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Jane Hawking
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Music to Move the Stars Hardcover – January 1, 1999

by Jane Hawking (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 13 ratings
Jane Hawking, divorced wife of Professor Stephen Hawking and mother of his three children has written a memoir which relates the story of a marriage begun in optimism, despite facing the terrible odds of motor neurone disease, and of its gradual decline which became inescapably apparent as Hawking's academic career and renown began to soar. Jane Hawking writes of her marriage and remembers the vigorous young man with whom she fell in love prior to the onset of his debilitating motor neurone disease. Moreover, she tells of the difficulties of looking after a wheelchair-bound husband and three small children - all demanding attention 24 hours a day. These experiences, coupled with the author's evident inner-strength can offer inspiration to others faced with a similar family situation. The collapse of the high profile Hawking marriage, provoked by Stephen's affair with a nurse, is related in honest detail and Jane's recent re-marriage to an old family friend offers the hope of happy ending to a life of struggle and alienation.
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  1. Print length
    625 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Macmillan
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    6.02 x 1.54 x 9.21 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0333746864
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0333746868
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Macmillan
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 1999
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 625 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0333746864
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0333746868
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.08 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.02 x 1.54 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 13 ratings

About the author

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Jane Hawking

Jane Hawking

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Jane Beryl Hawking (born 29 March 1944) is an English author and educator. She is the ex-wife of Stephen Hawking.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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4.3 out of 5 stars
13 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Frank Bruhns
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Good job
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Morton Salt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but overlong...
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I first was drawn to this book after reading an article that mentioned it in the London Daily Mail online. Professor Hawking is an intriguing figure, I think many would agree.

    When I learned that his first wife had written "her side" of the story, I was curious and only was able to find this title through amazon.com. My overall impression: This book will certainly 'fill in' the Hawking family story but, at over 500 pages, might purport to tell you more than you really want to know.

    Jane Hawking [not sure of her present married name...Jones?] seems a very literate, sensitive, and honest writer; to her credit, she does not present a one-sided version of her 25-year odyssey with Stephen Hawking. She shares the beginning of their relationship as two somewhat shy and intellectually gifted students who meet and fall in love, marry, and begin a family. She married Prof. Hawking after he had first learned of his motor neurone disease diagnosis. The narrative is quite comprehensive, covering the intervening years up to and including Stephen's exit from their marriage and three children, the presence of musician Jonathan [who she married in 1997, I believe]in the family to assist in the physical care of Prof. Hawking and provide the emotional support that sustained Mrs. Hawking. What to make of this development, as well as the entree of a married,personal nurse into the Hawking family--who became Stephen's paramour, second wife and, subsequently, second ex-wife, is for the reader to decide.

    Perhaps it is because I am an American reader, but I did find parts of this carefully crafted narrative so painstakingly thorough that I skimmed through some of the middle chapters. When I had finished reading it, I was left with a sense of second-hand exhaustion for all this brave and steadfast woman endured and tried to accomplish, including rearing three children and earning her own PhD--as well as feeling some admiration for her perseverance.

    The portrait of Prof. Hawking, whom she knew as no one else does, lends support to the notion that geniuses tend to lack the balance and sense of others required for healthy relationships.

    Several pages of family photos, including important events such as receiving honors at Buckingham Palace, an audience with Pope John Paul II, etc., and images of the children growing up, make for a nice addition to the story.

    Apparently the first edition of this book provoked some controversy [no surprise there], and Mrs. Hawking (Jane) has provided an update in this volume in which she explains and clarifies some of her earlier statements.

    Overall, a book such as this can't help but have an "agenda" and hers has been to tell her story definitively and, presumably, stave off any third-person accounts.

    All this being said, I can recommend this book as a thorough and literate account of a unique family story, with the caveat that shortening it by a couple of hundred pages would have been advisable.
    49 people found this helpful
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  • E. Richards
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Look into the Hawkings' Family Life
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2003
    This is an interesting book on a multitude of levels. It is not just your regular celebrity expose. It is also a look into the life of an academic family, the family of a severely handicapped person, and a look into British life.
    Jane Hawking married Stephen Hawking, believing that his life would be a short one. They hoped to jam as much love and fulfillment into what they thought would be short years together. They married fairly young, had children right away and set to keeping house. (Boy, wasn't everyone surprised at his staying power!)
    Jane (May I call her Jane?) describes the domestic details of a young family as well as the intrigues of her tweedy academic society at the University. Its a delightful look into how academes live, describing the politics, the society and the passion for learning. At various points, they travel to the States and other places in Europe and she enlightens us on the life of the learned in those places, as well. If you contemplate a career in academia, this book can be enlightening.
    She, for many years, was an astounding caregiver, dealing with Stephen's (May I call him Stephen?) progressive physical decline and heavier demands. She managed to run the household, raise the kids, and literally haul him around for years before a serious respiratory incident forced her to bring professional nurses in full-time. She recounts battles with the British health care system, battles for access with the University, and the domestic friction that one would expect when one member of the family is so handicapped.
    Jane got a PhD in her own right (you GO, girl!) in Spanish poetry and here is where the book loses a star. The book's a bit more wordy than it needs to be, on a number of fronts. My PhD buddies tend to write non-thesis material like that. I recognize the style. A bit of editing may have been nice.
    Still, a worthy read for moms, academes, caregivers, stargazers, Spanish poets, Baroque musicians...
    77 people found this helpful
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  • Hubert Cross
    1.0 out of 5 stars The book is far too long
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2015
    I read this book to find out what really caused Mr. Hawking to divorce his wife. What I surmise probably happened is that when he lost his voice and became almost totally paralyzed, his wife was forced by loneliness and sexual deprivation to find somebody else on the side and Mr Hawking then had a much closer relationship with the nurse than with her. What drove the nurse to marry him I could not figure out. Gold digging? I don't know. He didn't have that much money yet.

    The book is far too long, and after six hours, I found myself skipping pages. I regret having read it because as far as I can tell from what I read while skipping, it does not give a clear and convincing answer to the simple question of why they separated. Maybe the answer is there, but after more than six hours I stopped caring to find out.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • SusieG
    1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2015
    I'd read it, but who can afford it? $999.11? Why is it so expensive?
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Gary
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great insight, differs a lot from the film and well worth reading
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  • Rhia J-Cooper
    1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of Time and Paper
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Sadly I read the 600 pages (YES! SIX HUNDRED!!!!!) of Jane Hawking’s “Music to Move the Stars, A Life with Stephen.”
    When you are interested on Stephen Hawking’s biography, read his own, new book “My Brief History, A Memoir.” There, on 90 pages (yes! NIGHTY), you’ll find short and very interesting story of his life and additionally to it you may learn something about time travels and imaginary time! A great book!

    On the other hand, you may waste your time with this monstrous volume written by Stephen’s first wife. There you’ll find an elongated story of Jane Hawking’s self-love, anxieties, and insecurities. She is writing mostly about herself, her children (mostly Tim), and her boyfriend of 13 years, now husband, Jonathan. Yes, by the way, there was also somebody else… … … oh yes, friends and parents, further family and others. She is writing about those many, many pages. So around 90 % of the entire book.

    And what does it mean the subtitle “A life with Stephen?” Forced by the subtitle, there was a need to mention Stephen Hawking, the one of the greatest scientists alive. She never understood him and so she is writing about him.
    Waste of time. Do not read it.

    Jane Hawkins has also written an abridged version of this book, “Travelling to Infinity.” No need to read it either, this is more or less the same book minus 100 pages.
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