Stephen Hawking Quest for a Theory of the Universe

by Kitty Ferguson

"Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing?" ~Stephen Hawking


When author Kitty Ferguson approached British physicist Stephen Hawking with the idea of writing a book about him and his theories, he agreed to help her "in any way I can." She also interviewed numerous other eminent physicists about the next frontier of physics. Now you hold in your hands the splendid result of this endeavor.

You may only know of Stephen Hawking as a scientist confined to a wheelchair. He has actually led a life of astounding mobility, in which he has ranged about the universe. This is not a biography per se. It is rather the story of one man's quest to find, in physics parlance, the "Theory of Everything." The "Theory of Everything" would be nothing short of an explanation of the universe and everything that happens in it.

Stephen Hawking was born in 1942 in Oxford, England, the son of Isobel and Frank Hawking, a medical researcher. Hawking describes himself as having been an ordinary English schoolboy. He attended Oxford University and went on to pursue his graduate studies in physics at Cambridge University.

It was during his college years that Hawking first began to show the symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the degenerative neurological disorder known in the United States as "Lou Gehrig's disease." Despite this ailment, he went on to marry, have three children, and all the while build his reputation as a physicist.

In these pages you will encounter a multitude of amazing paradoxes: Beginnings may be endings…. Two great scientific theories taken together seem to give us nonsense…. Empty space isn’t empty…. Black holes aren't black…. Cruel circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and success may not….and a man whose appearance inspires shock and pity takes us laughing to where the boundaries of space and time ought to be--but are not.

Genres: Science, Biography, Nonfiction, Physics, Biography Memoir

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Kitty Ferguson, a former professional musician with a life long interest in science, is an independent scholar and lecturer who lives in Cambridge, England, and South Carolina.

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Hawking makes me feel unintelligent. He simultaneously makes me feel thankful that he exists to pursue a theory of everything while I laugh at people getting hit in the balls with a wiffle bat on America's Funniest Home Videos.

This book is about his life and studies. It's pretty well written, but if I didn't know any better I'd say the woman who wrote it had a romantic obsession with him. Then again, I hear Hawking cheated on his wife, even with his inability to move, so what do I know?

Anyway, I read books like this to appear smarter. I don't think it's working.

[Max Atkins]

Reading this book helped me understand how people overcome and react to disabilities. Stephen Hawking chose to avoid acknowledging his disability as best as he could, trying to live as close to a normal life as possible. This mindset allowed him to put his disability behind him and focus on his scientific work, in which he excelled, receiving many awards becoming a strong role model for those who are disabled. This is not the only way to approach the situation though. In our world everybody is different, therefore reacts to, and overcomes, problems differently. Hawking's approach won’t work for everyone, just as other’s methods wouldn’t have worked for him. For example many people chose to have additional aid or benefits to help them cope. An important factor for everyone, however, is support often from loved ones such as friends and family members and Hawking was no exception. He explains this in the quote: “Without the help that Jane has given I would not have been able to carry on nor have had the will to do so”. Jane Hawking was Stephen’s wife who he relied on for support for many years, often describing her as an essential pillar that supported his life. This strong support through thick and thin is essential when living with a disability, it lets people know they have worth. Many struggle with this due to the discrimination and harsh stereotypes towards the disabled, which are sadly very common in our world. Support gives these people confidence to be themselves and follow their dreams no matter their condition, to help overcome their disabilities to go on and do great things like Stephen Hawking has done.

[Com · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and personal introduction to both the man and his research, albeit 20 years out of date. The author does a good job of explaining the high-level physics for a lay audience and provides helpful illustrations throughout.

Surprisingly it was typeset quite poorly; for example, references to figures in the text often necessitate skipping multiple pages and figures ahead.

[E L K Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. I must say I had no expectation because this was first book i was to read on Stephen Hawking but i certainly did not expected such a good read. Not just it was very captivating madam Fergusson explained pains and gains of Mr. Hawkings life but she also explained brilliantly topic of physics (with explaining subject of topics) greatly.

I think this might be book for one to read twice to feel safe with expanding theories further, unless you handle it on first go.

I higly reccommand this piece! Five star!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this whilst traveling through Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

[Ilya Mrz · Rating 3 out of 5]

While you living a narrow life-you doing great

[Nickolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Hawking Quest For A Theory Of Everything was a book a knew I would enjoy from the second I picked it up to the second I put it down. Kitty Ferguson found a way to balance both Hawking's personal life and career in advanced theoretical physics in a way that maintained the reader's interest and kept a smooth pace throughout the book despite the change in the subject matter. I commend her ability to take such advanced topics as the creation of the universe and not only condensing but also simplifying it down to a level where I with an interest in the topic can understand it with little prior knowledge. While at times it did get a little advanced for me, namely when delving into space-time and the application of imaginary numbers, it was always accompanied by helpful diagrams/visuals and warnings of the impending difficulty spike. When it came to the biographical sections it gave a great insight into the world of a man with an unbelievable amount of determination that until this point remained vastly undermined by his other accomplishments. Hawking's story is an inspirational one about extreme hardships and even greater perseverance due to his motor neuron disease that crippled his body while keeping his mind intact allowing him to continue with his career. While reading I couldn't help but feel overwhelming respect for someone who could push through such trying events and felt even greater awe towards the power of maintaining a positive mental attitude and keeping a healthy outlook on life and how many other people have similar stories of great acts of willpower that go untold. You can see this devotion in the humor that is sprinkled about the book that helps to lighten up some of the heavier topics.
This was a well-crafted book merging the world of physics and biography into one intriguing read. If you have an interest in Hawking's life or any interest in theoretical physics then I urge you to pick this one up.

[Renasains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dalam buku ini Hawking memaparkan usahanya untuk menemukan teori yang mempersatukan fisika modern, terutama dalam hubungannya dengan teori relativitas umum dan mekanika kuantum.

Buku ini menggambarkan upaya Hawking untuk memahami alam semesta secara holistik dan menyajikan ide-idenya tentang teori yang menyatukan semua hukum fisika dalam satu kerangka yang koheren. Hawking menjelaskan bagaimana penemuan-penemuan dalam fisika modern telah membuka pintu ke pemahaman yang lebih dalam tentang alam semesta, dan juga membahas beberapa masalah terbesar dalam fisika, seperti masalah informasi hitam dan masalah fisika kosmologis.

Hawking juga memperkenalkan pembaca pada konsep-konsep yang kompleks seperti teori medan kuantum, relativitas umum, dan dimensi ekstra, tetapi menjelaskan mereka dengan cara yang mudah dimengerti. Selain itu, buku ini juga mencakup beberapa pandangan Hawking tentang agama dan kepercayaan, dan bagaimana pandangan-pandangan ini memengaruhi pemahaman kita tentang alam semesta.

Secara keseluruhan, ini adalah buku yang sangat menarik dan relevan bagi siapa saja yang ingin memahami lebih dalam tentang fisika modern dan bagaimana ilmuwan seperti Hawking bekerja untuk memecahkan masalah terbesar dalam bidang ini.

[Asmeeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief to an amazing life of Stephen Hawking, the whose optimisim and courage got 'no-boundary proposal'.;) The books has 2 story lines, one of Hawking's personal life, struggles and his time, and another of his scientific quests. And Kitty Ferguson has done an amazing job blending this two almost with un-noted transistions. If physics is not your thing, you might have to jump few paragraphs and pages here and there. The reason this book took quite a while to complete is because everytime I would pick up the book, a line or a word would take me into a physics whirlpool and I keep spinning untill i know its time to get off my butt. Stephen Hawking's work in the area of black hole, singularity and my most favorite part 'no-boundary proposal' is so intruging and food for a curious mind. I love the part when every time Stephen Hawking's would make a scientific discovery or put up a proposal, his next action would to be prove himself wrong. Thats what make his life so interesting. The attitude to not bending to adversities, health and death itself, he was fearless and almost annoying with his high level of optimism and humor. His quest for TOE, his work on string theory makes him one of my favourate theoritical physicist of all Spacetimes.

[Petri Volanen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Hawking, epäilemättä fyysikoista tunnetuin. Nostan todellakin hattua sille, että toivottomuuteen vajoamisen sijaan ALS-taudin iskiessä äijä jatkoi ajatustyötään eikä edes diagnosoinnin jälkeinen "pari vuotta jäljellä" tuomio toteutunut, kun mies oli elossa vielä '70-vuotiaanakin. Ja kyllä - kirja kertoo miehen elämästä paljon sellaista mitä en ollut aiemmin kuullut ja fysiikkapuolikin on kiintoisaa ainakin säieteorian "hiukan" vaikeasti sisäistettävään teoriaan asti. Vaan silti on todettava että kyllähän tämä loppujen lopuksi suhteellisen puuduttava teos oli.

[Stephen Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixture of Stephen Hawking's life and his theories. It is quite brief, and more skewed towards the theories. A good explanation of very difficult physics, I presume this is how a Brief History of Time is written which makes me interested to read that. I liked the inclusion of the diagrams but I didn't like the actual diagrams, and I didn't like how the diagrams were pages and pages in front of the text where they were referenced but that is probably an issue caused by printing.

[Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a good read. The author has put a lot of time and effort. Being a writer myself, I find it commendable. The content is decent and keeps you hooked for a long time. And some parts are simply minds blowing. I look forward to reading more books like this. All in all, a good experience for an avid reader like me.

[Alessandro Fasanaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kitty Ferguson, celebre divulgatrice scientifica e collaboratrice di Hawking, con ‘Stephen Hawking. Una vita alla ricerca della teoria del tutto’ offre una biografia più equilibrata tra vicende personali e professionali, con ampie sezioni dedicate all’esposizione delle teorie su cui si cimentò l’opera di Hawking.

[adelia hubbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a fun read but it was dated in a way that makes it a little silly to read today. the science is rlly clear and good for beginners but is a bit repetitive with details which can be a little much. i love stephen hawking tho as always

[Phoeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to physics through Mrs. Ferguson questioning one of the greatest minds on the world. Want to know how black holes work? Go for it.

[Ashley Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pop book that skims the surface of both the science and the man. Great for if you have an hour to kill at an airport, but thats about it.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a very interesting book more about science than Stephen Hawking but that was what was meant to happen.

[Balakumaran Kannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theoretical physics made for everyone. The author has an ability to story-tell boring physics stuff.

[Ranette · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a wonderful bio of the life of renound physisist Stehen Hawking who added so much to our knowledge of the universe.

[Stenin]

Nice

[Arjun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike Bill Gates this biography went into depth about specific events in Hawking's life. It also did something I didn't expect it to do. This book not only went into depth in Hawkings life and work, it even explained many of his theorys and how they worked.Hawking was not born with his condition. During college, (which he did not excel at) Hawking started to repeatedly trip over stairs and have speech issues. Once Hawking had learned that he had this incurable disease Stephan went into a deep depression. After some convincing form his teachers Stephan decided to finish college, even though he thought it would be useless because the doctors said he would die in a few years. Later Stephan married Jane Hawking. Jane helped him a lot. Later they had kids, to pay for their needs Stephan wrote a book about physics for the average person. In words that anyone could understand. My favorite scientific explanation in the book was about wormholes. wormholes are tiny connections between 2 universes. They appear and reappear all the time. The problem is only very small particles can get through. Anyway Stephan's book made him famous. He was being given millions of awards and was a spectacular role model for all disabled people. in the end of the book Kitty talks about how Stephan might be in over his head now. He has divorced with Jane, who had helped him through his toughest times. And he was way too busy to pay much more attention to science. I think that Kitty Ferguson is a very good author and a very smart person. Kitty was one of Stephan's closest friends. So naturally he shared his love for physics. And that is why there were so many explanations in the book. Overall this was a amazing biography and I never knew Stephan Hawking was such a exiting and smart person.
The only thing is that since Kitty was so smart I was unable to understand a few of his explanations.

