Biography of Stephen Hawking

Author: Michael White
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: This is a comprehensive and detailed biography of Stephen Hawking. It weaves together the life of Hawking and his profound yet accessible theories, guiding readers to explore the ultimate mysteries of time, space, and matter. Through face-to-face interviews with Hawking's family, close friends, and colleagues, the author traces Hawking's early life where his talent first emerged, all the way to his adulthood as he gradually blossomed into a truly remarkable intellect. With a warm and engaging tone, the author chronicles Hawking's major contributions to the study of the universe's origin and early history in chronological order. Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous scientists since Einstein. His outstanding achievements in black holes, the Big Bang, and quantum cosmology have established his esteemed position in contemporary physics. Despite suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for over forty years, he has miraculously survived. The remarkable success of A Brief History of Time has further enhanced his fame and public image. This is a comprehensive and detailed biography of Stephen Hawking, weaving together the life of Hawking and his profound yet accessible theories, guiding readers to explore the ultimate mysteries of time, space, and matter. Through face-to-face interviews with Hawking's family, close friends, and colleagues, the author traces Hawking's early life where his talent first emerged, all the way to his adulthood as he gradually blossomed into a truly remarkable intellect. With a warm and engaging tone, the author chronicles Hawking's major contributions to the study of the universe's origin and early history. This book not only documents the development of Hawking's scientific genius but also portrays the strengths and weaknesses of his personality. It vividly recounts stories from Hawking's time at Oxford University and the early signs of the terrible disease that confined him to a wheelchair, leaving him unable to move or even speak. He could only communicate with the outside world through a computerized speech synthesizer, sharing his groundbreaking discoveries. The book also reveals how Hawking became a successful best-selling author. This unexpected success pulled him out of a financial "black hole" and brought him worldwide fame. Additionally, the book details the story of Hawking's marriage to his wife, which eventually ended in divorce. Most importantly, the book vividly portrays Stephen Hawking—the brave warrior who not only overcame his disability but also reached the pinnacle of his career. This is not only a fascinating and inspiring biography of a great man but also an excellent popular science read.