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Stephen Hawking: Friendship and Physics
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, DAILY TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN AND BBC SCIENCE FOCUS'An intimate, unique, and inspiring perspective on the life and work of one of the greatest minds of our time. Filled with insight, humour, and never-before-told stories, it's a view of Stephen Hawking that few have seen and all will appreciate' James Clear, author of Atomic HabitsAn icon of the last fifty years, Stephen Hawking seems to encapsulate not since Albert Einstein has a scientific figure held such a position in popular consciousness. In this enthralling memoir, writer and physicist Leonard Mlodinow tells the story of his friend and their collaboration, offering an intimate account of this giant of science.The two met in 2003, when Stephen asked Leonard if he would consider writing a book with him, the follow up to the bestselling A Brief History of Time . As they spent years working on a second book, The Grand Design , they forged a deep connection and Leonard gained a much better understanding of Stephen's daily life and struggles -- as well as his compassion and good humour. Together they obsessed over the perfect sentence, debated the physics, and occasionally punted on Cambridge's waterways with champagne and strawberries. In time, Leonard was able to finish Stephen's jokes, chide his sporadic mischief, and learn how the hardships of his illness helped forge that unique perspective on the universe.By weaving together their shared story with a clear-sighted portrayal of Hawking's scientific achievements, Mlodinow creates a beautiful portrait of Stephen Hawking as a brilliant, impish and generous man whose life was not only exceptional but also genuinely inspiring.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
93 people are currently reading
3223 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Mlodinow
29 books1,195 followersLeonard Mlodinow is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician, screenwriter and author. In physics, he is known for his work on the large N expansion, a method of approximating the spectrum of atoms based on the consideration of an infinite-dimensional version of the problem, and for his work on the quantum theory of light inside dielectrics.
He has also written books for the general public, five of which have been New York Times best-sellers, including The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, which was chosen as a New York Times notable book, and short-listed for the Royal Society Science Book Prize; The Grand Design, co-authored with Stephen Hawking, which argues that invoking God is not necessary to explain the origins of the universe; War of the Worldviews, co-authored with Deepak Chopra; and Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior, which won the 2013 PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. He also makes public lectures and media appearances on programs including Morning Joe and Through the Wormhole, and debated Deepak Chopra on ABC's Nightline.
He has also written books for the general public, five of which have been New York Times best-sellers, including The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, which was chosen as a New York Times notable book, and short-listed for the Royal Society Science Book Prize; The Grand Design, co-authored with Stephen Hawking, which argues that invoking God is not necessary to explain the origins of the universe; War of the Worldviews, co-authored with Deepak Chopra; and Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior, which won the 2013 PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. He also makes public lectures and media appearances on programs including Morning Joe and Through the Wormhole, and debated Deepak Chopra on ABC's Nightline.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 8, 2025
It was a good read, plus I learned a number of really interesting facts that one of Einstein's teachers was Lithuanian.
August 16, 2020
I have always wondered how Stephen Hawking had coped with his condition. This book answers this question somehow: he had an immense ego and his desire to live matched that ego; without them, he would not have lasted this long.
But I'm not sure if this portrayal of him as the man behind the genius makes him more esteemed; on the contrary. For all the money in the world I would not have chosen to spend even a minute nursing him. I've had my share of caring and I must say, no matter how much you love them, it gets to you. To do it for a stranger, I believe is even worse. If that makes me callous, so be it; it's just that when you have an idea what's it like, you'll never want such an experience ever again.
Anyway, Mlodinow' story is an honest account of his time spent with Hawking. He shares a lot of his thoughts, frustrations and some good moments too. However, I could have lived without some details such as when SH needed to relieve himself or how he drooled. These are normal for a man in his condition, but by no means should they be brought out.
There is also the story of how the two worked together on The Grand Design and he admits it was a tough experience. It's hard enough to work with a man with so many disabilities, but it's even harder when he is also stuborn and have no respect toward deadlines or agreements.
He had some good parts, of course: he cared for all those around him and a statement of his really moved me. When being asked "which, of his many discoveries, accomplishments, creations, had been his favorite", his answer was: "My children."
The book itself is a mix between these glimpses in Hawking's life, a bit of gossip too, his trajectory on how he became famous, how A Brief History of Time made it possible to have such a big staff of carers around the clock and of course, the author's personal opinions and how, despite all the barriers in communication, the two became good friends.
As for my experience with it, I think it would have been better not to read it, because it left me with a bitter taste: on one hand I felt so sorry for him (although, accordingly to the author, he never did) and on the other, no one should profit from their condition to make others misserable, especially when those are your wives, carers and friends.
All this do not diminish his achievments as a scientists, but it lowers the respect a bit.
>>> ARC received thanks to Penguin Press UK – Allen Lane, Particular, Pelican, Penguin Classics via NetGalley <<<
But I'm not sure if this portrayal of him as the man behind the genius makes him more esteemed; on the contrary. For all the money in the world I would not have chosen to spend even a minute nursing him. I've had my share of caring and I must say, no matter how much you love them, it gets to you. To do it for a stranger, I believe is even worse. If that makes me callous, so be it; it's just that when you have an idea what's it like, you'll never want such an experience ever again.
Anyway, Mlodinow' story is an honest account of his time spent with Hawking. He shares a lot of his thoughts, frustrations and some good moments too. However, I could have lived without some details such as when SH needed to relieve himself or how he drooled. These are normal for a man in his condition, but by no means should they be brought out.
There is also the story of how the two worked together on The Grand Design and he admits it was a tough experience. It's hard enough to work with a man with so many disabilities, but it's even harder when he is also stuborn and have no respect toward deadlines or agreements.
He had some good parts, of course: he cared for all those around him and a statement of his really moved me. When being asked "which, of his many discoveries, accomplishments, creations, had been his favorite", his answer was: "My children."
The book itself is a mix between these glimpses in Hawking's life, a bit of gossip too, his trajectory on how he became famous, how A Brief History of Time made it possible to have such a big staff of carers around the clock and of course, the author's personal opinions and how, despite all the barriers in communication, the two became good friends.
As for my experience with it, I think it would have been better not to read it, because it left me with a bitter taste: on one hand I felt so sorry for him (although, accordingly to the author, he never did) and on the other, no one should profit from their condition to make others misserable, especially when those are your wives, carers and friends.
All this do not diminish his achievments as a scientists, but it lowers the respect a bit.
>>> ARC received thanks to Penguin Press UK – Allen Lane, Particular, Pelican, Penguin Classics via NetGalley <<<
March 8, 2020
Leonard Mlodinow was "selected" by Stephen Hawking as someone he'd like to collaborate with. How one collaborates with a cosmology genius trapped in a useless body - and write two books together - is the central thread of these memoirs of those times. The result is simply titled Stephen Hawking.
The book is a careful braiding of three streams: the memoirs of those times, snippets of Hawking's life story (outside Leonard Mlodinow) and explanations of physics, cosmology, quantum theories, black holes and the other issues where Hawking dominated. This makes for a constantly varied read, in which Mlodinow starts a story and finishes it 10 pages later because the other strands of the braid get their turn in between.
Hawking had a staff of nine. There was a gatekeeper, an IT person and carers, round the clock:
"Stephen’s carers had to watch him closely. Whenever he awakened, they’d try to figure out if he needed something. A dozen times each night he’d ask, with his eyes, to be turned and for his pillows repositioned. He couldn’t shift his weight from time to time as healthy people do, so he’d get uncomfortable. His bones hurt. In addition, his carers would have to listen to make sure his stoma was clear so he could breathe. And every couple of hours, as he slept, they gathered his vitamins, mixed them with liquid, and fed them directly into his stomach through the peg."
“What you do for a newborn baby you did for Stephen. All of us,” said his carer Viv. “When I came off shift and he was still alive, I felt I’d done a good shift. Because he was alive. Because I’d kept him alive.” Without his round-the-clock care, Stephen once said, “I would last exactly five days and die.”
He was so weak that carers had to place his head at just that peculiar angle or it woud fall over. When his glasses shifted, an alarm would sound because without them he could not type and speak. He lived this way for decades, and still topped the charts in radical propositions, and worldwide fame.
Hawking communicated two ways: he could smile or grimace, or he could type with his cheeks. His glasses had sensors that detected flexing in his cheeks. He could pick out letters, words or phrases from lists on the computer screen. When he lost control of his last finger, he was still capable of producing six words per minute. As he aged, that declined, to two.
Working out mathematical equations was therefore out. Instead, he invented a way of analyzing problems using mental geometry. His prodigious memory allowed no detail to escape, as Mlodinow found out working in the fourth year of a year and a half book project. Maddeningly, he says, Hawking would be right, even if it made no difference to the book they were writing. He could remember passages and illustrations with great accuracy.
