Overview
Stephen Hawking makes the most complex ideas in physics accessible to everyday readers. From the Big Bang to black holes, from the nature of time to the search for a unified theory, Hawking guides us through the fundamental questions about the universe with clarity and wonder.
Hawking published A Brief History of Time in 1988, aimed at readers without scientific training. It remained on the Sunday Times bestseller list for more than four years and has sold more than ten million copies. Hawking famously was told that every equation in the book would halve its sales; he included one — E=mc².
Key Ideas
The expanding universe
The universe began with the Big Bang and has been expanding ever since.
Black holes aren't entirely black
Hawking radiation shows that black holes slowly emit particles and can eventually evaporate.
Time is relative
Time moves differently depending on gravity and speed, as Einstein's theories predict.
The quest for unification
Physics seeks a single theory that unites quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Who should read this
Readers with no physics background who want a serious, careful account of what modern cosmology actually claims. Particularly good for readers who've been put off popular science by either too much hand-waving or too much maths. Hawking's pacing is unusually generous.
Who might skip it
Skip if you already have a physics background — the book is genuinely pitched at beginners. Skip also if you want the newest material; Hawking updated the book in 1996 and 2005, but a lot of cosmology has moved on since, particularly around dark matter and dark energy.
The verdict
A masterpiece of science communication that too many people own and too few finish. The chapters on relativity and the arrow of time are the best things in it; the later chapters on quantum gravity become notably harder. Read it slowly, and know that not finishing it is not a failure — you will still have learned more about the universe than most people do in a lifetime.
"Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet."
— Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time
If you liked this
The Illustrated Brief History of Time is the same book with helpful diagrams. For a more accessible alternative, Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark.