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Children's reading lists

14 kids’ books for science fans

Unlocking the Universe

Discover the universe in a nutshell, with chapters on everything from the creation of the universe to time travel to the future of humanity, all in an easy-to-read, illustrated package. 
Have you ever wondered how our universe began?Or what it takes to put humans on the moon? Do you know what happens in the microscopic world of a life-saving vaccine? What would you do if you could travel through space and time? 
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this beautiful collection of up-to-the-minute essays, mind-blowing facts and out-of-this-world colour photographs, by the world's leading scientists including Professor Stephen Hawking himself. 
This unmissable volume was curated by Stephen and Lucy Hawking, whose George series of children's books was a global hit. The series is punctuated with fascinating real-life facts and insights from leading scientists. 
 
Now this incredible non-fiction has been collected into one bumper volume, with new content from key scientific figures and up-to-the-minute facts and figures for readers young and old. 
The ideal book for curious young readers everywhere. 
READERS LOVE UNLOCKING THE UNIVERSE: 
"Despite its scientific content the essays are written in a very accessible style and the many topics investigated which range from the physical explanations of the universe to earth science to robotics and future predictions. Highly recommended for curious minds from around 10 years upwards" - Sue Warren, Blogger 
"My 9 y.o. loves this book. We've previously discussed a lot of the concepts, but this seems to answer questions I hadn't thought of, but my son wanted to know" 
"A glorious scientific gaze at our world, and the universe beyond in a fact-filled volume that will keep curious kids occupied for ages" - ReadItDaddy blog 
"An excellent book that will do wonders to raise enthusiasm for science among young and old readers alike" - Jonali Karmakar, Blogger

A glorious scientific gaze at our world, and the universe beyond in a fact-filled volume that will keep curious kids occupied for ages

A useful addition to any library catering to upper primary or lower secondary students.

Despite it's scientific content the essays are written in a very accessible style and the many topics investigated which range from the physical explanations of the universe to earth science to robotics and future predictions. Highly recommended for curious minds from around 10 years upwards.

An excellent book that will do wonders to raise enthusiasm for science among young and old readers alike.

An amazing book. It was a binge read, really - perfect for both parents and kids! It shouldn't be considered a "children's book" - it's also good for adults that want to learn more about science and don't have a background, as it's basically like a usual Hawking book, but a bit more simplified.

I highly recommend this book to everybody,

Stephen Hawking (Author) 
 STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist, generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, and Brief Answers to the Big Questions. 
He died on 14 March, 2018. 
 
Lucy Hawking (Author) 
 LUCY HAWKING is a children's writer, the co-creator of non-fiction compendium Unlocking the Universe and the George fiction series, with her father Stephen Hawking. Lucy is a former journalist, having written widely for British newspapers, and she gives regular talks about science and stories to audiences all over the world.

"A glorious scientific gaze at our world, and the universe beyond in a fact-filled volume that will keep curious kids occupied for ages" - ReadItDaddy blog 
 
"An excellent book that will do wonders to raise enthusiasm for science among young and old readers alike" - Jonali Karmakar, Blogger 
 
"Despite it's scientific content the essays are written in a very accessible style and the many topics investigated which range from the physical explanations of the universe to earth science to robotics and future predictions. Highly recommended for curious minds from around 10 years upwards" - Sue Warren, Blogger 
 
Have you ever wondered how the universe began? Or what it takes to put humans on the moon - or even on Mars? What would you do if you could travel through space and time? 
 
*NOW WITH BRAND NEW CONTENT FOR 2021* 
 
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this beautiful collection of up-to-the-minute essays mind-blowing facts and out-of-this-world colour photographs, by the world's leading scientists including Professor Stephen Hawking himself, curated by the brilliant Lucy Hawking.

Abridged Edition

Penguin Readers Level 5: Unlocking the Universe (ELT Graded Reader)

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. 
 
Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. 
 
The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary. 
 
Visit the Penguin Readers website 
Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys. 
 
Unlocking the Universe takes us on a journey through space and time. It starts 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang, which led to the stars, the planets and our Solar System. Then it explores our Solar System and other solar systems - the ones we know, and others we have yet to find.

STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist, generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, and Brief Answers to the Big Questions. 
He died on 14 March, 2018.

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Unlocking the Universe, a Level 5 Reader, is B1 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing present perfect continuous, past perfect, reported speech and second conditional. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. 
 