Hawking said he would not have been the same physicist if not for his illness. Given his near complete physical limitations, he was forced to focus. He was totally obsessed, checking for new papers and journals daily, always pondering the many physics problems he posed for himself.
He traveled with an entourage, requiring multiple rooms and special accommodation for his many and constant needs. He therefore had money problems. He managed to live off grant money until his book A Brief History of Time went big time, but the money went out more quickly as he aged. In his case, it really was publish of perish. Which is is where Leonard Mlodinow came in.
Working with a writer capable of six words per minute takes a special kind of person. Arguing with a man who cannot speak, who is constantly interrupted by carers and people dropping by all made Mlodinow's challenge near exhausting. Privacy, concentration and hard work were all but impossible when they were together. He took to smoking and drinking, as most of the carers did. Hawking did that to everyone, including two wives, and nearly a third.
Hawking was king of own little world. He ignored deadlines, made unilateral decisions, and dismissed people at his whim. This is about all that remained of his pre-illness state, when he was a reckless driver, a bad coxswain, and a generally wild child among Cambridge students. There was no hesitancy about taking chances. The young Hawking took them. Locked in his cage of a life, he focused on physics.
The humanity of Hawking was almost startling. He thrived on interruptions, because they were human contact. He loved to travel and meet physicists, present papers and theories publicly, and dine out. He had a soap opera of a staff, with a hodgepodge of personal problems and attitudes that kept him engaged. At no point was he bitter or self-pitying, although his wives might point out he was selfish, self-centered and inconsiderate of them. His situation was beyond medicine's means, and he made the absolute best of it, shrugging off down times and setbacks. What temper he had he saved for arguing with other physicists.
He was also the poster boy for science. Hawking would proclaim new theories with absolute certainty, then walk them back when they proved faulty or just plain wrong. That process is what science is all about, and everyone is wrong most of the time. It comes with the territory, though many stubbornly persist against all evidence to the contrary. Hawking was pleased to accept and move on. It meant progress - a definitive solution to an uncertainty. It was all good. As Mlodinow puts it: "Reconciling contradictory theories and ideas was one of his great strengths. It came as naturally to him ... He was a man both dead and alive, both powerful and powerless, both daring and careful. With Stephen, contradiction was not just a philosophy of life, it was a way of life."
A most unusual life, well lived.
David Wineberg
The book is a careful braiding of three streams: the memoirs of those times, snippets of Hawking's life story (outside Leonard Mlodinow) and explanations of physics, cosmology, quantum theories, black holes and the other issues where Hawking dominated. This makes for a constantly varied read, in which Mlodinow starts a story and finishes it 10 pages later because the other strands of the braid get their turn in between.
Hawking had a staff of nine. There was a gatekeeper, an IT person and carers, round the clock:
"Stephen’s carers had to watch him closely. Whenever he awakened, they’d try to figure out if he needed something. A dozen times each night he’d ask, with his eyes, to be turned and for his pillows repositioned. He couldn’t shift his weight from time to time as healthy people do, so he’d get uncomfortable. His bones hurt. In addition, his carers would have to listen to make sure his stoma was clear so he could breathe. And every couple of hours, as he slept, they gathered his vitamins, mixed them with liquid, and fed them directly into his stomach through the peg."
“What you do for a newborn baby you did for Stephen. All of us,” said his carer Viv. “When I came off shift and he was still alive, I felt I’d done a good shift. Because he was alive. Because I’d kept him alive.” Without his round-the-clock care, Stephen once said, “I would last exactly five days and die.”
He was so weak that carers had to place his head at just that peculiar angle or it woud fall over. When his glasses shifted, an alarm would sound because without them he could not type and speak. He lived this way for decades, and still topped the charts in radical propositions, and worldwide fame.
Hawking communicated two ways: he could smile or grimace, or he could type with his cheeks. His glasses had sensors that detected flexing in his cheeks. He could pick out letters, words or phrases from lists on the computer screen. When he lost control of his last finger, he was still capable of producing six words per minute. As he aged, that declined, to two.
Working out mathematical equations was therefore out. Instead, he invented a way of analyzing problems using mental geometry. His prodigious memory allowed no detail to escape, as Mlodinow found out working in the fourth year of a year and a half book project. Maddeningly, he says, Hawking would be right, even if it made no difference to the book they were writing. He could remember passages and illustrations with great accuracy.
Hawking said he would not have been the same physicist if not for his illness. Given his near complete physical limitations, he was forced to focus. He was totally obsessed, checking for new papers and journals daily, always pondering the many physics problems he posed for himself.
He traveled with an entourage, requiring multiple rooms and special accommodation for his many and constant needs. He therefore had money problems. He managed to live off grant money until his book A Brief History of Time went big time, but the money went out more quickly as he aged. In his case, it really was publish of perish. Which is is where Leonard Mlodinow came in.
Working with a writer capable of six words per minute takes a special kind of person. Arguing with a man who cannot speak, who is constantly interrupted by carers and people dropping by all made Mlodinow's challenge near exhausting. Privacy, concentration and hard work were all but impossible when they were together. He took to smoking and drinking, as most of the carers did. Hawking did that to everyone, including two wives, and nearly a third.
Hawking was king of own little world. He ignored deadlines, made unilateral decisions, and dismissed people at his whim. This is about all that remained of his pre-illness state, when he was a reckless driver, a bad coxswain, and a generally wild child among Cambridge students. There was no hesitancy about taking chances. The young Hawking took them. Locked in his cage of a life, he focused on physics.
The humanity of Hawking was almost startling. He thrived on interruptions, because they were human contact. He loved to travel and meet physicists, present papers and theories publicly, and dine out. He had a soap opera of a staff, with a hodgepodge of personal problems and attitudes that kept him engaged. At no point was he bitter or self-pitying, although his wives might point out he was selfish, self-centered and inconsiderate of them. His situation was beyond medicine's means, and he made the absolute best of it, shrugging off down times and setbacks. What temper he had he saved for arguing with other physicists.
He was also the poster boy for science. Hawking would proclaim new theories with absolute certainty, then walk them back when they proved faulty or just plain wrong. That process is what science is all about, and everyone is wrong most of the time. It comes with the territory, though many stubbornly persist against all evidence to the contrary. Hawking was pleased to accept and move on. It meant progress - a definitive solution to an uncertainty. It was all good. As Mlodinow puts it: "Reconciling contradictory theories and ideas was one of his great strengths. It came as naturally to him ... He was a man both dead and alive, both powerful and powerless, both daring and careful. With Stephen, contradiction was not just a philosophy of life, it was a way of life."
A most unusual life, well lived.
David Wineberg
September 27, 2020
Some reviewers complained that the details about Hawking's physical condition were TMI. But that sort of candidness is precisely what I hope for in biographies. The point is not to gawk or merely to satisfy curiosity. Glimpsing the parts of others' lives that are normally hidden allows us to gain a better sense of where our own experiences lie within the space of all possibilities, and - hopefully - to find new strategies or inspiration for dealing with our own problems.
Hawking's life should be inspiring. What he suffered is close to my idea of the worst thing that could happen to someone. Not only did he endure it, he saw positives in it (saying that his physics research was helped by his condition making him more focused), and apparently continued to approach life with enthusiasm and determination. I must admit that I find such strength mystifying. I feel that, in his position, I would have despaired.
Hawking's life should be inspiring. What he suffered is close to my idea of the worst thing that could happen to someone. Not only did he endure it, he saw positives in it (saying that his physics research was helped by his condition making him more focused), and apparently continued to approach life with enthusiasm and determination. I must admit that I find such strength mystifying. I feel that, in his position, I would have despaired.
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January 14, 2021not maudlin or banal or insipid or obsequious; neither an attempt to enshrine Hawking as a flawless saint or to fleece Hawking fans in the wake of his passing. Rather, readers get new information and insight into Hawking's character-- on one hand, kind and brilliant and strong and with abundant dose of prankster humor; perhaps on the other hand, willful and impatient with undesired guests. This just seemed like an honest account of Mlodinow's experiences and impressions of his writing collaborations with Hawking, in good and bad. He provides unfettered record of his impression of Hawking's disabilities, relationships, behavior..
February 10, 2020
This was such an amazing tribute to a man that made such an impact in the study of physics. Since this was written by a friend, there was a lot of information the public didn’t know. The perfectionism in getting every minute detail just right by Mr. Hawking is a characteristic many of us can adapt. I learned so much about this man that I hadn’t read before. I highly recommend this one!
June 6, 2022
Stephen Hawking was undoubtedly the most influential physicist of his time, he changed the way we think about the origin of the universe, death of stars and most importantly how he lit a hope amongst the scientific community that quantum physics and general relativity can somehow coincide, igniting the flickering hope of the theory of everything, the quantum gravity.
