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Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics Audiobook
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Publisher Description
This “vivid and compelling account” (The Wall Street Journal) opens not only the inner workings of one of physics’ greatest minds, but also a view into an extraordinary friendship and the human capacity to overcome insurmountable challenges.
A BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF 2020 (The Telegraph, The Guardian)
A BEST BOOK OF 2020 (New Statesmen)
One of the most influential physicists of our time, Stephen Hawking touched the lives of millions. Recalling his nearly two decades as Hawking’s collaborator and friends, Leonard Mlodinow brings this complex man into focus in a unique and deeply personal portrayal. We meet Hawking the genius, who pours his mind into uncovering the mysteries of the universe—ultimately formulating a pathbreaking theory of black holes that reignites the discipline of cosmology and paves the way for physicists to investigate the origins of the universe in completely new ways. We meet Hawking the colleague, a man whose illness leaves him able to communicate at only six words per minute but who expends the effort to punctuate his conversations with humor. And we meet Hawking the friend, who can convey volumes with a frown, a smile, or simply a raised eyebrow.
Mlodinow puts us in the room as Hawking indulges his passion for wine and curry; shares his feelings on love, death, and disability; and grapples with deep questions of philosophy and physics. Whether depicting Hawking’s devotion to his work or demonstrating how he would make spur of the moment choices, such as punting on the River Cam (despite the risk the jaunt posed), or spinning tales of Hawking defiantly urinating in the hedges outside a restaurant that doesn’t have a wheelchair accessible toilet, Mlodinow captures his indomitable spirit. This moving account of a friendship offers us invaluable lessons from one of physics’ greatest practitioners about life, the universe, and the ability to overcome daunting obstacles.
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"Leonard Mlodinow has done the impossible. He has skillfully woven together a thoughtful, insightful, intimate, and engaging portrait of Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest minds of our times, while being scrupulously faithful to the physics. Hawking would have been proud of this book. Based on his 15 year association with Hawking, he also answers one of the most puzzling questions asked by the public: How was Hawking consistently able to make breathtaking discoveries in physics while suffering from a paralyzing, debilitating illness that would have crushed any mortal?"
— Michio Kaku, New York Times best-selling author of The Future of Humanity “Stephen Hawking surpassed science and touched the world with his transcendent genius and heroic courage that inspired millions. In this intimate memoir, his long-time friend and physics collaborator Leonard Mlodinow, one of the finest science writers of our time, shares insights into Hawking that humanizes him while also revealing what made him one of history's greatest minds.
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“Tremendously entertaining.”
— Daily Telegraph (London) -
“Fresh and worthwhile…A compelling read.”
— Sunday Times (London) -
“Narrator Dan John Miller does an outstanding job capturing the friendship of the two physicists…Miller is pitch-perfect and shares this story at just the right pace. He never stumbles over intricate scientific theories, terms, or equations. This is a wonderful listen.”
— AudioFile -
“A vivid and compelling account of Hawking’s character, its many strengths and its occasional deep flaws…[that] can explain very clearly, the twists and turns of Hawking’s physics as it developed from his doctoral thesis to the breakthroughs of his mature years.”
— Wall Street Journal -
Mlodinow’s memoir genuinely has something to add, insights that are not to be found elsewhere . . . A vivid and compelling account of Hawking’s character, its many strengths and its occasional deep flaws . . . Mlodinow is very good on the small details of Hawking’s condition . . . Mlodinow understands very well, and can explain very clearly, the twists and turns of Hawking’s physics as it developed from his doctoral thesis to the breakthroughs of his mature years.
— Ray Monk, The Wall Street Journal -
Tremendously entertaining . . . This affectionate memoir by a friend of the great physicist is a marvel of concision and clarity . . . Mlodinow is himself a theoretical physicist, and—rather unfairly—a brilliant writer to boot.
— Steven Poole, The Daily Telegraph -
Fascinating . . . Fresh and worthwhile . . . As a serious theoretical physicist who co-wrote two books with Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow saw the great man from a unique vantage point. He can delve into intimate details and survey the intellectual high ground . . . Hawking’s significance is made clear . . . A compelling read.
— The Sunday Times -
An intimate exploration of the complex man who's groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology left its mark on the science world and beyond.
— Pittsburgh City Paper -
An intimate, unique, and inspiring perspective on the life and work of one of the greatest minds of our time. Filled with insight, humor, and never-before-told stories, it’s a view of Stephen Hawking that few have seen and all will appreciate.
— James Clear, author of Atomic Habits -
Stephen Hawking was a unique scientist and person, and Leonard Mlodinow's book is a unique glimpse into how he worked and lived. As educational as it is touching, this is a deeply human look at a mind that spanned the cosmos.
— Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime -
An illuminating portrait of perseverance and determination. A valuable account of an extraordinary man.
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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The Telegraph (UK) Best Books of the Year
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A London Guardian Best Book of the Year
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A New Statesman Best Book of 2020
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About Leonard Mlodinow
Leonard Mlodinow is an American physicist, mathematician, and author known for his books for the general reading audience, including the New York Times bestsellers The Grand Design, coauthored with Stephen Hawking, and The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, which was a finalist for the Royal Society Science Book Prize. He received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of California, Berkeley, was an Alexander von Humboldt fellow at the Max Planck Institute, and was on the faculty of the California Institute of Technology.
About Dan John Miller
Dan John Miller is an American actor and musician. In the Oscar-winning Walk the Line, he starred as Johnny Cash’s guitarist and best friend, Luther Perkins, and has also appeared in George Clooney’s Leatherheads and My One and Only, with Renée Zellweger. An award-winning audiobook narrator, he has garnered multiple Audie Award nominations, has twice been named a Best Voice by AudioFile magazine, and has received several AudioFile Earphones Awards and a Listen-Up Award from Publishers Weekly.