Hawking: His Life and Work

'This is without doubt the definitive biography of Hawking, the uniquely brilliant theoretical physicist and the global superstar. With unprecedented access to archives, letters, and diaries, newly unearthed family details, and deep insights into Hawking's work, Farmelo has cemented his reputation as the very best science biographer of his generation.' JIM AL-KHALILI

'When one is faced with the possibility of early death, it makes one realise that life is worth living.' Stephen Hawking

An insatiable curiosity and appreciation for life powered Stephen Hawking to the furthest reaches of the universe and human achievement: during his remarkable lifetime he shed light on many of the mysteries of black holes and made key contributions to our understanding of the beginnings of the universe, all while captivating the world and selling more than 25 million copies of A Brief History of Time.

A brilliant theoretical physicist, Hawking lived one of the most extraordinary lives of the past century. And yet, none of this should have been possible. Aged 21, he was given only a few years to live - and spent the next fifty-five showing what can be achieved despite near-hopeless odds.

Drawing on his parents' previously unseen letters and diaries, and exclusive interviews with Stephen's family, friends and closest colleagues, Costa Award-winning biographer and physicist Graham Farmelo reveals the complex man behind the theories and global celebrity - and the resilience, fortitude and support that enabled him to defy his life-limiting diagnosis.

Vividly told and rigorously researched, Hawking is the definitive portrait of an exceptional man and extraordinary intellect.

Review

This is without doubt the definitive biography of Hawking, the uniquely brilliant theoretical physicist and the global superstar. With unprecedented access to archives, letters, and diaries, newly unearthed family details, and deep insights into Hawking's work, Farmelo has cemented his reputation as the very best science biographer of his generation -- Jim Al-Khalili

A comprehensive and accessible portrait of a brilliant scientist and an extraordinarly determined man -- Philip Ball ― Guardian

Hawking doestn't just give us the facts; it sets them in context. The result is an absorbing and informative account of the life of the most interesting physicist of the second half of the twentieth century ― Literary Review

Farmelo captures vividly both the scientific and human aspects of Hawking in this extensive, fascinating and well-illustrated biography ― Science

A triumphant success. Farmelo describes, in context, the insights that established Stephen Hawking as a great theorist. But of course it's the image of an imprisoned mind roaming the cosmos - an amazing triumph over adversity - that generated Stephen's global celebrity and inspired millions. He's fortunate that his official biographer writes with authority about the science, but also describes all aspects of an astonishingly full life with insight and sensitivity -- Martin Rees

An extremely impressive biography. It gives a very readable, detailed, and comprehensive account of the life and work of this most remarkable of men -- Roger Penrose

Farmelo handles Hawking's scientific accomplishments with trademark economy and precision . . . [a] warmly sympathetic account ― Daily Telegraph

This is a compelling and deeply human biography of Stephen Hawking, capturing both the remarkable scientist and the complexity of the man. It offers rare insight into how theoretical physicists think and work, while also showing how Hawking lived with profound health challenges, sustained by family, nurses, friends, collaborators and his enduring fascination with physics. It brings to life not only Hawking's scientific imagination, but also the courage, humour and relationships that shaped his life -- Marika Taylor

The incredible life and science of a man who accepted no boundaries. (Only after reading this wonderful book will you understand the full meaning of the previous sentence.) -- Juan Maldacena

About the Author

Graham Farmelo is an award-winning science writer and biographer, and the winner of the 2012 Kelvin Prize and Medal. Formerly an academic, museum professional and undercover restaurant critic, he is now a Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge, and a regular Visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. His biography of Paul Dirac, The Strangest Man, won the 2009 Costa Biography Award and the 2010 Los Angeles Times Science Book Prize.