Leonard Mlodinow is a theoretical physicist himself and collaborated with Mr Hawking on 2 best selling books (a briefer history of time, and the great design). He paints a vivid thoughtful picture of the man that was Mr Hawking. From his 15 years encounter in which they wrote the 2 books, and from the information he gathered from his friends, family, and other biographies. This books is a beautiful amalgam of the mind, life, love and passions of Stephen Hawking. I personally felt that he undermined the role of Jane a bit in Sir Hawkings life, however, that was before he met him, still he should have mentioned more of her. Nonetheless, if you ever thought how did Stephen think, what were the main ideas of his theory and where do they fit in the scientific realm, how he was able to produce papers even in the last year of his life, and how he overcame his disability to triumph life and live what many dream, this book is for you.
The book is easy to read and has different threads going on at the same time so as to make the physics aspect of it palatable to the reader.
This book on the Kashmir trip ended my 7 months loooong readers block owing to final profs. The dread to pick up any book was a vicious cycle and that disrupted my whole exam coping mechanism toutine. However, now I'm very much grateful that the routine is back again. And I’m very much looking forward to read more now.
Leonard Mlodinow is a theoretical physicist himself and collaborated with Mr Hawking on 2 best selling books (a briefer history of time, and the great design). He paints a vivid thoughtful picture of the man that was Mr Hawking. From his 15 years encounter in which they wrote the 2 books, and from the information he gathered from his friends, family, and other biographies. This books is a beautiful amalgam of the mind, life, love and passions of Stephen Hawking. I personally felt that he undermined the role of Jane a bit in Sir Hawkings life, however, that was before he met him, still he should have mentioned more of her. Nonetheless, if you ever thought how did Stephen think, what were the main ideas of his theory and where do they fit in the scientific realm, how he was able to produce papers even in the last year of his life, and how he overcame his disability to triumph life and live what many dream, this book is for you.
The book is easy to read and has different threads going on at the same time so as to make the physics aspect of it palatable to the reader.
This book on the Kashmir trip ended my 7 months loooong readers block owing to final profs. The dread to pick up any book was a vicious cycle and that disrupted my whole exam coping mechanism toutine. However, now I'm very much grateful that the routine is back again. And I’m very much looking forward to read more now.
September 25, 2020
This book is the story of a friendship. It is the story of the creation of a book. It is a story of a great man. It is a story of a troubled man. It is the story of a disabled man. Mlodinow worked with Hawkins on his major works. This book explores the relationship between Hawkins and his; work, family, friends, his disability and his own identity. In addition, it places Hawkins, and his work, in wider historical perspective.
This book has been written by a friend and it shows. It is broadly sympathetic to its subject. In fact, the start of the book, it takes the shape of hagiography, continually speaking of Hawkins as an inspirational character who overcomes his disability. The account becomes more nuanced as the book, and the relationship on which it is based progress. The tone changing as; the relationship grows and the individuals develop.
However, Hawkins was not just a disabled individual. He was a physicist. His work was an important part of his life. This book looks at his work and the way that it fitted into, and changed the wider physics debates. It would act as a good introduction to modern day physics. Although, the long discussion of theory could prove off-putting to the impatient reader.
I enjoyed this informative work. It is a good place to start if the reader wishes to understand Hawkins; his life and his work. I highly recommend the book.
This book has been written by a friend and it shows. It is broadly sympathetic to its subject. In fact, the start of the book, it takes the shape of hagiography, continually speaking of Hawkins as an inspirational character who overcomes his disability. The account becomes more nuanced as the book, and the relationship on which it is based progress. The tone changing as; the relationship grows and the individuals develop.
However, Hawkins was not just a disabled individual. He was a physicist. His work was an important part of his life. This book looks at his work and the way that it fitted into, and changed the wider physics debates. It would act as a good introduction to modern day physics. Although, the long discussion of theory could prove off-putting to the impatient reader.
I enjoyed this informative work. It is a good place to start if the reader wishes to understand Hawkins; his life and his work. I highly recommend the book.
February 17, 2021
“What is more important than solving problems is posing them, because the questions you ask govern the answers you find. Questions are both a reflection of, and a determinant of, the way you look at the world.” (S.Hawking)
Amazing tribute to Hawkings the legend of our times ..Contains lot of information public did'nt know ... Mlodinow worked with Hawkins on his major works. This book explores the relationship between Hawkins and his; work, family, friends, his disability and his own identity ..Stephen Hawking presented in this memoir is a man of passion and resolve. We learn more and more about a man who values life as a whole....This is an affectionate and very readable account of friendship but also of a working relationship.
found this book very readable, interesting and quite inspirational....stimulated my current interest in theoretical physics......
Amazing tribute to Hawkings the legend of our times ..Contains lot of information public did'nt know ... Mlodinow worked with Hawkins on his major works. This book explores the relationship between Hawkins and his; work, family, friends, his disability and his own identity ..Stephen Hawking presented in this memoir is a man of passion and resolve. We learn more and more about a man who values life as a whole....This is an affectionate and very readable account of friendship but also of a working relationship.
found this book very readable, interesting and quite inspirational....stimulated my current interest in theoretical physics......
October 31, 2024
Een boek ter ere Van Wijlen Professor Stephen Hawking. Wat hawking voor de natuurkunde betekende is nog steeds vandaar belangrijk. Zijn onderzoek naar zwarte gaten in de jaren 1970 en 1980 leverde hem naamsbekendheid op. Zeker toen hij poneerde dat zwarte gaten straling uitzend alhoewel hij dit nooit tijdens zijn leven heeft kunnen bewijzen wat hem allicht de Nobel voor fysica/ natuurkunde had opgeleverd. Blijkt er sinds 2019 voor het eerst bewijs te dat zwarte gaten hawking straling uitzenden. Maar des te meer laat dit boek ook een oneerlijke strijd zien tussen Hawking en de ziekte ALS waar hij meer dan 50 jaar mee leefde tot zijn dood in 2018
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September 2, 2020This is a really hard book to rate - and review. On the one hand, it's an eye-opener into Stephen Hawking's life and work. On the other hand... it just felt a bit wrong, with parts almost like a tabloid exposé. It was interesting and well-written, but didn't chime well with me.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
September 12, 2020
So, I've read Brief History, and I've seen the film starring the ubiquitous Eddie Redmayne. That pretty much confirmed my view of the great physicist. But what happened next? How did he manage through all those unexpected years of life, and what else did he do?
I confess I missed his other books: even Briefer History, brought out in a 'simplified' version. During this book by Leonard Mlodinow, I laughed many times, but particularly at the following assertion. They had to make considerable changes to Stephen's original prose in the first book, because he started off preaching to a reader who knew nothing, but quickly turned it into a post-graduate lecture. I hate to say it, but that was one of my criticisms of the finished book!
This memoir does not suffer from those short-comings. Dr Mlodinow still teaches physics at one of the most prestigious physics universities in the world, but he also communicates complex theories in a way the lay person can understand, more or less. And we lay people do not necessarily wish to enter the theoretical debate, just get an idea of what the debate is about. I found it most helpful to know that physics is about the why, and engineering about the answers and application, since that's what I've thought for years!
The narrative does dodge about a bit. I suppose when you're writing about space-time it's sensible not to take things in a linear process. I'm not sure if this always helped the story, but we got the basics of Hawking's life and struggles fitted in between other diversions, including the about-turn on radiation from black holes. This discussion was exceptionally interesting, if you enjoy the science side.
What comes across? A picture of a warm, funny, caring man, loved by those who knew him, but incredibly difficult to live with. He inspired dedication. I don't think people felt sorry for him, even if they might have started out that way. Reading of Stephen's love of adventure and even recklessness, you can understand they cared. It must have driven his loved ones crazy.
Altogether a very readable account of a friendship based on theories you might not follow, but highs and lows you certainly will. Recommended.
I confess I missed his other books: even Briefer History, brought out in a 'simplified' version. During this book by Leonard Mlodinow, I laughed many times, but particularly at the following assertion. They had to make considerable changes to Stephen's original prose in the first book, because he started off preaching to a reader who knew nothing, but quickly turned it into a post-graduate lecture. I hate to say it, but that was one of my criticisms of the finished book!
This memoir does not suffer from those short-comings. Dr Mlodinow still teaches physics at one of the most prestigious physics universities in the world, but he also communicates complex theories in a way the lay person can understand, more or less. And we lay people do not necessarily wish to enter the theoretical debate, just get an idea of what the debate is about. I found it most helpful to know that physics is about the why, and engineering about the answers and application, since that's what I've thought for years!
The narrative does dodge about a bit. I suppose when you're writing about space-time it's sensible not to take things in a linear process. I'm not sure if this always helped the story, but we got the basics of Hawking's life and struggles fitted in between other diversions, including the about-turn on radiation from black holes. This discussion was exceptionally interesting, if you enjoy the science side.
