Challenge to Impossible

by Stephen W. Hawking

What if Stephen Hawking was physically challenged; he himself was a challenge to the word Impossible.It was only necessary for him to know that something could be done and he could do it without looking to see how other people did it. He did not have many books and also he did not take notes. Of course, his mind was completely different from his contemporary.Stephen Hawking's energy and capacity for hardwork were daunting and he had a gusto that made students and friends feel more alive. His reputation brought him the post of lecturer in mathematics of Exeter University in 1961 and there he built a wonderful network of students and teachers. He wanted to liberate the typical mathematical psyche, sometimes trapped in narrow by ways.His genius cannot easily be defined in a particular direction since he was related to various subjects having deep interest in different fields. And the compilation of this book is a magnificent effort to present Stephen Hawking in brief, his character, personality, achievement, contribution and so on despite having passed through a pitiable condition due to his physical disability throughout the life.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

Stephen William Hawking was an English theoretical physicist, 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. In October 1959, at the age of 17, he began his university education at University College, Oxford, where he received a first-class BA degree in physics. In October 1962, he began his graduate work at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where, in March 1966, he obtained his PhD degree in applied mathematics and theoretical physics, specialising in general relativity and cosmology. In 1963, at age 21, Hawking was diagnosed with an early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease that gradually, over decades, paralysed him. After the loss of his speech, he communicated through a speech-generating device initially through use of a handheld switch, and eventually by using a single cheek muscle.
Hawking's scientific works included a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity, and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, often called Hawking radiation. Initially, Hawking radiation was controversial. By the late 1970s, and following the publication of further research, the discovery was widely accepted as a major breakthrough in theoretical physics. Hawking was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He was a vigorous supporter of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Hawking achieved commercial success with several works of popular science in which he discussed his theories and cosmology in general. His book A Brief History of Time appeared on the Sunday Times bestseller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks. Hawking was a Fellow of the Royal Society, a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. In 2002, Hawking was ranked number 25 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. He died in 2018 at the age of 76, having lived more than 50 years following his diagnosis of motor neurone disease.

Reviews

[Ashish Bhattarai · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was in high school. I was interested in stephen hawking and his work on black hole. It used to fascinate me a lot and make me wonder. I have watched his speech and documentry a lot. Thats what made me read the book. Also I am fascinated by cosmos and eager to understand the laws governing them. This book is about his life in short. A quick review is given in the book. In middle, The book argued about his work on black hole and a lot of eqaution is mention that might make us confuse a bit. I mean can't understand that part. Still the book is quite fascinating when it talks about extra terrestrial species and the work going on to find the species outside our globe. Despite suffering from a rare ALS he happened to give so much back to science and astronomy community. That is something "challenge to impossible".
"The book could have been written in more depth."