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 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. ( )

Huh? ( )

I finally finished this book. It's engaging, witty, and of course fascinating, but all the same I had to read it in spurts. Most of it was not new information, but it helped solidify a lot of concepts in my head through analogies plucked from real life. I'm still a tad shaky on string theory, but I do have a better understanding of black holes than I did before. This is what a layman's science book should be like: no equations or jargon, lots of pictures, and a very friendly narrative tone. ( )

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. 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. ( )

Well-written enough that 95% was still comprehensible while listening to the audio version. ( )

It was nice to revisit this book, I read the original back in early 1996, and this edition came out in 1998. A Brief History of Time was the first book that pushed me toward the idea of a bigger and more complex reality than I assumed. Honestly thirteen years after my first read, I can't say what is different, better or worse, but as a whole I enjoyed the read.

Stephen Hawking covers pretty much all the big questions of the universe, what are space and time, and what (little) do we know about them. Why is the universe expanding, and a myriad of topics related, such as what fuels it, and will it ever cease. He discusses Black Holes, Time Travel, particles and the Arrow of time. He even includes such big topics as the origin and fate of the entire universe.

One thing I like now (and liked when I first read the book) was his ability to mix simplified data with complex data. So the reader doesn't necessarily felt talked down to, the book is understandable (as much as anything dealing with quantum physics is) through just his explanations, but more information is there for those who can process more on the detailed parts.

His humour and humility make it a comfortable read, as he confesses his own inability to truly understand or visual the concepts being discussed, or when he lightheartedly talks about humanity being incinerated when the Sun explodes. It might not be the most up-to-date book on the subject, but I was more rereading it for the personal experience, than to read something on the cutting edge, all in all, I enjoyed working my way through it again. ( )

The theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and the search for a unified theory of the universe are the subjects of this mind-boggling investigation of physics (I found I could read about 5 pages at a time without my brain hurting). Perhaps I was even more at a disadvantage for never having taken physics in high school. Even so, it's ultimately a rewarding learning experience reading about the universe as we know it. I'm interested in learning more, and daresay I'll understand more for having persevered through this title. ( )

These book has ezpertly guided nonscientists in the ongoing search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space

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 high school student can understand the basics. ( )

Still hangs together even after twenty years. ( )

http://pixxiefishbooks.blogspot.com/2...

This is not a big book (185 pages), but in it, Stephen Hawking covers a massive amount of ground. Starting from the Greeks, and running through Newton all the way to Einstein and beyond, Hawking attempts to outline for us, the non-science-y people, that area of physics that explores questions of time and space and, most importantly, the search for a theory that would explain it all. The meaning of life in one sentence (or rather, since it is physics, one equation).

I won't pretend I even begin to understand everything he talked about (in fact, the truth is far from that), but it is a fascinating read. Though a little tough and dry at times, Hawking generally does a good job of explaining concepts. A piece of advice for those who want to read it: Rather than reading it in dribs and drabs over a few months like I did, read it in as concentrated a period of time as you can. I want to re-read this book again at some point in the next year or so, and do exactly that - I think that way I'll get a better understanding of it. ( )

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 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. ( )

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 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.

Brief... but not brief enough. ( )

DAVE NOVAK: This book is 45wph34tiunrb egnbsgivnskvnskjdbns;ldbkn .

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. ( )

It's books like this that make me wish for a better brain. ( )

This book made me want to major in physics.(The fact that I hadn't taken any physics in high school deterred me from following through with the plan, though.) ( )

Brilliant! I have not been so excited and learned so much about any subject in a very long time (and that is a major claim, given that as a researcher I am constantly reading something and learning interesting things often). Brilliant, simply brilliant. ( )

"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?
These and many other fascinating mysteries are explored -- in language we all can understand -- by one of the great minds of the twentieth century, Dr. Stephen W Hawking. Hawking plunges into the exotic realms of space and time, 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."

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. ( )

A fun and very interesting book. Learn about astro-physics, black holes and string theory in laymans terms. ( )

Anyone who enjoys reading physics or astronomy books ... or anyone who enjoys knowing how things work (like I do!) would enjoy this explanation from Steven Hawking of how we have gotten to where we are... cosmologically. ( )

A very good book. It is well written with the layman in mind. It would be very easy for Mr. Hawking, or any theoretical physicist for that matter, to write well above the heads of us English majors! Not only is the book relatively easy to understand, it is interesting as well. ( )

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 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. ( )