What comes across? A picture of a warm, funny, caring man, loved by those who knew him, but incredibly difficult to live with. He inspired dedication. I don't think people felt sorry for him, even if they might have started out that way. Reading of Stephen's love of adventure and even recklessness, you can understand they cared. It must have driven his loved ones crazy.
Altogether a very readable account of a friendship based on theories you might not follow, but highs and lows you certainly will. Recommended.
December 18, 2021
Deludente.
January 3, 2022
Easy read, more on the human side than the scientific one. Touching at times. Made me realize what a giant you have to be to do what Hawking did in his condition and makes you re-evaluate life and the things you give for granted.
I always loved Mlodinow's writing style and this one is no different.
Some very good explanations of physics concepts for the passionate layman (Hawking radiation, no-boundary universe etc), I was already familiar with, having read (and will re-read) A Brief History of Time.
I always loved Mlodinow's writing style and this one is no different.
Some very good explanations of physics concepts for the passionate layman (Hawking radiation, no-boundary universe etc), I was already familiar with, having read (and will re-read) A Brief History of Time.
April 16, 2021
Terrifically told story of the friendship and working partnership between author Mlodinow and Stephen Hawking. One learns a great deal about Hawking's life and work in this fine quick-reading book. And, in this reader's experience at least, grows to admire Hawking even more, not only for the beauty of his intellectual achievements, but for the depth of his humanity. The highest compliment I can pay the book is this: reading it made me wish I'd known Hawking personally (and the author, as well, for that matter), and makes me all the sadder that he's gone from this world.
February 12, 2021
This book has three strands. Firstly the story of Leonard Mlodinow meeting Stephen Hawking and their experiences writing together, secondly a biography of Stephen's life and thirdly a very brief layman's explanation of the theoretical thoughts that they wrote about in "The Grand Design".
I found Leonard's book to be very honest. He describes some of the discomfort that he feels when first meeting a disabled person, which is only natural. He does not paint Stephen Hawking as a saint, but describes his faults very affectionately. So I always felt like I was getting a true picture from someone who was obviously very fond of him. I note that some reviewers have marked the book down because they didn't like the inclusion of some descriptions of the problems Stephen had with personal care. However, I feel that the book would not have been complete to leave out such details as disabled people constantly have to deal with these issues and the general public often is not interested in how frustrating it can be. Obviously we are seeing Stephen through another person's eyes, so who can say whether his conclusions as to the relationships he had are correct. But I felt Leonard always pointed this out through out the book too. So we can only draw our own conclusions from Leonard's personal musings. Other people have written about their relationships with the great man and I think this book has made me want to go and read their point of view too.
I found Leonard's book to be very honest. He describes some of the discomfort that he feels when first meeting a disabled person, which is only natural. He does not paint Stephen Hawking as a saint, but describes his faults very affectionately. So I always felt like I was getting a true picture from someone who was obviously very fond of him. I note that some reviewers have marked the book down because they didn't like the inclusion of some descriptions of the problems Stephen had with personal care. However, I feel that the book would not have been complete to leave out such details as disabled people constantly have to deal with these issues and the general public often is not interested in how frustrating it can be. Obviously we are seeing Stephen through another person's eyes, so who can say whether his conclusions as to the relationships he had are correct. But I felt Leonard always pointed this out through out the book too. So we can only draw our own conclusions from Leonard's personal musings. Other people have written about their relationships with the great man and I think this book has made me want to go and read their point of view too.
Read
September 12, 2020Leonard met Stephen when he was asked consider writing a book with him in 2003. Over the coming years Leonard came to know Stephen as a person not just a physicist.
This memoir of is beautifully thoughtful in the way Stephen is portrayed and you get to understand some science too. Well worth reading.
This memoir of is beautifully thoughtful in the way Stephen is portrayed and you get to understand some science too. Well worth reading.
September 7, 2020
The author, physicist Leonard Mlodinow, first met Stephen Hawking in 2003 and became a friend until Stephen’s death in 2018. Stephen was born into an academically able family. Both his parents were students at Oxford, the town where he was born. Stephen did his undergraduate degree at Oxford before moving to Cambridge University in 1962 to do a PhD in cosmology. It was in that first year at Cambridge, at the age of 21, that he was diagnosed with a rare early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neuron disease (MND) also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For most death comes within two to five years of diagnosis and only one in twenty survive twenty years or more. Incredibly Stephen survived fifty five years. Undoubtedly helped by his ability to earn sufficient money to find the large team of people he needed to simply stay alive, especially in the last thirty years of his life. Stephen fell very ill in 1985 and his only hope of survival was a tracheostomy. He did survive but from that point was unable to speak and needed 24/7 care which the British National Health Service was unable to fund. Initially Stephen survived thanks to a grant from the Macarthur Foundation but within years he had written A Brief History of Time which sold over 25 million copies and meant he could fund his own care.
Leonard Mlodinow had turned down approaches to write a biography of Stephen but liked the idea of writing a memoir about him and physics. The resulting book focuses on the period 2005-2010 when Leonard and Stephen worked together as co-authors of The Grand Design, a popular-science book. As well as seeing Stephen at his annual visits to Caltech in Pasadena, Leonard now spent weeks at a time with Stephen in his office in Cambridge, UK as well as frequently dining with him at home or in Gonville and Caius College.
This memoir alternates personal sections of Stephen’s day to day life with explanations of major topics in physics as they were theorised, researched and debated over the five decades of Stephen’s career. These include quantum physics, general relativity, unified field theory and black holes. All these, and others, are introduced in a way to give the non physicist a chance of understanding the concepts. These concepts are so vast though that I suspect they will go over the heads of most readers unless they are physicists or already have a passion and knowledge of these subjects. I was keener to read the personal sections about Stephen and learn more about his relationships with family, colleagues and friends so skimmed some of the physics sections but I do feel inspired to go back and reread these at some point.
Some of the sections about Stephen’s life got a bit too personal for my liking when writing about some aspects of the personal care that he received from his team of carers. Stephen came across as being extremely sociable and driven with little sense of ‘woe is me’ apart from occasional periods in his life when health setbacks took away a bit more of his independence until he was eventually only able to communicate via a computer at a word of so a minute. It’s hard to imagine just how challenging every second of Stephen’s life must have been and yet quite awesome to think how his large team of carers, family, colleagues and friends did their bit to keep him alive and in good mental health. For someone with his health condition he did indeed live the most extraordinary life with travel world wide and a very good circle of supportive friends.
I found this book very readable, interesting and quite inspirational. With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Leonard Mlodinow had turned down approaches to write a biography of Stephen but liked the idea of writing a memoir about him and physics. The resulting book focuses on the period 2005-2010 when Leonard and Stephen worked together as co-authors of The Grand Design, a popular-science book. As well as seeing Stephen at his annual visits to Caltech in Pasadena, Leonard now spent weeks at a time with Stephen in his office in Cambridge, UK as well as frequently dining with him at home or in Gonville and Caius College.
This memoir alternates personal sections of Stephen’s day to day life with explanations of major topics in physics as they were theorised, researched and debated over the five decades of Stephen’s career. These include quantum physics, general relativity, unified field theory and black holes. All these, and others, are introduced in a way to give the non physicist a chance of understanding the concepts. These concepts are so vast though that I suspect they will go over the heads of most readers unless they are physicists or already have a passion and knowledge of these subjects. I was keener to read the personal sections about Stephen and learn more about his relationships with family, colleagues and friends so skimmed some of the physics sections but I do feel inspired to go back and reread these at some point.
Some of the sections about Stephen’s life got a bit too personal for my liking when writing about some aspects of the personal care that he received from his team of carers. Stephen came across as being extremely sociable and driven with little sense of ‘woe is me’ apart from occasional periods in his life when health setbacks took away a bit more of his independence until he was eventually only able to communicate via a computer at a word of so a minute. It’s hard to imagine just how challenging every second of Stephen’s life must have been and yet quite awesome to think how his large team of carers, family, colleagues and friends did their bit to keep him alive and in good mental health. For someone with his health condition he did indeed live the most extraordinary life with travel world wide and a very good circle of supportive friends.
I found this book very readable, interesting and quite inspirational. With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
August 30, 2020
Physics, friendship and the looming invevitabilities
Stephen Hawking made science cool. As an esteemed physicist, he popularised and explored a number of theories, many of which became known to the public, quite perversely, through the disability of this incredible scientist. What we often hear about Stephen Hawking is how sharp his mind was and how much strength he drew from his work. But we don't hear enough about Stephen Hawking - the person. Not THE scientist. Not THE man in the grip of a condition that should have killed him much earlier in life. But THE person. A man who loved rowing, a man who loved steak and good wine, a man who was a great friend and phenomenal conversationalist...
