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The Universe in a Nutshell Hardcover – November 6, 2001

by Stephen Hawking (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,344 ratings
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Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.

Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.

The Universe in a Nutshell

• Quantum mechanics
• M-theory
• General relativity
• 11-dimensional supergravity
• 10-dimensional membranes
• Superstrings
• P-branes
• Black holes

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 laymen’s 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 Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman’s 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.
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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bantam
  4. Publication date
    November 6, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    7.8 x 0.88 x 10.2 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0593048156
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0553802023
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Clear, concise and accessible. And he leavens it further with occasional wry humor.”—St Louis Post-Dispatch

“Provocative and informed ... plenty of comprehensible analogies and no small amount of humor, often self-deprecating.... Best of all, the book is liberally sprinkled with well-conceived, gorgeously rendered and frequently whimsical illustrations.”—Time

From the Back Cover

Stephen Hawking's phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.
Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.
The Universe in a Nutshell
- Quantum mechanics
- M-theory
- General relativity
- 11-dimensional supergravity
- 10-dimensional membranes
- Superstrings
- P-branes
- Black holes
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 laymen's 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 Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman's idea ofmultiple 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

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 055380202X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam; First Edition (November 6, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593048156
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553802023
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.8 x 0.88 x 10.2 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,344 ratings

About the author

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Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking

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Stephen Hawking's ability to make science understandable and compelling to a lay audience was established with the publication of his first book, A Brief History of Time, which has sold nearly 10 million copies in 40 languages. Hawking has authored or participated in the creation of numerous other popular science books, including The Universe in a Nutshell, A Briefer History of Time, On the Shoulders of Giants, The Illustrated On the Shoulders of Giants, and George's Secret Key to the Universe.

(Stephen William Hawking; Oxford, Reino Unido, 8 de Enero de 1942 - Cambridge, 14 de marzo de 2018) Físico teórico británico. A pesar de sus discapacidades físicas y de las progresivas limitaciones impuestas por la enfermedad degenerativa que padecía, Stephen William Hawking es probablemente el físico más conocido entre el gran público desde los tiempos de Einstein. Luchador y triunfador, a lo largo de toda su vida logró sortear la inmensidad de impedimentos que le planteó el mal de Lou Gehrig, una esclerosis lateral amiotrófica que le aquejaba desde que tenía 20 años. Hawking es, sin duda, un ejemplo particular de vitalidad y resistencia frente al infortunio del destino.

Fue miembro de la Real Sociedad de Londres, de la Academia Pontificia de las Ciencias y de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Estados Unidos. Fue titular de la Cátedra Lucasiana de Matemáticas (Lucasian Chair of Mathematics) de la Universidad de Cambridge desde 1979 hasta su jubilación en 2009. Entre las numerosas distinciones que le han sido concedidas, Hawking ha sido honrado con doce doctorados honoris causa y ha sido galardonado con la Orden del Imperio Británico (grado CBE) en 1982, el Premio Príncipe de Asturias de la Concordia en 1989, la Medalla Copley en 2006, la Medalla de la Libertad en 2009 y el Premio Fundación BBVA Fronteras del Conocimiento en 2015.

Alcanzó éxitos de ventas con sus trabajos divulgativos sobre Ciencia, en los que discute sobre sus propias teorías y la cosmología en general; estos incluyen A Brief History of Time, que estuvo en la lista de best-sellers del The Sunday Times británico durante 237 semanas.

La Editorial Alvi Books le dedicó, como tributo y reconocimiento, este espacio en Amazon en 2016.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
1,344 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book good at explaining difficult concepts of physics in laymen's terms. They describe it as fascinating and insightful, full of wonder and possibility. Readers appreciate the great illustrations, colorful pictures, and audiobook quality. Opinions are mixed on the humor, with some finding it reasonable and surprising, while others say it's not well-written and has too little text.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ComprehensionReading qualityVisual qualityAudiobook qualityReadabilityHumor
30 customers mention "Comprehension"23 positive7 negative

Customers find the book good at explaining difficult concepts of physics in laymen's terms. They say it helps them visualize the topics and is a good introduction to theoretical areas. Readers also appreciate the clear, concise, and rich literary explanations.

