hawking while still presenting his thoughts on creation, God, dark matter, time travel, and what exactly 'may' happen if one were sucked into a black hole.

Science, but for non egg-heads. ****

It's kinda hard to review a book that has no plot per se, but more of an explanation on the theories of space, time travel, our universe and its creation and demise, and of course black holes.

What is really nice about this relatively short scientific book, is that Stephen Hawking makes his research and theories very accessible to the everyday reader. His explanations are not overly complex and deep that it leaves you with a headache afterwards. In other words, you need not be a rocket scientist or have and alphabet soup degrees to catch on.

Mr. Hawking keeps his chapters relatively short and not mired into too much techno-babble, but gets straight to the meat of any said topic and presents wonderful layman analogies that we can all identify with. It's also pleasant that he interjects a certain degree of wit and self humor into his style so as he doesn't come across as a stiff scientist.

The book ends with a transcript of a wonderful radio interview he did when he was 50, which surprisingly depicts a very human side to Mr. Hawking while still presenting his thoughts on creation, God, dark matter, time travel, and what exactly 'may' happen if one were sucked into a black hole.

One of those rare books I read over and over *****
To reveal my bias first: I loved physics in high school and college, and most of my peers did not. This is a collection of updated essays and speeches concerning the cosmology (the origin and evolution of the universe) and related topics, such as determinism (whether every last little thing is predetermined to happen). Hawking explains everything from a scientific point of view and also explains the science he refers to, including quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity. A few major points are brought up repeatedly in almost every chapter and I was thankful for this repetition because it made my understanding possible. These speeches and essays had originally been written for audiences of various levels of understanding, such as for university audiences (many of whom were grad students). Regardless of "where you're at," you will find some chapters easier to digest than others. (Chapter 7, for example, is relatively rigorous and gets into particle physics, but I appreciated its rigor after the rest of the book had become familiar.) I had to re-read a few paragraphs in this book more than once and then pause and think before they clicked, but they did click. I found this especially true of the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics and the sum over histories, which I had never heard of before. Hawking makes excellent use of analogy. I found Hawking's explanations of Einstein's theory of relativity easier to understand than an entire book for laymen on that subject called "Relativity Visualized." Hawking, correctly in my opinion, spends an early chapter discussing his life including his physical condition, which he had only mentioned in "A Brief History of Time" which I never finished, by the way. I found this book to be an easier read than that one. There is profound discussion of the role of scientists in society, and of science and the public. To my amazement: 1) I finally became comfortable with the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics; 2) This book corroborated, rather than conflicted with, my philosophical beliefs; and 3) I learned that scientists are very human when it comes to stubbornly adhering to what they want to believe, at least for a while, after it's been disproved. Hawking cites many examples of this in his historical coverage of our understanding of physics, notably how relativity was considered too "far out" for years by most of the science community, Einstein himself not believing one of its implications. Some of the most amazing revelations are not theory ut accepted facts that I just was not caught up with. I treasure this book.

One of those rare books I read over and over *****

To reveal my bias first: I loved physics in high school and college, and most of my peers did not.

This is a collection of updated essays and speeches concerning the cosmology (the origin and evolution of the universe) and related topics, such as determinism (whether every last little thing is predetermined to happen). Hawking explains everything from a scientific point of view and also explains the science he refers to, including quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity. A few major points are brought up repeatedly in almost every chapter and I was thankful for this repetition because it made my understanding possible. These speeches and essays had originally been written for audiences of various levels of understanding, such as for university audiences (many of whom were grad students). Regardless of "where you're at," you will find some chapters easier to digest than others. (Chapter 7, for example, is relatively rigorous and gets into particle physics, but I appreciated its rigor after the rest of the book had become familiar.) I had to re-read a few paragraphs in this book more than once and then pause and think before they clicked, but they did click. I found this especially true of the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics and the sum over histories, which I had never heard of before. Hawking makes excellent use of analogy.

I found Hawking's explanations of Einstein's theory of relativity easier to understand than an entire book for laymen on that subject called "Relativity Visualized."

Hawking, correctly in my opinion, spends an early chapter discussing his life including his physical condition, which he had only mentioned in "A Brief History of Time" which I never finished, by the way. I found this book to be an easier read than that one. There is profound discussion of the role of scientists in society, and of science and the public.

To my amazement:

1) I finally became comfortable with the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics;

2) This book corroborated, rather than conflicted with, my philosophical beliefs; and

3) I learned that scientists are very human when it comes to stubbornly adhering to what they *want* to believe, at least for a while, after it's been disproved. Hawking cites many examples of this in his historical coverage of our understanding of physics, notably how relativity was considered too "far out" for years by most of the science community, Einstein himself not believing one of its implications.

Some of the most amazing revelations are not theory ut accepted facts that I just was not caught up with. I treasure this book.

The physical world and free will. ****
This book contains a small autobiography and interesting essays on solipsism, cosmology, general relativity and quantum mechanics. The most important item, for me, is his explanation of the compatibility between the physical laws and free will (the solution of an essential Kantian problem). For Hawking as for Popper, this compatibility lays in the brain, because the human brain is subject to the uncertainty principle (the randomness associated with quantum mechanics). An interesting read.

The physical world and free will. ****

This book contains a small autobiography and interesting essays on solipsism, cosmology, general relativity and quantum mechanics.
The most important item, for me, is his explanation of the compatibility between the physical laws and free will (the solution of an essential Kantian problem).
For Hawking as for Popper, this compatibility lays in the brain, because the human brain is subject to the uncertainty principle (the randomness associated with quantum mechanics).
An interesting read.

A Clear Primer Of Quantum Mechanics and Beyond For Laymen *****
This book is an excellent introduction to what is going on in the world of contemporary physics and mathematics for people without a scientific background. I know a lot of people who have actually bought Hawkings' massively popular and influential "A Brief History of Time" and "The Universe in a Nutshell" and not read or understood these sometimes esoteric books. They should have picked up this book instead. Most of the big ideas that Hawkings deals with in other books are in this slim volume as well. He treads through the intricacies of quantum mechanics and Einstein's general relativity with much aplomb and wit. The proposition of finding a Theory of Everything - its possibility - is presented with clear and logical explanation. His autobiographical account of living with his condition is also handled with humor and lightness. All in all, this book is the most appropriate introduction to a fascinating physicist and the questions in physics he tries to answer. Before reading Hawkings' other books, read this one.

A Clear Primer Of Quantum Mechanics and Beyond For Laymen *****

This book is an excellent introduction to what is going on in the world of contemporary physics and mathematics for people without a scientific background. I know a lot of people who have actually bought Hawkings' massively popular and influential "A Brief History of Time" and "The Universe in a Nutshell" and not read or understood these sometimes esoteric books. They should have picked up this book instead.

Most of the big ideas that Hawkings deals with in other books are in this slim volume as well. He treads through the intricacies of quantum mechanics and Einstein's general relativity with much aplomb and wit. The proposition of finding a Theory of Everything - its possibility - is presented with clear and logical explanation. His autobiographical account of living with his condition is also handled with humor and lightness.

All in all, this book is the most appropriate introduction to a fascinating physicist and the questions in physics he tries to answer. Before reading Hawkings' other books, read this one.