A Brief History of Time and the Universe in a Nutshell (Paperback)

~ Stephen W. Hawking (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them. In this new book Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain in laymens terms the principles that control our universe. Like many in the community of theoretical physicists, Professor Hawking is seeking to uncover the grail of science  the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos. In his accessible and often playful style, he guides us on his search to uncover the secrets of the universe  from supergravity to supersymmetry, from quantum theory to M-theory, from holography to duality. He takes us to the wild frontiers of science, where superstring theory and p-branes may hold the final clue to the puzzle. And he lets us behind the scenes of one of his most exciting intellectual adventures as he seeks to combine Einsteins General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynmans idea of multiple histories into one complete unified theory that will describe everything that happens in the universe. With characteristic exuberance, Professor Hawking invites us to be fellow travelers on this extraordinary voyage through space-time. Copious four-color illustrations help clarify this journey into a surreal wonderland where particles, sheets, and strings move in eleven dimensions; where black holes evaporate and disappear, taking their secret with them; and where the original cosmic seed from which our own universe sprang was a tiny nut. The Universe in a Nutshell is essential reading for all of us who want to understand the universe in which we live. Like its companion volume, A Brief History of Time, it conveys the excitement felt within the scientific community as the secrets of the cosmos reveal themselves.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam Dell Pub Group (Trd); Ill edition (June 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307291227
• ISBN-13: 978-0307291226
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #416,753 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing - Easy to read, January 27, 2008

By	Martin Schmid (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The illustration are amazing !!!!. It really help you to understand better the concepts, I have read very few books with such ilustrations.

At the same time, Stephen Hawking explains the concept in a very simple way that any non-scientific person can understand.

I fully recommend this book.

Regards

4.0 out of 5 stars From Someone Who Knows Nothing About Physics, October 24, 2009

By	Deborah Thompson (Provo, UT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read this book for a physics class and I was really scared that I wouldn't understand anything. I also did not know how physics would be applied to things in outer space. I was very happy to find out that it lacked complicated equations and attempted to explain in simple terms things like black holes, the p-brain, galaxies, the possibilities for extraterrestrial life and other physics related topics. Simple language was used for the most part and when more complex things were introduced, many pictures were shown. In fact the pictures make the book. The author has a sense of humor with several jokes that lighten up the reading as well.

One of my favorite parts of the book was probably the first chapter that gives a biography of Einstein. He then references Einstein and Newton throughout the book explaining their different theories and discoveries. The black hole section was also very interesting learning the physics of how they exist and work. Now I understand a little better the physics behind Star Wars and other sci-fi movies.

It was a fun book to read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a lighter physics read where they want to learn a little more about things that they have always heard about, but were afraid to research because they might only find things that were over their head.

5.0 out of 5 stars Nutshell, May 12, 2009

By	Aaron Alderman (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews

I had meant to get the full version but ended up with the "nutshell" version instead. As someone who has a degree in physics this book represents nothing new to me, but presents the findings of modern cosmology in a logical, accessible way that I am sure everyone can benefit from. The book is aimed at the lay person (there are no fancy equations) who may not know what scientists currently have found about the universe.