"...of it will be over most people's heads, but the concepts are presented in a most understandable way..." Read more

"...Overall, this strikes me as a very good introduction to the areas of theoretical physics that Hawking studied...." Read more

"...The illustrations are excellent and contribute to your understanding of what is being discussed but even so the concepts are not simple to grasp...." Read more

"...in this volume, I thought this work held the promise of a very informative and understandable book.I was very much mistaken...." Read more

26 customers mention "Reading quality"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, insightful, and full of wonder. They say it has led to interesting discussions at family get-togethers. Readers also mention the book is imaginative and provides an overview of numerous research discoveries that have changed the way they think about physics.

"...This volume provides an overview of numerous research discoveries that have changed the way we think about the cosmos...." Read more

"...I found the book fascinating, primarily for the science but also for incidental remarks about the scientists...." Read more

"...I wanted to share with them the knowledge that: 1. The universe is awesome. 2. Our current understanding of the universe is awesome too. And 3...." Read more

"...For me, phisics is a facinating study and full of wonder and possibility...." Read more

18 customers mention "Visual quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the illustrations in the book great and helpful. They say the book contains many neat diagrams and pictures. Readers also mention that Hawking paints a rich, detailed picture of the cosmos.

"...This book is filled with clear and detailed illustrations...." Read more

"...Enter a book like this with wonderful color illustrations, a writer with a reasonable sense of humor, and a text that gives if you work on it...." Read more

"...The illustrations are excellent and contribute to your understanding of what is being discussed but even so the concepts are not simple to grasp...." Read more

"...It even has pictures! ;) I'm a visual learner so this definitely was a big plus! I've learned a lot about the subject from this book...." Read more

3 customers mention "Audiobook quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the audiobook excellent and a gentle lullaby.

"...Reading it again almost 10 years after it feels like a gentle lullaby book about the boundaries of astrophysics." Read more

"Audiobook was excellent..." Read more

"Good listening...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a fairly quick read, with prose free of intrusiveness. They also say it's not light reading but great for those interested.

"...To my surprise, it was a fairly quick read, the prose free of abtruse contortions, and the text interspersed with diagrams and illustrations...." Read more

"Fascinating Book. Not light reading but great reading for the inquiring mind. Purchased for self and gift for son in law...." Read more

"Fast and secure..." Read more

10 customers mention "Humor"6 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the humor of the book. Some mention it's well-written and surprising, while others say it's not as well-written and informative as it should be.

"Well written by a master - used to gain insight into the cutting edge of physics and cosmology." Read more

"...The writing is not always clear to a layperson as one sentence may attempt to convey an entire thesis worth of information...." Read more

"...book like this with wonderful color illustrations, a writer with a reasonable sense of humor, and a text that gives if you work on it...." Read more

""Universe in a Nutshell" is not as well-written and informative as its predecessor, "A Brief History of Time," but if you've..." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

Joseph J. Truncale
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book for anyone interested in learning about the science of cosmology & astronomy.
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
As some who has been fascinated with astronomy and related subjects for more than 7 decades, I am always seeking out books and other material to increase my knowledge. This is why when I saw this 216-page hard cover edition while browsing on Amazon (The universe in a nutshell by Stephen Hawking) I decided to purchase this fantastic book.

This book is filled with clear and detailed illustrations. This volume provides an overview of numerous research discoveries that have changed the way we think about the cosmos. This book was written after his most popular bestselling book, “ A brief history of time.”

This excellent book is organized into 7 chapters covering the following material: “A brief history of relativity, the shape of time, the universe in a nutshell, predicting the future, protecting the past, our future Star Trek or not, and brane new world.”

The late Stephen Hawking has a unique way of explaining the complex astronomical and cosmological theories in a way that even non-scientists understand. If you are a fan of Stephen Hawking’s books this is one you may want to check out.

Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tactical principles of the most effective Combative Systems).
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Gordon K. Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting edge in physics by a master.
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024
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Well written by a master - used to gain insight into the cutting edge of physics and cosmology.
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Dawnb1
5.0 out of 5 stars Hubby is a nerd.
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
Hubby loves it. Anything to do with outer space, history, etc. he is all for it.
One person found this helpful
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ERIC STAUCH
5.0 out of 5 stars Hawking
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2019
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As always, Steve knocked it out of the park! I would highly recommend this book to anyone (and have had), if for no other reason, it will make you THINK - and ask questions! Some of it will be over most people's heads, but the concepts are presented in a most understandable way (I have a BSEE degree and am a big fan of astrophysics). I am so sorry Steve is no longer with us to tease our brains, but his words live on! RIP Steve Hawking, you are missed.
5 people found this helpful
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Mary Soon Lee
4.0 out of 5 stars A very good introduction to topics in theoretical physics.
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019
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Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018, was a preeminent physicist, and this is one of several books that he wrote describing physics for a non-mathematical audience. In it he discusses such things as whether time had a beginning, the nature of black holes, and progress toward a complete unified theory to explain the universe. I found the book fascinating, primarily for the science but also for incidental remarks about the scientists.

To my surprise, it was a fairly quick read, the prose free of abtruse contortions, and the text interspersed with diagrams and illustrations. That said, there were times when I was deeply perplexed. I read chapter two twice to understand it better, and there were five places in the subsequent chapters where I wrote question marks to indicate my confusion. Chapter six, where Hawking turns from physics to biology and computers, appealed to me less than the rest of the book. (I found myself questioning his assertions there in a way that I didn't in the physics sections.)

I mentioned that I found this a quicker read than I'd expected. The downside to that is that I'd have appreciated more detail, but that may be hard to achieve without getting into nitty-gritty mathematics. Overall, this strikes me as a very good introduction to the areas of theoretical physics that Hawking studied. Interested readers, myself included, can then scurry away to find further books on the subject. Highly recommended.

About my book reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
17 people found this helpful
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Bernard M. Patten
5.0 out of 5 stars A great gift for your pseudoscholar friends
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2001
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Scholarship is great. But you know what? Most real scholarship is rare and is probably incommunicable. Enter a book like this with wonderful color illustrations, a writer with a reasonable sense of humor, and a text that gives if you work on it. Yes, I said work. There is no other way. Books have to be read; it is the only way of discovering what they contain. Worst luck, it takes time and energy. But the rewards are great and will include your being a welcome asset at dinner parties, especially those parties that discuss the origin of the universe, the nature of matter, the distortion of space-time by gravity, and the possibilities of time loops working backward.
I read A Brief History of Time, the first book by Stephen, and found much repetition in this his follow-up book. And like a dummy I paid full price at the local Barnes and Noble for The Universe in a Nutshell when I should have ordered from Amazon. After reading the book and rereading it, I ordered three as Christmas gifts for my children. I wanted to share with them the knowledge that: 1. The universe is awesome. 2. Our current understanding of the universe is awesome too. And 3. This masterpiece by one of the awesome physicist-mathematicians of our time is awesome as well.
18 people found this helpful
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rp
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended seller of “collectible” NUTSHELL Universe book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2022
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Extremely happy with the collectible book in perfect condition including transcription inside hard shell book binder / cover. 😃 📕
Seller was also very kind and helpful, who quickly was able to answer a bunch of questions I had about it, and done so in a personable way, and shared even more history about it’s origins and the prior owner (who was a prolific scientist and engineer!).

Would highly recommend purchase anything from this trustworthy and helpful seller.
4 people found this helpful
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Petrushka
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2023
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What can you say? It’s Stephen Hawking.
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Top reviews from other countries

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SoloBSD
5.0 out of 5 stars Básico
Reviewed in Mexico on November 13, 2021
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Un libro básico sobre el trabajo de Hawking. Incluye Agujeros Negros y Teoría de Cuerdas, un poco técnico.
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Indraneel Saha
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply fascinating
Reviewed in India on July 20, 2023
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Simply fascinating.
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kindleUser
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfekte Lecktüre
Reviewed in Germany on January 11, 2023
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Für meinen englischsprechenden Sohn sehr gut
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Costanzo luigi
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bien todo !
Reviewed in Spain on December 22, 2022
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El libro en optimas condiciones, envio perfecto !
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Jefson M S Romaniuc
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books about cosmos
Reviewed in Brazil on July 12, 2020
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Amazing book that I needed to have in my library
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