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Cover of A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

A Brief History of Time

  • 241 pages · about 4 hours
  • First published 1988
  • 120 editions

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1 About this book

A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes is a book on cosmology by the physicist Stephen Hawking, first published in 1988.

Hawking writes in non-technical terms about the structure, origin, development and eventual fate of the universe. He talks about basic concepts like space and time, building blocks that make up the universe (such as quarks) and the fundamental forces that govern it (such as gravity). He discusses two theories, general relativity and quantum mechanics that form the foundation of modern physics. Finally, he talks about the search for a unified theory that consistently describes everything in the universe.

The book became a bestseller and has sold more than 25 million copies in 40 languages. It was included on Time's list of the 100 best nonfiction books since the magazine's founding.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

  • Physics
  • Astronomy
  • Science
  • Astrophysics
  • Popular science
  • Science, history
  • Cosmology
  • Time

2 What to expect

Hawking explains the Big Bang, black holes and time for general readers. A slim book, but demanding in places.

Good for readers who want: astronomy, physics, and big questions.

3 About Stephen Hawking

1942–2018

Stephen William Hawking (8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018) was an English theoretical astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author who was director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Between 1979 and 2009, he was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, widely viewed as one of the most prestigious academic posts in the world. Hawking was born in Oxford into a family of physicians.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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