A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
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Book Reviews of A Brief History of Time
Book Review: The ultimate book to start with on physics and the cosmos
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the second time I have read this book.The first time I read it was when it was first released in the eighties... the updated 10th anniversary version is pretty much the same thing with some added discussion on string theory... basically more revised.
First of all, the book is not easy to read... especially for those who cannot clear their minds of everything to focus on what is being read. Without a clear mind you will be lost... it takes common sense, good logic and quiet surroundings to successfully read the book in its entirety.
Second, the topics covered are well laid out... from relativity, to quantum mechanics, to the cosmos, to string theory... and even a chapter discussing our existence and how God fits in the picture. All in all, every chapter builds on the next very well, and the visual/"plain English" descriptions blend well with the scientific terminology.
Third, the chapter on string theory (which was recently added) left me feeling a little hungry for more... although it describes what string theory is, I felt a lacking of completeness... probably due to the fact that this is a newer field in theoretical physics.
If you are interested in theoretical physics at all, and wish to understand Einstein's theories of relativity and how the fit with quantum mechanics, then this is the book to start with. After having read this book you will feel the urge to get some other books discussing quantum mechanics, space-time warpings, string theory, wormholes, and black holes.
Believe me... theoretical physics is a very interesting subject that has been developed over many years by brilliant minds... those who are able to open their minds to what the cosmos and the universe have to show can certainly achieve understanding... and perhaps question things further.
Enjoy!
Book Review: Scientific Literacy
Summary: 5 Stars
In the modern era, natural science is more than a lot of abstract thoughts and boring jargon--it is a leader of society. Newton's theory of physics, Darwin's theory of evolution, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle--all have changed the way we think about the world, influenced other disciplines, and ultimately changed society. Because of this profound effect science has on society, it is important for the general public to understand the ideas and development of science. Unfortunately, it becomes increasingly difficult to do so as science becomes more specialized and technical.
Enter Stephen Hawking and 'A Brief History of Time.' The book is one of many great books that increase scientific literacy for ordinary people like me.
Only someone who fully understands the basic concepts of theoretical physics could put it into clear and easy prose as Hawking does. He outlines the progress of theoretical physics and the theories that attempt to describe the universe, all in plain English.
Hawking paints a picture of the universe--its beginning, its end, the direction of time, black holes-- with the wonder and curiosity of the child plus the style and confidence of a brilliant mind. One of the most brilliant minds in this century, as a matter of fact.
The final sentence about knowing the mind of God--"the ultimate triumph of human reason"--reminded me of that timeless scene in the Bible where the serpent convinces Adam and Eve to eat the apple.
Figuratively (*figuratively*) , that triumph is what we left Eden for. We have left Paradise for unknown horizons, for questions instead of answers, for a world of wonders. That quest is what A Brief History of Time is about. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
Book Review: Beautiful, elegant, concise!
Summary: 5 Stars
This perhaps the masterpiece of all science books aimed at general readers. I highly recommend everyone reads it at some point of their lives. Stephen hawking is one of the most brilliant scientists of our time, and in this book he demonstrates how he is equally one of the best science writers. At first I was so intimidated by the reputation of Hawking as a leading physicist I dared not open the book, expecting to find bulky equations and unintelligible discussions of exotica. I couldn't have been further from the truth."A Brief History of Time" defies the majority of science books in how easily it is accessible to the general readers. Instead of equations, one finds very simple diagrams beautifully explaining some of the strangest physical phenomena: space-time, relativity, black holes, the Big Bang. It is all in here, and a glossary is provided to remind readers of the meaning of some of the more exotic terms. Best of all, Hawking himself has played major roles in discovering and understanding some of those phenomena, so this book is an autobiography of sorts from one of the people who actually founded modern cosmology.
One of the best things about this book is its brevity, making it possible for one to finish this book in an amount of time such that one remembers the beginning and does not lose sight of the big picture throughout. This is a major advantage over some of the other books like the thick "Black Holes" book by Kip Thorne. What this book lacks, though, is a bibliography to direct interested readers to other books on the topic. Perhaps this is a product of this book being a pioneer - very few other introductory books on science existed when it first appeared.
Book Review: Fantastic Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I was driven to write this review not due the book itself, but the reviews of others.
In my opinion, this book is fantastic. The End. Dr. Hawking begins at a level that nearly everyone can comprehend and moves forward from the very basics of Newtonian physics into the complexities of general relativity and beyond.
To those who say that he does not flesh out the details of string theory well enough for you to completely wrap your head around, what did you expect? Did you think that your high school math classes would prepare you for the rigors of conformal field theory and... I don't actually even know what that means. I looked it up on wikipedia and it's related to string theory, but I digress, my point is, if people with multiple PhD's are still trying to understand what if any physical meaning string theory has, do you think that any amount of explaining will make it crystal clear to you? Do not buy this book with the expectation that it will some how replace years and years of intensive study.
To those who doubt the validity of the various theories presented here, please understand that these theories have been reviewed for years. I find it marginally less likely that you've some how stumbled upon an idea that will overturn many many years of research than you have not fully grasped the intricacies of concepts presented.
I will be the first to admit, I know nothing. But I do know enough to understand that there are others out there who know quite a bit more than I. This book is a fantastic place to start.
Sorry for the rant, but ignorance drives me wild.
Book Review: New Old and Essential
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen Hawking masterly presents a lucid exposition of the twentieth century science. The foundations of this science were cast before World War II in the works of Einstein, Heisenberg, Plank and Bohr, i.e. well before the age of computers, spacecraft explorations and chaos theory. Hawking skillfully builds on these old foundations in his books. Nevertheless puzzling observations pile in my e-mail from e-zines that report current space research. The galaxies and heavy elements found out at the outskirts of the accessible universe, the association of quasars with common galaxies and the heaviest stars seen dancing very close to each other, all these are only few examples of the increasing number of perplexing discoveries. The growing pile of poorly understood observations requires reconsideration of the old groundwork of modern science. Otherwise we will sink in swamps of paradoxes, complexities and misunderstandings that will soil every aspect of our life. If you want to impress and confuse your friends and professors with some really new basic ideas and far reaching implications, then you should read also Eugene Savov's Theory of Interaction the Simplest Explanation of Everything. In this thrilling book a well argued and supported with many baffling observations new picture of the universe is drawn. The revealed astonishing picture will become more actual after each surprising discovery in the macro and micro cosmos.
I highly recommend these two books to everyone who wants to become a highbrow hero in college, university or on coffee table.