Book Review: Stephen Hawking: A Biography

By Sandy Amazeen Jan 28, 2008, 3:07 GMT

Most everyone is familiar with Hawking’s work, as a world-renowned physicist he changed the way we view theoretical science, black holes and assorted cosmic oddities. Now thanks to Larson, it is possible to see more of the man then his legend, public persona and the disease that binds him to a wheelchair. Using clear, understandable language, Larson explains several of Hawking’s breakthrough theories and principles in a way that the average layman can understand thereby illustrating his genius. At the same time, Larson avoids the pitfalls of avid hero worship as she looks at the low as well as the highpoints of Hawking’s personal life including his difficulties as a student, coping with the harsh blow of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, trying to lead a normal life for as long as possible and personal relationships. A superb analytical mind and personal difficulties aside, what really comes through is Hawking’s wit, humor and a love of gambling as evidenced by the many standing bets he has going with fellow scientists and researchers around the globe. He has been known to ram into cars belonging to non-handicapped people parking in his spot and running over the toes of those who annoy him, charges he gleefully acknowledges with “a malicious rumor, I’ll run over anyone who repeats it.” These quips and quotes add a nice layer of depth to the man most readers know only by reputation in this well-balanced biography of a truly remarkable human being.