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A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes
 
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A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes (Paperback)

by Stephen Hawking (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes + The Origin of Species (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature) + The God Delusion
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Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Bantam Books; New edition edition (6 April 1995)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0553175211
  • ISBN-13: 978-0553175219
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,513 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #2 in  Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Physics > Relativity Physics
    #2 in  Books > Science & Nature > Physics > Relativity
    #5 in  Books > Science & Nature > Popular Science > Physics

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in history, wrote the modern classic A Brief History of Time to help non-scientists understand fundamental questions of physics and our existence: where did the universe come from? How and why did it begin? Will it come to an end, and if so, how? Hawking attempts to deal with these questions (and where we might look for answers) using a minimum of technical jargon. Among the topics gracefully covered are gravity, black holes, the Big Bang, the nature of time and physicists' search for a grand unifying theory. This is deep science; the concepts are so vast (or so tiny) that they cause mental vertigo while reading, and one can't help but marvel at Hawking's ability to synthesize this difficult subject for people not used to thinking about things like alternate dimensions. The journey is certainly worth taking for as Hawking says, the reward of understanding the universe may be a glimpse of "the mind of God". --Therese Littleton, Amazon.com

Product Description
Was there a beginning of time?, Could time run backwards? and Is the universe infinite are just some of the questions considered in this book for the non-scientific layman. The author begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein and then delves into the secrets which lie at the heart of space and time.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes
88% buy the item featured on this page:
A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes 4.2 out of 5 stars (56)
£6.29
The God Delusion
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The God Delusion 3.8 out of 5 stars (813)
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The Origin of Species (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)
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The Origin of Species (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature) 4.6 out of 5 stars (24)
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Customer Reviews

56 Reviews
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 (30)
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 (16)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (56 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to difficult topics., 16 Sep 2005
By A Customer
This is a truly excellent book. Why? Because it covers a wide range of cutting edge physics and makes it more or less understandable to everyone.

I notice that one reviewer has called this book "A Con Job" and goes on to ask "If he [Hawking] is such a great genius why do we never come across his name in the history of science? What major breakthroughs has he made? ... One reviewer admitted that he [Hawking] did not understand more than 60% of the book. I certainly didn't understand more than 10%". Well let's answer the first part shall we? Stephen Hawking provided a mathmatical proof for the big-bang theory and has done extensive research into the workings of black-holes. Are these not major breakthroughs? I certainally think so. The fact that the reviwer understood less than 10% of the content perhaps says more about his intelligence that the quality of the book.

The book is fairly short (240 pages) and this is to its credit - it is long enough to introduce and explain difficult concepts, but short enough not to bore you.

All in all, this is an great book - give it a try!

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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and mind boggling, 24 April 2000
By A Customer
Brilliant, intriguing, thought-provoking and scintillating, are four ways that this book could be described. On the other hand, it could also be named tedious, confusing, mind-boggling and unreadable. If you have a yearning to find out more about physics this book is truly brilliant, but if you're looking for a bedtime read with a bit of science thrown in, this is not for you. Hawking deals with the really difficult stuff: Einstein is quickly worked through in chapter two before you even hit the more advanced work in the last 8 chapters. Yet Hawking has allowed me to understand more about physics, and more in depth, than any of my school science teachers ever did. If you're looking for answers, this is the best place to find them from the man most capable of explaining.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening., 30 Nov 2003
By A. Gasson "Adam" (South West, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Like so many, I have always said I'd read Brief History. So i bit the bullet and delved in...

Now I'm not a mathematician, or a physisist. Not since GSCE's have i pondered over the equations that were set down over the last few hundred years. Luckily Stephen Hawking knew this when he wrote A Brief History of Time. In fact that was his driving force.

It proved to be, from the start, an enjoyable read. Doesn't really say much does it? "An enjoyable read", sort of reaction you'd have to a Spot the Dog book. Well that's how it starts. But I got through that to discover mind blowing theories and genuine enjoyment in reading Hawkings.

Yes there are a lot of things to get your head round, things that are complicated and at times uncomprehensible. But this is said in terms of altering your view on our world and universe, not in terms of being far too complicated and above us.

It's not for everyone, but if it's for you its an enthralling read. Not one to be left on the coffee table.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional
Along with QED, A brief history of time is one of the best popular physics books I've read. Although I would recommend at least an A-level in physics to totally understand all... Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Ellis

4.0 out of 5 stars Not by chance a best seller!
Well it combines the profile of a genius with movement disabilities, something enough to draw attention, with being one of the first books to popularize science! Read more
Published 1 month ago by George Spiros

5.0 out of 5 stars Time Well Spent!
Fantastic book. Everyone should give it a go. Best price. Fast delivery and excellent condition.
Published 1 month ago by C. Duncan

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
I actually bought this book for my son at Uni but read it first - a lot went over my head but I enjoyed what I could understand.
Published 1 month ago by Will Turner lover

3.0 out of 5 stars A Brief History of Time
I finally bought this book out of curiosity, given its phenomonal sales. There was nothing surprising or intriguing in its short survey of the subject and its approach was take... Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. Beattie

5.0 out of 5 stars Complicated simplicity.
A Brief History of Time

This is a rather complicated book which I feel is best read in a quiet environment......space would be good! Read more
Published 3 months ago by stephyj

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, somewhat confusing
I liked this book very much. The author starts with very simple explanations of the laws of nature, and then moves on to more complex. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Milovan Tošić

4.0 out of 5 stars Stephen Hawking is a legend
This book is really good. I'd definetly recommend it - the only thing i'd say is that it can get a little confusing. Read more
Published 7 months ago by fapa

3.0 out of 5 stars A big bang indeed
This book blew my brains out.

It's one thing to know a subject, but it's an altogether different thing to teach it and convey it to the layman.
Published 11 months ago by LXIX

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkably clear description of what is beyond all our understanding
There's something quite unique about this book - for all the hype it has as the book which stands out as a theoretical physicist trying to explain in layman terms what the... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Darren Simons

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