Black Holes And Baby Universes And Other Essays

Readers worldwide have come to know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time. Now in his first collection of essays and other pieces - on subjects that range from warmly personal to the wholly scientific- Stephen Hawking is revelaed varioulsy as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and - as always - the rigourous and imaginative thinker. Whether he is remebering his first experience of nursery school; puncturing the arrogance of those who think science can best be understood only by other scientists and should be left to them; exploring the origins and the future of the universe; or reflecting on the phenomenon of A Brief History of Time, Stephen's wit, directness of style and absence of pomp are vital characteristics at all times.

In 1963, Stephen Hawking contracted motor neurone disease and was given two years to live. Yet he went on to Cambridge to become a brilliant researcher and Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. He held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at Cambridge, the chair held by Isaac Newton in 1663, for thirty years. Professor Hawking has over a dozen honorary degrees, was awarded the CBE in 1982. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and a Member of the US National Academy of Science.