A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
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Book Reviews of A Brief History of Time
Book Review: A classical predecessor of the Elegant Universe
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen Hawking is the first physicist who was able to combine the laws of the small - quantum mechanics - with the laws of the large - general relativity - to find out something fascinating: black holes evaporate. He was also the first man who published a book on theoretical physics that has become popular world-wide (about 9 million copies have been sold). Many readers have learned a lot of exciting things about our universe from this book. So did I - even though I was a student of theoretical physics. Although this book is not as perfect as Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe", the successor of the Hawking's book in the position of the book on theoretical physics causing such a stir, "A Brief History of Time" will remain a tour de force, a pioneering work which began a new interest in physics among masses of people. That is why do I recommend you to read this book about the big bang, black holes, the quest for the ultimate theory and many other issues.Book Review: Sheer Brilliance
Summary: 5 Stars
From his proving that the big bang actually took place to his explanation of physics from Aristotle to the present, Stephen Hawking retains his title of smartest man alive in this text. His ease of relating the secrets of the universe to the common person is a gift which only a select few possess. From cover to cover, Hawking provides the reader with an indepth look at all the ideas that are collected in the spectrum of physics. He begins slowly with Newton's Laws and gradually builds to string theory and provides the reader with a fascinating look at black holes and ideas that seem to only exist in the sphere of science fiction novels. His humor and wit, combined with his down to earth examples, place this book above all other works of physics. I highly recommend this work to anyone who has any interest in learning more about the General and Special Theories of Relativity or simply wants to subside the common fear that rises when one mentions "Quantum Theory". Amazing!Book Review: A MUST read
Summary: 5 Stars
My perspective of science changed dramatically after reading `Brief History of Time'. This is the best book I have read so far. I am simply amazed by the clear crisp way Stephen Hawking thinks and also put those thoughts in to human readable form for us to understand.
As an example of the kind of things you can expect to read; in this book Hawking suggests that the Ultimate Theory of Universe should explain the existence of the theory itself because it is part of the universe it is trying to model. (I know ..This is a mind-boggling paradox!)
My view of science changed a lot after reading Hawking. I realize that the aim of science is not to peruse seeking ultimate truth. Science is a tool for making useful models. Based upon experiment and observations we make theoretical models. Using these models we can do useful predictions in to the future and in to the past. Using these models we can improve the quality of life of human beings.
Book Review: Great Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book provides an excellent description of the history of physics and the current status of physics. Hawking is quite good at making extremely complicated subjects (such as quantum theory) comprehensible for the average person, although some topics could have been explained a bit better. It is also quite interesting to be reading it from Hawking's perspective because he adds a personal touch to the subject and often includes details about his own research in certain areas of physics. The book often talks about God / a creator and how it might tie in with the beginning of the universe and other aspects of physics, but Hawking never shows any bias towards or against religion; he only talks about it in a purely scientific manner (for example, he explains why some scientific theories about the beginning of the universe actually need a creator in order for them to make sense).
Overall it was a very interesting read and I highly recommend it.
Book Review: An engaging, mind-beinding look at modern astrophysics
Summary: 5 Stars
For a book that is notorious for being on the bookshelves and prominently displayed in the hands of many at coffee-shops but never read, this is a highly accessible treatise on modern astrophysics. The author uses illuminating analogies, while rapidly moving through complex topics in a level of detail that doesn't bog down. His use of figures, graphs and illustrations of ideas is something that is unfortunately missing for a lot of modern, popular science writing. The author discusses worm-holes, black-holes, the subjective experience of time in such a mind-bending fashion which explains why this book has seeped in to so much of pop culture from the Simpsons to Donnie Darko. The ideas presented in this book inspire awe in the reader and they are so compelling that you will never look at the world around you in the same way again. A good example of accessible, intelligent popular science writing from a brilliant man and a great science popularizer.