Leonard Mlodinow's career is indeed a prolific one. As one of the most influential theoretical physicists of our times, as well a phenomenal writer, he was chosen to become Stephen Hawking's long-time collaborator. And "Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics" brings all these elements together. Mlodinow talks a lot about his work with Stephen Hawking, in which he delves into two areas: physics (including quantum physics, a theory of black holes, cosmology, a theory of everything, and more) and his friendship with the man who redefined modern physics. These two elements make this memoir truly unique. Mlodinow provides a riveting science lesson, delivered through the prism of his life with Stephen Hawking.
The latter aspect of the narrative, which on the surface is the entire premise of the book, allows us to understand why Stephen Hawking was so dedicated and passionate about physics and all its elements. His love for science conveyed by Mlodinow in the memoir is infectious and captivating. But on the other hand, we see a picture of a man, who knows he has not enough time and wants to explore, discover and understand as much as possible before putting his books away.
Stephen Hawking presented in this memoir is a man of passion and resolve. We learn more and more about a man who values life as a whole. Warts and all. We learn about a man who deals with his progressive disability through patience and understanding of the human condition. But also we experience the immense loneliness of a person who is locked inside his own head with no physical outlet to his emotions.
Finally, we learn about Leonard Mlodinow and how he navigated the friendship with one of the most incredible minds of our times. And this is where things get really interesting. Mlodinow doesn't embellish or whitewash the flaws of Stephen Hawking's character, but neither he ponders on them. His casual narrative style allows us to discover Hawking first and foremost as a human being.
Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics is a truly riveting read and I would recommend it to everyone. It's a poignant story of forming a friendship with a severely disabled person, that also touches upon and explores the challenges that come with it. But this, in many respects, is overshadowed by the second aspect of the bond forged between two men; the love and passion for science.
I would wholeheartedly recommend. Many thanks to Penguin Press UK and NetGalley for my copy of the memoir. It really is a deep, emotional and touching read.
Stephen Hawking made science cool. As an esteemed physicist, he popularised and explored a number of theories, many of which became known to the public, quite perversely, through the disability of this incredible scientist. What we often hear about Stephen Hawking is how sharp his mind was and how much strength he drew from his work. But we don't hear enough about Stephen Hawking - the person. Not THE scientist. Not THE man in the grip of a condition that should have killed him much earlier in life. But THE person. A man who loved rowing, a man who loved steak and good wine, a man who was a great friend and phenomenal conversationalist...
Leonard Mlodinow's career is indeed a prolific one. As one of the most influential theoretical physicists of our times, as well a phenomenal writer, he was chosen to become Stephen Hawking's long-time collaborator. And "Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics" brings all these elements together. Mlodinow talks a lot about his work with Stephen Hawking, in which he delves into two areas: physics (including quantum physics, a theory of black holes, cosmology, a theory of everything, and more) and his friendship with the man who redefined modern physics. These two elements make this memoir truly unique. Mlodinow provides a riveting science lesson, delivered through the prism of his life with Stephen Hawking.
The latter aspect of the narrative, which on the surface is the entire premise of the book, allows us to understand why Stephen Hawking was so dedicated and passionate about physics and all its elements. His love for science conveyed by Mlodinow in the memoir is infectious and captivating. But on the other hand, we see a picture of a man, who knows he has not enough time and wants to explore, discover and understand as much as possible before putting his books away.
Stephen Hawking presented in this memoir is a man of passion and resolve. We learn more and more about a man who values life as a whole. Warts and all. We learn about a man who deals with his progressive disability through patience and understanding of the human condition. But also we experience the immense loneliness of a person who is locked inside his own head with no physical outlet to his emotions.
Finally, we learn about Leonard Mlodinow and how he navigated the friendship with one of the most incredible minds of our times. And this is where things get really interesting. Mlodinow doesn't embellish or whitewash the flaws of Stephen Hawking's character, but neither he ponders on them. His casual narrative style allows us to discover Hawking first and foremost as a human being.
Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics is a truly riveting read and I would recommend it to everyone. It's a poignant story of forming a friendship with a severely disabled person, that also touches upon and explores the challenges that come with it. But this, in many respects, is overshadowed by the second aspect of the bond forged between two men; the love and passion for science.
I would wholeheartedly recommend. Many thanks to Penguin Press UK and NetGalley for my copy of the memoir. It really is a deep, emotional and touching read.
October 31, 2020
Lessons from Hawking’s life:
Necessity as mother of invention. Hawking’s popular books perhaps started as a fluke, but he quickly realized that he needed to become rich if he was ever to afford the support staff necessary for his professional ambitions. His eventual inability to manipulate pen and paper also forced him to problem-solve differently, and study problems in physics best suited to his capabilities.
Accept the deficits alongside the merits of someone’s character traits. Hawking’s independence and stubbornness were key to his professional success (and perhaps his longevity, although Mlodinow passes over this idea in silence). But that same stubbornness resulted in a variety of stories that range from funny to disappointing. If we want to continue to draw inspiration from someone, we need to accept conflicting judgments on their character.
Love is complicated. Mlodinow discloses some very private accounts of infidelity (or perhaps they’re open secrets in their community?). Any biography worth its salt ought to include warts and all, since we all have them, but I’m astonished that Mlodinow would take this step, due to his close relationship to Hawking and the family.
The conclusions one can draw from an empirical mindset are complicated. Hawking had a faith in nutritional supplements recommended by his father (who was a doctor), when he first contracted ALS. At best, these were placebos. But Mlodinow used Hawking’s behavior as a subject lesson in the open-mindedness of an empiricist: “In physics, Stephen could use mathematics to test [hypotheses]. With regard to his illness, that was not possible, and so he clung to the recommendation of his loving physician parent, and embraced the prescription that was his legacy. Given Stephen’s natural skepticism, his belief in the pills seemed out of character. Not that he wasn’t open-minded. He was willing to consider, at least provisionally, any theory that didn’t contradict known facts. And he wasn’t bothered when different theories conceptualized the world in vastly different ways.”
Belief is complicated. Hawking had an unempirical belief in nutritional supplements that were suggested early in his disease by his father, who was a doctor.
Memento mori.
model-dependent realism, which sounds like a repackaging of Pragmatism.
Life has deep contingencies “Change the strength of the strong nuclear force by half a percent, the electric force by 4%, or the mass of the proton by one part in five hundred, for example, and we wouldn’t exist”. I’m not sure why Mlodinow didn’t call out the anthropic principle, perhaps they explore such ideas more deeply in the books they wrote together.
“If you like asking questions and searching for answers, become a physicist. If you learning the answers and applying them, become an engineer!” ;-)
“What is more important than solving problems is posing them, because the questions you ask govern the answers you find. Questions are both a reflection of, and a determinant of, the way you look at the world.”
Necessity as mother of invention. Hawking’s popular books perhaps started as a fluke, but he quickly realized that he needed to become rich if he was ever to afford the support staff necessary for his professional ambitions. His eventual inability to manipulate pen and paper also forced him to problem-solve differently, and study problems in physics best suited to his capabilities.
Accept the deficits alongside the merits of someone’s character traits. Hawking’s independence and stubbornness were key to his professional success (and perhaps his longevity, although Mlodinow passes over this idea in silence). But that same stubbornness resulted in a variety of stories that range from funny to disappointing. If we want to continue to draw inspiration from someone, we need to accept conflicting judgments on their character.
Love is complicated. Mlodinow discloses some very private accounts of infidelity (or perhaps they’re open secrets in their community?). Any biography worth its salt ought to include warts and all, since we all have them, but I’m astonished that Mlodinow would take this step, due to his close relationship to Hawking and the family.
The conclusions one can draw from an empirical mindset are complicated. Hawking had a faith in nutritional supplements recommended by his father (who was a doctor), when he first contracted ALS. At best, these were placebos. But Mlodinow used Hawking’s behavior as a subject lesson in the open-mindedness of an empiricist: “In physics, Stephen could use mathematics to test [hypotheses]. With regard to his illness, that was not possible, and so he clung to the recommendation of his loving physician parent, and embraced the prescription that was his legacy. Given Stephen’s natural skepticism, his belief in the pills seemed out of character. Not that he wasn’t open-minded. He was willing to consider, at least provisionally, any theory that didn’t contradict known facts. And he wasn’t bothered when different theories conceptualized the world in vastly different ways.”
Belief is complicated. Hawking had an unempirical belief in nutritional supplements that were suggested early in his disease by his father, who was a doctor.
Memento mori.
model-dependent realism, which sounds like a repackaging of Pragmatism.
Life has deep contingencies “Change the strength of the strong nuclear force by half a percent, the electric force by 4%, or the mass of the proton by one part in five hundred, for example, and we wouldn’t exist”. I’m not sure why Mlodinow didn’t call out the anthropic principle, perhaps they explore such ideas more deeply in the books they wrote together.
“If you like asking questions and searching for answers, become a physicist. If you learning the answers and applying them, become an engineer!” ;-)
“What is more important than solving problems is posing them, because the questions you ask govern the answers you find. Questions are both a reflection of, and a determinant of, the way you look at the world.”