[Bobby Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. The book does an excellent job of balancing Hawkings Theories with his personal life story. The author also does a good job of presenting scientific opinions on these theories from varying points of view - even scientists with religious viewpoints. Because of this, you never feel that there is a bias toward a certain set of beliefs, which I appreciated.

As I was reading this book, I came to the realization that this was probably intended for younger readers (i.e. middle school level readers) - but after having read the book, I don't know if I would have understood it as well as I did without my college degree in Mathematics. Don't get me wrong, there is no heavy math in this book - I just don't think that middle school me would have fully grasped these topics like I do now.

A short, interesting, rewarding read.

[Mathew Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely enlightening and very educational. When i started reading the book i was excited to learn about the life of stephen hawking but as the boook went on i realized that the book was focusing more on the science of stephens discoveries rather than the life of stephen. This was quite a jolly surprise as in quite enjoyed reading about the science behind black holes and the various theories about space and time. It made me feel rather insignificant, however it was a good insignificant not a bad one. It made me realize that i should just enjoy life while it lasts as compared to the age of the universe, the life of a puny human is quite short. I suggest this book to anyone of all ages, it is a fantastic book.

[1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a exploration of Stephen Hawkings personal and academic life. This biography outlines his struggle with ALS and includes a brief discussion of his academic influences and work.

It gives a personal account of how Hawking maintained productivity despite being terminally ill with ALS. The book discusses concepts from physics such as wormholes and a possibility of connecting different time and space via these wormholes.
A funny quote by Hawking is that when inside a wormhole you should think imaginary because traditional mathematics breaks down in trying to understand wormhole dynamics and you have to rely on imaginary numbers.

[Giovanni Ranzo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il libro è sostanzialmente un'occasione mancata, incerta tra biografia e divulgazione scientifica. Come se l'autrice non avesse saputo decidere che taglio dare al libro, e oscillasse continuamente tra la biografia puramente anedottica e la divulgazionescientifica.
Purtroppo nessuna delle due "anime" del libro è soddisfacente; sotto l'aspetto biografico la personalità del grande scienziato non emerge al di là di piccoli aneddoti, mentre la divulgazione scientifica risulta frammentaria e sostanzialmente poco chiara.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more about the strength of perseverance and the human spirit than about science. I think it deserves reading. Like Carl Sagan, Hawking had an important function on this planet. His actual contributions are irrelevant to me. The fact that he popularized science and did while battling a fatal disease through it all says that he is a man worth studying.

[Jānis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ja nav lasīta "Īsi par laika vēsturi" un/vai "Vēl īsāk par laika vēsturi", tad šī grāmata varētu būt arī ļoti interesanta, bet man lielākoties bija atkārtošana, bet, jāatzīst, ka bija arī kaut kas jauns un interesants - Hokinga privātā dzīve un tas, kā viņam izdevās tik tālu izsisties. Respektīvi, 30% no grāmatas man bija interesanti.

[Dewayne Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page 35, "Stephen concluded that ESP was a fraud....To his way of thinking, people who believe such claims are stalled at the level where he was at the age of fifteen."

Page 96, "The universe of Eastern mysticism is an illusion. A physicist who attempts to link his own work has abandoned physics."

[Dmitrijs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grāmata sniedz īsu ieskatu Hokinga biogrāfijā, viņa zinātniskajās teorijās un teorētiskās fizikas fundamentālajos jēdzienos. Tulkojums no angļu valodas varētu būt labāks. Tas brīžiem atgādināja referātus, ko rakstīju unversitātē, tulkojot tekstus no angļu valodas. Kā arī grāmatā ir diezgan daudz gramatisku kļūdu.

[Kenny Matisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Hawking is one of the most unique people we may have ever encountered. His personal life and the disease he fought against for so long is itself somewhat of a miracle, and then he went on to be one of the greatest minds in mathematics ever. We are gifted to have been alive during/after his time so that we could benefit from his story and his ideas.