Unlocking the Universe takes us on a journey through space and time. It starts 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang, which led to the stars, the planets and our Solar System. Then it explores our Solar System and other solar systems - the ones we know, and others we have yet to find.

George's Secret Key to the Universe

The first in the global smash-hit George series written by Lucy Hawking and her father, Professor Stephen Hawking. Out-of-this-universe space adventures, plus exclusive, real-life information from the world's leading scientists - including Professor Hawking himself. Perfect for any curious mind.

It is like a Dr Who adventure, inspiring curiosity and amazement. It makes a case for the relevance and fascination of physics, and for the importance of scientists and eco-warriors working together to save the planet. With a happy circularity, the plot depends on a recent discovery: Hawking Radiation, the leaking of particles out of black holes until they destroy themselves

A true beginner's guide to A Brief History of Time

A terrific page-turner that will be a revelation to every young reader who has ever looked into the skies and wondered

Stephen Hawking (Author) 
 STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist and is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Grand Design, and Black Holes: The BBC Reith Lectures. 
He died on 14 March, 2018. 
 
Lucy Hawking (Author) 
 LUCY HAWKING is the original creator of the George series. She works with world leading scientists, including her co-author and father, Stephen Hawking, to explain complex concepts of science through story telling to young readers. A former journalist, she has written widely for British newspapers. Lucy now gives regular talks about the science and stories of the George series to audiences all over the world.

George's pet pig breaks through the fence into the garden next door - introducing him to his new neighbours: the scientist, Eric, his daughter, Annie, and a super-intelligent computer called Cosmos. 
 
And from that moment George's life will never be the same again, for Cosmos can open a portal to any point in outer space . . . 
 
Written by science educator Lucy Hawking and her father - the most famous scientist in the world - and illustrated by Garry Parsons, George's Secret Key to the Universe will take you on a rollercoaster ride through space to discover the mysteries of our universe.

George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt

The second out-of-this-world adventure from Lucy Hawking and her father, Professor Stephen Hawking.

Stephen Hawking (Author) STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist and is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Grand Design, and Black Holes: The BBC Reith Lectures. 
He died on 14 March, 2018. Lucy Hawking (Author) LUCY HAWKING is the original creator of the George series. She works with world leading scientists, including her co-author and father, Stephen Hawking, to explain complex concepts of science through story telling to young readers. A former journalist, she has written widely for British newspapers. Lucy now gives regular talks about the science and stories of the George series to audiences all over the world.

'We are going,' said Annie, 'on a great cosmic journey. So listen up, Savers of Planet Earth, and prepare to meet the Universe.' 
 
George's best friend Annie needs help. Her scientist father, Eric, is working on a space project - and it's all going wrong. A robot has landed on Mars, but is behaving very oddly. And now Annie has discovered something wierd on her dad's super-computer. 
 
Is it a message from an alien? Could there be life out there? How do you find a planet in outer space? And if you could talk to aliens, what would you say?

George and the Big Bang

The third out-of-this-world adventure from Lucy Hawking and her father, Professor Stephen Hawking - the most famous science genius in the Universe! Plus there's exclusive, real-life information from the world's leading scientists - including Professor Hawking himself. Perfect for any curious mind.

This gripping adventure sets your mind racing from the very first page. Add to that the equally as fascinating scientific facts provided by Stephen Hawking and what you have is a really great book to read

World famous scientist Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy have created a third amazing adventure cleverly blended with real science. A trip to the world famous Large Hadron Collider gives George and his friend Annie the chance to find out about the Big Bang, the very first moments of the earth’s creation at first hand

Meet George. He's an ordinary boy with an incredible secret - the power to go on intergalactic adventures! 
 
Join him as he battles a sinister rebel-scientist, who's hell bent on sabotaging the most exciting - and dangerous - experiment of the century. 
 
A deadly bomb is ticking. The whole world is watching. Can George stop the second big bang? 
 
Featuring the latest scientific theories - plus all-new content about the Higgs boson!

George and the Unbreakable Code

George and his friend Annie now face a whole new space challenge! From Lucy Hawking and her father, Professor Stephen Hawking.

[I] had to read it in one afternoon because I had a serious case of can’t-put-it-down . . . Just as thrilling a book as all the ones before it.

Veritably perfect for any young space-lover . . . I can only imagine how enthralling it must seem for the young space enthusiasts.

George and his best friend Annie haven't had any space adventures for a while and they're missing the excitement. But not for long . . . 
 