September 18, 2020
Ta książka jest dokładnie tym, czym głosi się, że jest - czyli opowieścią o przyjaźni i fizyce. Można powiedzieć, że jest to biografia, ale nie byłaby to do końca prawda. Leonard Mlodinow nie zarzuca nas ogromem faktów z życia Hawkinga, nie prowadzi nas prze narodziny po zgon i dobrze, bo przecież takie książki już są. Autor patrzy na Stephena jak na człowieka, którego poznał, a nie którego warto poznać... to wielka różnica. Wyrusza z punktu, z którego nikt inny nie mógł wyruszyć - z tego jedynego momentu w czasie i przestrzeni, w którym on - Leonard Mlodinow spotkał się z nim - Stephenem Hawkingiem. Niepowtarzalne doświadczenie, którego nikt nie może podrobić. Słowa, takie jak : urodził się wtedy a wtedy, chorował na to i na to, zmarł... te słowa może napisać każdy, ale tego, że Mlodinow dostał od Hawkinga zaproszenie do współpracy, że czekał przed drzwiami do jego gabinetu i że widział, jak stróżka potu spływa mu po czole, a on nie może jej otrzeć... nie , tych słów nie może napisać każdy BA może napisać je tylko ON Mlodinow.
Ta książka ma w sobie ten element, silny element wzruszenia i prawdziwej straty... to nie są suche fakty. Autor także jest fizykiem, jest człowiekiem, który życie poświęcił nauce, więc któż, jak nie on zrozumie lepiej innego naukowca? A gdy dodamy do tego jeszcze przyjaźń, nić łączącą człowieka z człowiekiem, jedyną taką, nić Mlodinow-Hawking... cóż, dzięki tej nici my czytelnicy dostajemy coś wyjątkowego i CO WAŻNIEJSZE osobistego.
Oczywiście, można zakładać, że jest to obraz nieco "zbyt pochlebny", pisany ku czci, ku pamięci bliskiej osoby. Tak, można to założyć, ale nawet wtedy dostaniemy piękną opowieść o tym, jak Hawking wpłyną na życie drugiego człowieka. Przyjaźń, to w gruncie rzeczy miłość, tylko że często okazuje się trwalsza, bo zbudowana jest na fundamencie zrozumienia, a nie ulotnej fascynacji.
Można się z Hawkingiem nie zgadzać - ja się z nim często nie zgadzam, ale nie można go nie podziwiać. Podziwiam go za umysł, wymykający się wszelkiemu banałowi, podziwiam go za upór, choć był czasem ośli i ogromnie podziwiam go za wolę życia, za wiarę, że jutro wstanie i będzie miał siłę na kolejne zdanie.
Książka "STEPHEN HAWKING opowieść o przyjaźni i fizyce" jest testamentem przyjaźni, jest powiedzeniem "Żegnaj", choć ja głęboko więżę w to, że bardziej pasuje tu "Do widzenia". Poza oczywistymi walorami tej pozycji jest również walor estetyczny - piękne wydanie, o które zadbał Zysk i S-ka
7/10
Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka
Ta książka ma w sobie ten element, silny element wzruszenia i prawdziwej straty... to nie są suche fakty. Autor także jest fizykiem, jest człowiekiem, który życie poświęcił nauce, więc któż, jak nie on zrozumie lepiej innego naukowca? A gdy dodamy do tego jeszcze przyjaźń, nić łączącą człowieka z człowiekiem, jedyną taką, nić Mlodinow-Hawking... cóż, dzięki tej nici my czytelnicy dostajemy coś wyjątkowego i CO WAŻNIEJSZE osobistego.
Oczywiście, można zakładać, że jest to obraz nieco "zbyt pochlebny", pisany ku czci, ku pamięci bliskiej osoby. Tak, można to założyć, ale nawet wtedy dostaniemy piękną opowieść o tym, jak Hawking wpłyną na życie drugiego człowieka. Przyjaźń, to w gruncie rzeczy miłość, tylko że często okazuje się trwalsza, bo zbudowana jest na fundamencie zrozumienia, a nie ulotnej fascynacji.
Można się z Hawkingiem nie zgadzać - ja się z nim często nie zgadzam, ale nie można go nie podziwiać. Podziwiam go za umysł, wymykający się wszelkiemu banałowi, podziwiam go za upór, choć był czasem ośli i ogromnie podziwiam go za wolę życia, za wiarę, że jutro wstanie i będzie miał siłę na kolejne zdanie.
Książka "STEPHEN HAWKING opowieść o przyjaźni i fizyce" jest testamentem przyjaźni, jest powiedzeniem "Żegnaj", choć ja głęboko więżę w to, że bardziej pasuje tu "Do widzenia". Poza oczywistymi walorami tej pozycji jest również walor estetyczny - piękne wydanie, o które zadbał Zysk i S-ka
7/10
Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka
September 6, 2020
I am not a scientist, and theoretical physics is certainly not an area I would have chosen to write a book about; however, for Stephen Hawking, this was his life's work.
Leonard Mlodinow worked with Stephen Hawking on a book called 'The Grand Design' and the two became close friends. The Stephen Hawking that emerges from his account is a man with a prodigious memory, able to focus on the smallest detail - sometimes to the point of frustration for those around him - but who, when asked what was his greatest achievement, didn't reply with "Hawking radiation" or one of his other discoveries, but simply said, "My children".
Diagnosed at a young age with ALS (motor neurone disease), Stephen Hawking wasn't expected to live many more years; however, he proved one of those exceptions - the 1 in 20 or so that survive decades beyond the normal expectancy for someone living with this condition. Consequently, Stephen decided to focus on achieving as much as he could and succeeded.
Whilst a lot of the discussion of the physics went over my head, I was fascinated by how Stephen came across as a person. He was married twice (a third marriage was proposed but never took place) and provoked deep affection in those who chose to share his life, whether carers, students, or fellow scientists.
Stephen faced battles every day just to stay alive and depended on an army of carers. He also relied on interaction with others, even though it took several minutes to frame a verbal response to questions. He loved food, had an impish sense of fun, and wasn't afraid to be wrong.
A particular favourite reminiscence of mine is when Stephen wanted to go punting, and Leonard was convinced this was not a good idea; however, Stephen got his way.
This is an affectionate and very readable account of friendship but also of a working relationship. You don't have to share Stephen Hawking's conclusions about the universe, but you can respect the man who by sheer determination and self-will managed to bring science to many who might otherwise have ignored it.
I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Penguin Press UK (Allen Lane), in return for an honest appraisal.
Leonard Mlodinow worked with Stephen Hawking on a book called 'The Grand Design' and the two became close friends. The Stephen Hawking that emerges from his account is a man with a prodigious memory, able to focus on the smallest detail - sometimes to the point of frustration for those around him - but who, when asked what was his greatest achievement, didn't reply with "Hawking radiation" or one of his other discoveries, but simply said, "My children".
Diagnosed at a young age with ALS (motor neurone disease), Stephen Hawking wasn't expected to live many more years; however, he proved one of those exceptions - the 1 in 20 or so that survive decades beyond the normal expectancy for someone living with this condition. Consequently, Stephen decided to focus on achieving as much as he could and succeeded.
Whilst a lot of the discussion of the physics went over my head, I was fascinated by how Stephen came across as a person. He was married twice (a third marriage was proposed but never took place) and provoked deep affection in those who chose to share his life, whether carers, students, or fellow scientists.
Stephen faced battles every day just to stay alive and depended on an army of carers. He also relied on interaction with others, even though it took several minutes to frame a verbal response to questions. He loved food, had an impish sense of fun, and wasn't afraid to be wrong.
A particular favourite reminiscence of mine is when Stephen wanted to go punting, and Leonard was convinced this was not a good idea; however, Stephen got his way.
This is an affectionate and very readable account of friendship but also of a working relationship. You don't have to share Stephen Hawking's conclusions about the universe, but you can respect the man who by sheer determination and self-will managed to bring science to many who might otherwise have ignored it.
I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Penguin Press UK (Allen Lane), in return for an honest appraisal.
September 6, 2020
This was a wonderful memoir of an inspirational man, written by his friend and co-author. Leonard says of Stephen, 'it was human bonds, love, and not just his physics, that nourished him'. A maverick, a man who loved to live life to the full, he was initially devastated to receive the diagnosis that he had ALS at only 21. Life expectancy after diagnosis is generally 2-5 years, but Stephen Hawking lived for 50. Receiving the diagnosis 'steered him toward a richer life' and whilst his body was shutting down, his mind became more focused and led to him being recognised as one of the great minds of the 21st century.
Stephen Hawking was a complex man. Married twice, divorced twice and father to three children, there were times when his physics took precedence over everything. He was surrounded by love, but it was not always easy to love someone who by necessity, demanded everything, and could give perhaps less than was needed to sustain a healthy relationship. It's certainly true to say that both his spouses felt they lost their own identity in being the partner of someone who became so famous and adored around the world.
