Synopses & Reviews
"His devilishly complex cosmological theories are handled engagingly in accessible language for the lay reader.… [T]his is a touching portrait that will grace any bookshelf." -Astronomy Now
Stephen Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist since Albert Einstein. His decades-long struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease), combined with his singular brilliance as a cosmologist, has fascinated both the public and his colleagues in science.
In this engagingly written biography, Kristine Larsen, a physicist and astronomer herself, presents a candid and insightful portrait of Hawkings personal and professional life. Avoiding the hero-worship sometimes found in popular works on Hawking, Larsen emphasizes that Hawking is first and foremost a scientist whose work has made significant contributions to our understanding of the nature and origins of the universe. Writing in nontechnical language for the lay reader, Larsen clearly explains Hawkings complex scientific accomplishments, while telling the story of his challenging life.
Topics include Hawkings early lack of focus as a college student; the impact of ALS on his career and personal life; his groundbreaking work on radiating black holes; his later cutting-edge theories of black holes, cosmology, and the anthropic principle; the amazing publishing success of A Brief History of Time; and his status as a pop icon and spokesperson for the interplay of science and society. Larsen situates Hawkings sometimes-controversial work within the broader context of scientific peer review and public debate, and discusses his personal life with compassion, respect, and honesty.
Synopsis
Few scientists are as recognizable as Stephen Hawking. Despite having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease, an affliction that many experts expected to have killed him decades ago) Hawking remains a vital and influential voice in the scientific community. One of the leading cosmologists studying the celestial phenomenon known as black holes, Hawking has also led the way in popularizing science with his best-selling work
A Brief History of Time. This biography of Hawking, written by a physicist, provides an accessible introduction to the life and work of an inspirational figure.
Stephen Hawking: A Biography provides an overview of the life and work of this brilliant scientist that can be read and appreciated by students and lay people alike. The author examines many aspects of his fascinating career:
- Hawking's childhood and early education, and the shocking diagnosis of his disease
- His early scientific work on black holes that cemented his reputation as a scientist
- How Hawking managed to remain a productive scientist and scholar despite having a debilitating illness
- The publication and success of the best-selling book A Brief History of Time, which changed the face of popular science publishing
The book includes a list of resources for further information, and a timeline of important events in the life of Hawking. Several appendices explain the details of Hawking's scientific work in more detail for those students seeking more information.
Synopsis
Stephen Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist since Albert Einstein. His decades-long struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), combined with his singular brilliance as a cosmologist, has fascinated both the public and his colleagues in science. In this engagingly written biography, Kristine Larsen, a physicist and astronomer herself, presents a candid and insightful portrait of Hawking's personal and professional life. Avoiding the hero-worship sometimes found in popular works on Hawking, Larsen emphasizes that Hawking is first and foremost a scientist whose work has made significant contributions to our understanding of the nature and origins of the universe. Writing in nontechnical language for the lay reader, Larsen clearly explains Hawking's complex scientific accomplishments, while telling the story of his challenging life.Topics include Hawking's early lack of focus as a college student; the impact of ALS on his career and personal life; his groundbreaking work on radiating black holes; his later cutting-edge theories of black holes, cosmology, and the anthropic principle; the amazing publishing success of A Brief History of Time; and his status as a pop icon and spokesperson for the interplay of science and society.Larsen situates Hawking's sometimes-controversial work within the broader context of scientific peer review and public debate, and discusses his personal life with compassion, respect, and honesty.
About the Author
Kristine M. Larsen (New Britain, CT), professor of physics and astronomy at Central Connecticut State University, is the author of Cosmology 101 and numerous articles in scholarly journals.