Seriously strange things start happening. Banks are handing out free money; supermarkets can’t charge for their produce so people are getting free food; and aircraft are refusing to fly. It looks like the world's biggest and best computers have all been hacked. 
 
George and Annie will travel further into space than ever before in order to find out who is behind it.

George and the Blue Moon

This out-of-this-world GEORGE adventure by Lucy Hawking and her father, Professor Stephen Hawking, asks what is really out there in our universe . . .

George and his best friend, Annie have been selected as junior astronauts - part of a programme that trains up young people for a trip to Mars in the future. This is everything they've ever wanted - they get to be a part of up-to-the minute space discoveries and meet a bunch of new friends who are as fascinated by the universe as they are. 
 
But when they arrive at space camp, George and Annie quickly learn that strange things are happening - on Earth as well as up in our skies. Mysterious space missions are happening in secret, and the astronaut training they're undertaking gets scarier and scarier . . . 
 
The fifth adventure in this series by Lucy and Stephen Hawking - also containing up-to-the-minute scientific facts and information by the world's leading scientists.

the beautifully illustrated edition of Professor Stephen Hawking’s bestselling masterpiece

The Illustrated Brief History Of Time

A beautiful fully illustrated new edition of Professor Stephen Hawking's masterpiece. Includes updates and  new livery and endpapers.

Professor Stephen Hawking is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. Here, his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time is illustrated to bring his theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way. 
 
'This book marries a child's wonder to a genius's intellect. We journey into Hawking's universe, while marvelling at his mind' - The Sunday Times 
'Stephen Hawking can explain the complexities of cosmological physics with an engaging combination of clarity and wit...' - Observer 
'Exceptional writing explaining the mysteries and beauty of our universe. The book is very fascinating and highly enjoyable. Highly recommended' - ***** Reader review 
'This book is mind blowing' - ***** Reader review 
'A masterpiece' - ***** Reader review 
******************************************************************************************** 
Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? 
 
These are just some of the questions considered in the internationally acclaimed masterpiece by the world-renowned physicist Professor Stephen Hawking. 
 
It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. 
 
In this edition, Professor Hawking explains his complex theories through a fresh visual dimension. Over 150 stunning colour illustrations have been specially commissioned for this purpose to help the reader understand what have become popular mythic images of our century, but which nonetheless remain difficult, abstract ideas to grasp. 
 
This stunning gift edition also includes a new appendix with updates to the text and tributes to Stephen Hawking.

This book marries a child's wonder to a genius's intellect. We journey into Hawking's universe, while marvelling at his mind

A Brief History of Time: 
'It is the publishing sensation of the past decade'

STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist and is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Grand Design, and Black Holes: The BBC Reith Lectures. 
He died on 14 March, 2018.

Professor Stephen Hawking is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. Here, his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time is illustrated to bring his theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way. 
 
'This book marries a child's wonder to a genius's intellect. We journey into Hawking's universe, while marvelling at his mind' - The Sunday Times 
'Stephen Hawking can explain the complexities of cosmological physics with an engaging combination of clarity and wit...' - Observer 
'Exceptional writing explaining the mysteries and beauty of our universe. The book is very fascinating and highly enjoyable. Highly recommended' - ***** Reader review 
'This book is mind blowing' - ***** Reader review 
'A masterpiece' - ***** Reader review 
******************************************************************************************** 
Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? 
 
 These are just some of the questions considered in the internationally acclaimed masterpiece by the world-renowned physicist Professor Stephen Hawking. 
 
 It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. 
 
 In this edition, Professor Hawking explains his complex theories through a fresh visual dimension. Over 150 stunning colour illustrations have been specially commissioned for this purpose to help the reader understand what have become popular mythic images of our century, but which nonetheless remain difficult, abstract ideas to grasp. 
 
This stunning gift edition also includes a new appendix with updates to the text and tributes to Stephen Hawking.

My Brief History

The extraordinary personal autobiography of the world's most famous scientist, written solely and exclusively by Stephen Hawking.

Stephen Hawking [has] a brain of enviable vastness, seeing and understanding things that lie way beyond most of us... His modesty is engaging

Hawking writes movingly... we hear his voice radiating directly from the black hole of his motor neuron disease, without the amplification and elaboration supplied by the co-authors with whom he wrote his last few books

Powerful... [his] brevity makes for a bold picture

Read it for the personal nuggets... But above all, it's worth reading for its message of hope

Charmingly modest... it's appropriate that this most extraordinary of men should remain enigmatic

Stephen Hawking has had to overcome extraordinary obstacles in his life... Where he is most admirable is in his attitude to his disability - on which he is stoicism personified

His clarity, wit and determination are evident, his understatement and good humour moving... We will never really know Hawking. But what we do know - that he achieved extraordinary success against extraordinary adversity - is quite enough.