In all honesty, for me, the science in this memoir was difficult for me to get my head around. It's not that it wasn't written in an accessible way, it's just that my strength does not lie in thinking scientifically.
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about Stephen's life, and was in awe of how he dealt with his disease in such a positive way. As Leonard wrote in the closing chapter, 'We can get used to anything and we can accomplish, if not anything, then at least much more than we give ourselves credit for. To grow close to Stephen was to understand this and to realize that we need not wait for a debilitating disease to inspire us to make the most of our time on earth'.
Stephen Hawking was a complex man. Married twice, divorced twice and father to three children, there were times when his physics took precedence over everything. He was surrounded by love, but it was not always easy to love someone who by necessity, demanded everything, and could give perhaps less than was needed to sustain a healthy relationship. It's certainly true to say that both his spouses felt they lost their own identity in being the partner of someone who became so famous and adored around the world.
In all honesty, for me, the science in this memoir was difficult for me to get my head around. It's not that it wasn't written in an accessible way, it's just that my strength does not lie in thinking scientifically.
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about Stephen's life, and was in awe of how he dealt with his disease in such a positive way. As Leonard wrote in the closing chapter, 'We can get used to anything and we can accomplish, if not anything, then at least much more than we give ourselves credit for. To grow close to Stephen was to understand this and to realize that we need not wait for a debilitating disease to inspire us to make the most of our time on earth'.
August 31, 2020
I really don't know how to feel about this book! In some ways I want to give the book five stars and in other ways I want to give it a one star! I don't read a lot of memoirs but I do enjoy science books, especially ones that tell the story of scientists overcoming adversity to solve important questions about the world (e.g. Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh).
Stephen Hawking is someone I admire and find fascinating. Leonard Mlodinow is a friend and co-author of two books with Hawking and decided to write Hawking's biography with interviews with some of his nearest and dearest.
This is a fairly quick read and I loved hearing about Hawking's upbringing. It gave a great insight into how he dealt with his deteriorating health due to ALS, and how this condition motivated him to continue trying to answer questions about the world and why we're here. The reason I mentioned wanting to give it a one star was that sometimes it felt like we were being given information that was too intimate, such as how he was fed by carers and how he relieved himself.
Overall though it was great to find out more about the magnificent man, including how funny and adventurous he was. I'd love a similar book that focused more on his scientific achievements than his daily struggles and relationship issues.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Stephen Hawking is someone I admire and find fascinating. Leonard Mlodinow is a friend and co-author of two books with Hawking and decided to write Hawking's biography with interviews with some of his nearest and dearest.
This is a fairly quick read and I loved hearing about Hawking's upbringing. It gave a great insight into how he dealt with his deteriorating health due to ALS, and how this condition motivated him to continue trying to answer questions about the world and why we're here. The reason I mentioned wanting to give it a one star was that sometimes it felt like we were being given information that was too intimate, such as how he was fed by carers and how he relieved himself.
Overall though it was great to find out more about the magnificent man, including how funny and adventurous he was. I'd love a similar book that focused more on his scientific achievements than his daily struggles and relationship issues.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2020
Having collaborated with Hawking on two of my favorite books, A Briefer History of Time and the incredible, "The Grand Design," there are few people more qualified to write on the life and workings of this incredible figure than an author and physicist as skilled as Leonard Mlodinow. Where this book succeeds is in continually being genuine. This is not some cheap attempt to catch a quick buck by writing about a more famous individual you happen to have known, this is a heartfelt remembrance of a completely unique figure told against the backdrop of the writing of the most interesting book on physics (for the layperson), written in the past few decades, the aforementioned Grand Design.
Where this volume also succeeds is being a complete picture but never getting lost in any one facet. Mlodinow writes of the personal life of Hawking without it seeming like a gossip column, he delves into his biography without going into needless anecdotery, he appraises Hawking's contributions to physics and his genius without pandering or getting excessively technical, and he allows you to see Hawking as a person without being cliché or trite with it. Frequently, when dealing with Hawking the person there is a barrier which we down't wish to admit because of the sheer renown for his intellect but also because of his condition and the voice with which he was forced to speak for years. Mlodinow does aways with all of these barriers and potential biographical pitfalls and writes a genuine appraisal and eulogy for his friend and collaborator. A great work that I commend to you all.
Where this volume also succeeds is being a complete picture but never getting lost in any one facet. Mlodinow writes of the personal life of Hawking without it seeming like a gossip column, he delves into his biography without going into needless anecdotery, he appraises Hawking's contributions to physics and his genius without pandering or getting excessively technical, and he allows you to see Hawking as a person without being cliché or trite with it. Frequently, when dealing with Hawking the person there is a barrier which we down't wish to admit because of the sheer renown for his intellect but also because of his condition and the voice with which he was forced to speak for years. Mlodinow does aways with all of these barriers and potential biographical pitfalls and writes a genuine appraisal and eulogy for his friend and collaborator. A great work that I commend to you all.
May 17, 2021
Amidst the spate of biographies this one stands out largely because Mlodinow was a co-author, collaborator and fellow physicist.
Where Mlodinow is very good is in explaining Hawking’s ideas. He has a particular knack for explaining difficult concepts using everyday analogies and words and helping a layperson understand it without over-simplifying things. It’s a rare gift. And some of Hawking’s later work was very complex and esoteric. This made me want to search out all his other popular science books.
Mlodinow better than almost everyone else is able to trace the arc of Hawking’s thinking over his career and in particular his role in transforming a relatively ignored field of the study of Black Holes and the origins of the Universe. He puts this down to Hawking’s creativity and daring and most of all his willingness to change his mind. Mlodinow chronicles multiple instances when Hawking initially rejected a theory only to later support it or even reject a theory that he initially proposed!
Despite all the acclaim of it being an intimate portrait I was less convinced by Mlodinow’s portrait of Hawking the man. There are intimate glimpses of Hawking the person, a particularly unflinching look at his utter dependency on others, and how he stage manages the coterie of carers (the revelation that the carers would fawn over him and compete for his affection and the privilege to go on an overseas trip with particularly amusing). You do get glimpses of Hawking’s infamous mischievous streak including insisting on going punting, an “adventure” that entailed all kinds of logistical nightmares.
Mlodinow too often ends up resorting to platitudes though. Praising Hawking for his immense dignity and capacity to bear the burdens of his condition with saintly patience. He often dangerously veers into hearsay and isn’t shy of making rather sweeping remarks about character based on rather flimsy familiarity and evidence. Jane, Hawking’s first wife is a particular victim presented as a poor overwhelmed woman who couldn’t cope with having to care for her husband and a young family with loneliness driving her to an affair and understandable divorce. The second wife doesn’t fare any better though this at least was based on one documented encounter - Mlodinow for some reason is much more sympathetic despite her throwing a massive tantrum over dinner - the fact that Hawking needed to be the center of attention understandably made her jealousy - she contrary to Jane just wanted her all to herself. There’s no deeper reflection here about how Hawking’s obsessiveness and attention to detail (which Mlodinow did occasionally find exasperating) also meant that he could be callous of the needs of others.
The fact that so much of this review was less about the physics and more about the man suggests the central flaw for me. Mlodinow was one of those best placed and capable of writing about Hawking’s ideas and making it accessible and understandable to all. Too bad the entire book wasn’t devoted to Hawking’s real legacy - that of his ideas - rather than to the man.
Where Mlodinow is very good is in explaining Hawking’s ideas. He has a particular knack for explaining difficult concepts using everyday analogies and words and helping a layperson understand it without over-simplifying things. It’s a rare gift. And some of Hawking’s later work was very complex and esoteric. This made me want to search out all his other popular science books.
Mlodinow better than almost everyone else is able to trace the arc of Hawking’s thinking over his career and in particular his role in transforming a relatively ignored field of the study of Black Holes and the origins of the Universe. He puts this down to Hawking’s creativity and daring and most of all his willingness to change his mind. Mlodinow chronicles multiple instances when Hawking initially rejected a theory only to later support it or even reject a theory that he initially proposed!
Despite all the acclaim of it being an intimate portrait I was less convinced by Mlodinow’s portrait of Hawking the man. There are intimate glimpses of Hawking the person, a particularly unflinching look at his utter dependency on others, and how he stage manages the coterie of carers (the revelation that the carers would fawn over him and compete for his affection and the privilege to go on an overseas trip with particularly amusing). You do get glimpses of Hawking’s infamous mischievous streak including insisting on going punting, an “adventure” that entailed all kinds of logistical nightmares.
