‘This is without doubt the definitive biography of Hawking, the uniquely brilliant theoretical physicist and the global superstar. With unprecedented access to archives, letters, and diaries, newly unearthed family details, and deep insights into Hawking’s work, Farmelo has cemented his reputation as the very best science biographer of his generation.’ JIM AL-KHALILI
‘When one is faced with the possibility of early death, it makes one realise that life is worth living.’ Stephen Hawking
An insatiable curiosity and appreciation for life powered Stephen Hawking to the furthest reaches of the universe and human achievement: during his remarkable lifetime he shed light on many of the mysteries of black holes and made key contributions to our understanding of the beginnings of the universe, all while captivating the world and selling more than 25 million copies of A Brief History of Time.
A brilliant theoretical physicist, Hawking lived one of the most extraordinary lives of the past century. And yet, none of this should have been possible. Aged 21, he was given only a few years to live – and spent the next fifty-five showing what can be achieved despite near-hopeless odds.
Drawing on his parents’ previously unseen letters and diaries, and exclusive interviews with Stephen’s family, friends and closest colleagues, Costa Award-winning biographer and physicist Graham Farmelo reveals the complex man behind the theories and global celebrity – and the resilience, fortitude and support that enabled him to defy his life-limiting diagnosis.
Vividly told and rigorously researched, Hawking is the definitive portrait of an exceptional man and extraordinary intellect.
‘When one is faced with the possibility of early death, it makes one realise that life is worth living.’ Stephen Hawking
An insatiable curiosity and appreciation for life powered Stephen Hawking to the furthest reaches of the universe and human achievement: during his remarkable lifetime he shed light on many of the mysteries of black holes and made key contributions to our understanding of the beginnings of the universe, all while captivating the world and selling more than 25 million copies of A Brief History of Time.
A brilliant theoretical physicist, Hawking lived one of the most extraordinary lives of the past century. And yet, none of this should have been possible. Aged 21, he was given only a few years to live – and spent the next fifty-five showing what can be achieved despite near-hopeless odds.
Drawing on his parents’ previously unseen letters and diaries, and exclusive interviews with Stephen’s family, friends and closest colleagues, Costa Award-winning biographer and physicist Graham Farmelo reveals the complex man behind the theories and global celebrity – and the resilience, fortitude and support that enabled him to defy his life-limiting diagnosis.
Vividly told and rigorously researched, Hawking is the definitive portrait of an exceptional man and extraordinary intellect.
Reviews
Hawking doestn't just give us the facts; it sets them in context. The result is an absorbing and informative account of the life of the most interesting physicist of the second half of the twentieth century
A comprehensive and accessible portrait of a brilliant scientist and an extraordinarly determined man
A triumphant success. Stephen Hawking is fortunate to have as his official biographer someone who writes with authority about his science and describes his astonishingly full life with insight and sensitivity
Hawking is extremely impressive. It gives a very readable, detailed, and comprehensive account of the life and work of this most remarkable of men
Definitive and deeply researched
Farmelo captures vividly both the scientific and human aspects of Hawking in this extensive, fascinating and well-illustrated biography
Farmelo handles Hawking's scientific accomplishments with trademark economy and precision . . . [a] warmly sympathetic account
A wonderful book . . . A fascinating account of the incredible life and science of a man who knew no boundaries
This compelling and deeply human biography of Stephen Hawking captures both the remarkable scientist and the complexity of the man. It brings to life not only Hawking's scientific imagination, but also the courage, humour and relationships that shaped his life
This is without doubt the definitive biography of Hawking, the uniquely brilliant theoretical physicist and the global superstar. With unprecedented access to archives, letters, and diaries, newly unearthed family details, and deep insights into Hawking's work, Farmelo has cemented his reputation as the very best science biographer of his generation
This will almost certainly be regarded as the definitive biography of Stephen Hawking for many years to come, perhaps indefinitely. Deeply researched, unfailingly honest and accessibly written . . . I warmly recommend it
Meticulously researched and highly readable . . . Farmelo's candid, calm and objective tone is a welcome antidote to the hysteria that characterized much of the reporting about Hawking during his lifetime