The book coherently appeals to readers who want a snapshot into Hawking's inner life and readers eager to trace the evolution of his thinking.

STEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist and is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Grand Design, and Black Holes: The BBC Reith Lectures. 
He died on 14 March, 2018.

'His clarity, wit and determination are evident, his understand and good humour moving' New Scientist 
 
My Brief History recounts Stephen Hawking’s improbable journey, from his post-war London boyhood to his years of international acclaim and celebrity. Lavishly illustrated with rarely seen photographs, this concise, witty and candid account introduces readers to a Hawking rarely glimpsed in previous books: the inquisitive schoolboy whose classmates nicknamed him ‘Einstein’; the jokester who once placed a bet with a colleague over the existence of a black hole; and the young husband and father struggling to gain a foothold in the world of academia. 
 
Writing with characteristic humility and humour, Hawking opens up about the challenges that confronted him following his diagnosis of motor neurone disease aged twenty-one. Tracing his development as a thinker, he explains how the prospect of an early death urged him onwards through numerous intellectual breakthroughs, and talks about the genesis of his masterpiece A Brief History of Time – one of the iconic books of the twentieth century. 
 
Clear-eyed, intimate and wise, My Brief History opens a window for the rest of us into Hawking’s personal cosmos. 
 
'Read it for the personal nuggets . . . but above all, it's worth reading for its message of hope' Mail on Sunday

Black Holes: The Reith Lectures

Stephen Hawking's BBC Reith Lectures on black holes, introduced and annotated by BBC Science Editor David Shukman , with illustrations throughout

Master of the Universe... One scientist's courageous voyage to the frontiers of the Cosmos

He can explain the complexities of cosmological physics with an engaging combination of clarity and wit... His is a brain of extraordinary power

One of the most brilliant scientific minds since Einstein

To follow such a fine mind as it exposes such great problems is an exciting experience

The most brilliant British scientist of his generation

“It is said that fact is sometimes stranger than fiction, and nowhere is that more true than in the case of black holes. Black holes are stranger than anything dreamed up by science fiction writers.” 
 
In 2016 Professor Stephen Hawking delivered the BBC Reith Lectures on a subject that fascinated him for decades – black holes. 
 
In these flagship lectures the legendary physicist argued that if we could only understand black holes and how they challenge the very nature of space and time, we could unlock the secrets of the universe.

From Big Bang To Black Holes

A Brief History Of Time

Stunningly repackaged edition of the international bestseller with a new appendix of updates from the author.

This app/book version of Hawking's famous laymen book is just an amazing piece of learning. This makes much more accessible and understandable the complex and awesome topics dealt by Hawking as he explains how our universe works. I am just in awe at how creative he is to produce one of a kind e-book like this. The pace, illustrations and connections of topics within the book are so helpful and so appropriate for the new generation used to tweets and small bites of information. You can flip over some topics when you have some time, learn some amazing fact, and come back later which no rush or worry about how fast you are progressing through the book. Hope other books on complex topics are translated to this format. And I love the updates of the latest science since the publication of the original book. We have learned so much in the last decade that I agree with Hawking, it is an honour to live in this times.

Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? 
 
These are just some of the questions considered in the internationally acclaimed masterpiece by the world renowned physicist - generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. 
 
This new edition includes recent updates from Stephen Hawking with his latest thoughts about the No Boundary Proposal and offers new information about dark energy, the information paradox, eternal inflation, the microwave background radiation observations, and the discovery of gravitational waves. 
 
It was published in tandem with the app, Stephen Hawking's Pocket Universe.

The Grand Design

New answers to the ultimate questions of life from the world's most famous living scientist.

STEPHEN HAWKING held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years. He is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe and The Universe in a Nutshell. 
 
Physicist LEONARD MLODINOW has taught at Cal Tech, written for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and is the author of Euclid's Window, Feynman's Rainbow and Some Time with Feynman.

When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? Is the apparent 'grand design' of our universe evidence for a benevolent creator who set things in motion? Or does science offer another explanation? 
 