Mlodinow too often ends up resorting to platitudes though. Praising Hawking for his immense dignity and capacity to bear the burdens of his condition with saintly patience. He often dangerously veers into hearsay and isn’t shy of making rather sweeping remarks about character based on rather flimsy familiarity and evidence. Jane, Hawking’s first wife is a particular victim presented as a poor overwhelmed woman who couldn’t cope with having to care for her husband and a young family with loneliness driving her to an affair and understandable divorce. The second wife doesn’t fare any better though this at least was based on one documented encounter - Mlodinow for some reason is much more sympathetic despite her throwing a massive tantrum over dinner - the fact that Hawking needed to be the center of attention understandably made her jealousy - she contrary to Jane just wanted her all to herself. There’s no deeper reflection here about how Hawking’s obsessiveness and attention to detail (which Mlodinow did occasionally find exasperating) also meant that he could be callous of the needs of others.
The fact that so much of this review was less about the physics and more about the man suggests the central flaw for me. Mlodinow was one of those best placed and capable of writing about Hawking’s ideas and making it accessible and understandable to all. Too bad the entire book wasn’t devoted to Hawking’s real legacy - that of his ideas - rather than to the man.
August 30, 2024
Հոքինգի մասին լավագույն գրքերից մեկն է
20-րդ դարի մեծագույն ֆիզիկոսներից մեկի՝ Հոքինգի մասին շատ գրքեր կան: Դրանք հիմնականում միանման են ու ըստ էության կրկնում են նույն պատմությունը: Այս մեկը դուրս եկավ, քանի որ որոշակիորեն առանձնանում էր:
Հեղինակը նույնպես ֆիզիկոս է, որ Հոքինգի հետ համահեղինակել է երկու գիրք: Առաջինը Հոքինգի հանրահայտ գրքի՝ Краткая история времени-ի պարզեցված տարբերակն է՝ Кратчайшая история времени, որն ավելի մատչելի է ֆիզմաթ կրթություն չունեցող մարդկանց համար: Երկրորդ գիրքը կոչվում է Высший замысел: Այս գրքում հեղինակը հիմնականում պատմում է, թե ինչպես է Հոքինգի հետ աշխատել այդ երկու գրքերի վրա:
Առաջին հայացքից առանձնահատուկ ոչինչ չկա, պարզապես մի կարճ ժամանակահատված ֆիզիկոսի կյանքից: Բայց վստահեցնում եմ, որ այս գրքում Հոքինգի կերպարը ավելի լավ է բացահայտվում և՛ որպես ֆիզիկոս, և՛ որպես մարդ (ընկեր, ամուսին, ծնող):
Ես Հոքինգի աշխատությունների սիրահար եմ, ու հաճախ կարդում եմ նաև բազմաթիվ աշխատություններ նրա մասին: Այս մեկը, վստահեցնում եմ, իսկապես տարբերվում էր:
20-րդ դարի մեծագույն ֆիզիկոսներից մեկի՝ Հոքինգի մասին շատ գրքեր կան: Դրանք հիմնականում միանման են ու ըստ էության կրկնում են նույն պատմությունը: Այս մեկը դուրս եկավ, քանի որ որոշակիորեն առանձնանում էր:
Հեղինակը նույնպես ֆիզիկոս է, որ Հոքինգի հետ համահեղինակել է երկու գիրք: Առաջինը Հոքինգի հանրահայտ գրքի՝ Краткая история времени-ի պարզեցված տարբերակն է՝ Кратчайшая история времени, որն ավելի մատչելի է ֆիզմաթ կրթություն չունեցող մարդկանց համար: Երկրորդ գիրքը կոչվում է Высший замысел: Այս գրքում հեղինակը հիմնականում պատմում է, թե ինչպես է Հոքինգի հետ աշխատել այդ երկու գրքերի վրա:
Առաջին հայացքից առանձնահատուկ ոչինչ չկա, պարզապես մի կարճ ժամանակահատված ֆիզիկոսի կյանքից: Բայց վստահեցնում եմ, որ այս գրքում Հոքինգի կերպարը ավելի լավ է բացահայտվում և՛ որպես ֆիզիկոս, և՛ որպես մարդ (ընկեր, ամուսին, ծնող):
Ես Հոքինգի աշխատությունների սիրահար եմ, ու հաճախ կարդում եմ նաև բազմաթիվ աշխատություններ նրա մասին: Այս մեկը, վստահեցնում եմ, իսկապես տարբերվում էր:
November 27, 2022
The book I have just finished reading is Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to review this title.
The reason for my wanting to read this book in the first place is simple, I have long been fascinated by Mr. Hawking, loved his outlook on life and enjoyed reading his works over the years. I've read other biographies which have been interesting but none captured the man as much as this book does I feel. Leonard Mlodinow worked closely with Mr. Hawking over a period of two decades and was a great friend and it is interesting to read his account of their time together. The two had previously collaborated on other works including The Grand Design and A Briefer History of Time.
It is an interesting book, very enjoyable too. However, at times I must admit the theoretical physics parts were a little heavy going for me as I have no knowledge whatsoever in that field.
All in all though, this is more than just a story about Mr. Hawking, it is a great account of a friendship. We see the heart and the brain presented to us in this work. I wholly recommend it, a wonderful testament to the man. A few tears, but a lot more laughs. A heart-warming book if a bit difficult to read at times.
The reason for my wanting to read this book in the first place is simple, I have long been fascinated by Mr. Hawking, loved his outlook on life and enjoyed reading his works over the years. I've read other biographies which have been interesting but none captured the man as much as this book does I feel. Leonard Mlodinow worked closely with Mr. Hawking over a period of two decades and was a great friend and it is interesting to read his account of their time together. The two had previously collaborated on other works including The Grand Design and A Briefer History of Time.
It is an interesting book, very enjoyable too. However, at times I must admit the theoretical physics parts were a little heavy going for me as I have no knowledge whatsoever in that field.
All in all though, this is more than just a story about Mr. Hawking, it is a great account of a friendship. We see the heart and the brain presented to us in this work. I wholly recommend it, a wonderful testament to the man. A few tears, but a lot more laughs. A heart-warming book if a bit difficult to read at times.
April 24, 2020
Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics by Leonard Mlodinow is due to be published by Penguin Books Allen Lane on September 8, 2020.
As I was reviewing an advance reading copy, I am aware that there may be additional items such as photographs included in the final hardcover edition.
Leonard Mlodinow was not only a friend of Hawking but a fellow physicist, who was sought out by Hawking to collaborate on two books with him: ‘A Briefer History of Time’ and ‘The Grand Design’. Both books made the often esoteric subject of physics more accessible to the lay reader.
This was a moving memoir that combined biographical details of Hawking’s life with personal anecdotes from the years of their friendship that had begun in 2003. There are also brief explanations of the areas that Hawking’s work covers including black holes and quantum theories. Some of it went well over my head.
The details of Hawking’s regular visits to Caltech did bring to mind his appearances on the highly popular comedy series, ‘The Big Bang Theory’, set at the university.
Overall, I found this a fascinating tribute to Hawking and it stimulated my currently dormant interest in theoretical physics.
As I was reviewing an advance reading copy, I am aware that there may be additional items such as photographs included in the final hardcover edition.
Leonard Mlodinow was not only a friend of Hawking but a fellow physicist, who was sought out by Hawking to collaborate on two books with him: ‘A Briefer History of Time’ and ‘The Grand Design’. Both books made the often esoteric subject of physics more accessible to the lay reader.
This was a moving memoir that combined biographical details of Hawking’s life with personal anecdotes from the years of their friendship that had begun in 2003. There are also brief explanations of the areas that Hawking’s work covers including black holes and quantum theories. Some of it went well over my head.
The details of Hawking’s regular visits to Caltech did bring to mind his appearances on the highly popular comedy series, ‘The Big Bang Theory’, set at the university.
Overall, I found this a fascinating tribute to Hawking and it stimulated my currently dormant interest in theoretical physics.
February 1, 2021
I received a copy of this book via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the opportunity. I have read some of Hawking's work including A Brief History of Time. As non fiction they are not particularly easy to understand. This book mixes parts of his work with his personal life and information on a book he was writing with Leonard Mlodinow.
The depth of the friendship between these two men is obvious. The picture the author paints is definitely a warts and all view of Stephen Hawking. It would not necessarily enamour you to Hawking who comes across in some ways as selfish - perhaps this is what allowed him to survive.
The physical concepts described are certainly much more understandable in this book but I think if you asked me in a month I would have retained very little. Some of the personal accounts of dining and working with Stephen seemed repetitive.
I enjoyed the book but it isn't in my top ten
The depth of the friendship between these two men is obvious. The picture the author paints is definitely a warts and all view of Stephen Hawking. It would not necessarily enamour you to Hawking who comes across in some ways as selfish - perhaps this is what allowed him to survive.
The physical concepts described are certainly much more understandable in this book but I think if you asked me in a month I would have retained very little. Some of the personal accounts of dining and working with Stephen seemed repetitive.
I enjoyed the book but it isn't in my top ten
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