“Hawking” by Jim Ottaviani, Leland Myrick

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Rating: 4/5 Stars

A interesting biography of Hawking with the illustrations helping to bring to life the way he lived and his interactions with the people around him.

Starting with his birth, it covers his early life, his education and scientific career as well as his marriages and relationship with his children. The book also covers historical aspects of science (cosmology, quantum theory and general relativitity) so as to give some context on his work in the theory concerning black holes. Other aspects of his life as also covered like the gradual discovery that he had motor neuron disease and his struggles to live a working life.

The book is roughly divided into two parts. The first part is before he became famous and well known for his work on black holes and on the popular book, “A Brief History of Time” and the second half is after he became famous and travels the world giving lectures and having the time of his life.

Much of the book looks at his scientific contributions and may well leave some readers puzzled over the work that his did. But other aspects of his life (his relationship with his wives, children and people he worked with) are also shown that reveal how he works and communicates with them.

Overall, a interesting and scientifically general book about one of the more interesting scientists of our time.

Book read from 2020/04/09 to 2020/04/10