Stephen Hawking: A Biography

ISBN-13: 9781591025740 / Angielski / Miękka / 2007 / 215 str.

Kristine Larsen

Opis

"His devilishly complex cosmological theories are handled engagingly in accessible language for the lay reader. T]his is a touching portrait that will grace any bookshelf." Astronomy Now
Stephen Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist since Albert Einstein. His decades-long struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig s disease), combined with his singular brilliance as a cosmologist, has fascinated both the public and his colleagues in science.
In this engagingly written biography, Kristine Larsen, a physicist and astronomer herself, presents a candid and insightful portrait of Hawking s personal and professional life. Avoiding the hero-worship sometimes found in popular works on Hawking, Larsen emphasizes that Hawking is first and foremost a scientist whose work has made significant contributions to our understanding of the nature and origins of the universe. Writing in nontechnical language for the lay reader, Larsen clearly explains Hawking s complex scientific accomplishments, while telling the story of his challenging life.
Topics include Hawking s early lack of focus as a college student; the impact of ALS on his career and personal life; his groundbreaking work on radiating black holes; his later cutting-edge theories of black holes, cosmology, and the anthropic principle; the amazing publishing success of A Brief History of Time; and his status as a pop icon and spokesperson for the interplay of science and society. Larsen situates Hawking s sometimes-controversial work within the broader context of scientific peer review and public debate, and discusses his personal life with compassion, respect, and honesty."