In The Grand Design, the most recent scientific thinking about the mysteries of the universe is presented in language marked by both brilliance and simplicity. Model dependent realism, the multiverse, the top-down theory of cosmology, and the unified M-theory - all are revealed here. 
 
This is the first major work in nearly a decade by one of the world's greatest thinkers. A succinct, startling and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems, The Grand Design is a book that will inform - and provoke - like no other.

A Briefer History of Time

The science classic made more accessible and more concise. Illustrated. Updated with new research.

Stephen Hawking's worldwide bestseller, A Brief History of Time, has been a landmark volume in scientific writing. Its author's engaging voice is one reason, and the compelling subjects he addresses is another: the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, the history and future of the universe. But it is also true that in the years since its publication, readers have repeatedly told Professor Hawking of their great difficulty in understanding some of the book's most important concepts. 
 
This is the origin of and the reason for A Briefer History of Time: its author's wish to make its content accessible to readers - as well as to bring it up-to-date with the latest scientific observations and findings. 
 
Although this book is literally somewhat 'briefer', it actually expands on the great subjects of the original. Purely technical concepts, such as the mathematics of chaotic boundary conditions, are gone. Conversely, subjects of wide interest that were difficult to follow because they were interspersed throughout the book have now been given entire chapters of their own, including relativity, curved space, and quantum theory. 
 
This reorganization has allowed the authors to expand areas of special interest and recent progress, from the latest developments in string theory to exciting developments in the search for a complete, unified theory of all the forces of physics. Like prior editions of the book-but even more so - A Briefer History of Time will guide nonscientists everywhere in the ongoing search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space. 
 
Thirty-eight full-colour illustrations enhance the text and make A Briefer History of Time an exhilarating addition in its own right to the literature of science.

The Mathematical Breakthroughs That Changed History

God Created the Integers

From Stephen Hawking the bestselling author of A Brief History of Time

Stephen Hawking is a theoretical physicist and, like Sir Isaac Newton before him, a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge. He is the author of the bestselling A Brief History of Time, which remained on the New York Times bestseller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks. Curiously, Hawking was born 300 years to the day after Galileo died.

GOD CREATED THE INTEGERS is Stephen Hawking's personal choice of the greatest mathematical works in history. He allows the reader to peer into the mind of genius by providing us with excerpts from original mathematical proofs and results. He also helps us understand the progression of mathematical thought, and the very foundations of our presentday technologies. The book includes landmark discoveries spanning 2500 years and representing the work of mathematicians such as Euclid, Georg Cantor, Kurt Godel, Augustin Cauchy, Bernard Riemann and Alan Turing. Each chapter begins with a biography of the featured mathematician, clearly explaining the significance of the result, followed by the full proof of the work, reproduced from the original publication, many in new translations.

Universe In A Nutshell

'One of the most brilliant scientific minds since Einstein' Daily Express

Essential listening for all those who want to understandthe universe in which we liveStephen Hawking is one of the most influential thinkers of our time, an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but also for the clarity with which he expresses them. Seeking to uncover the holy grail of science: the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos, Professor Hawking takes us the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, and explains in layman's terms the principles that control our universe.

The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy

On the Shoulders of Giants

Hawking brings together, for the first time in one volume, the great works of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton and Einstein

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking is Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge (Newton's old position). He is the author of A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, which remained on the New York Times bestseller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks. Curiously, Hawking was born 300 years to the day after Galileo died.

ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS tells a compelling story, using original papers from Einstein, Copernicus, Galilei, Kepler and Newton. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking explains how these works changed the course of science, ushering astronomy and physics out of the Middle Ages and into the modern world.

the beautifully illustrated follow up to Professor Stephen Hawking’s bestselling masterpiece A Brief History of Time

The Universe In A Nutshell

Stephen Hawking's first full length book since the worldwide bestseller A Brief History of Time, lavishly illustrated in full colour throughout.

Professor Stephen Hawking is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. Here is his follow up to the phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time - illustrated to bring his theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way. 
 
'Brilliant and very readable!' -- ***** Reader review 
'I love Stephen Hawking - such an incredible mind' -- ***** Reader review 
'A must-read book for everybody' -- ***** Reader review 
'Keeps going back to it and back to it, keeps you so interested you don't wonder off' -- ***** Reader review 
'Thought provoking. A great read!' -- ***** Reader review 
'The Universe in a Nutshell is the best popular science book I have ever read' -- ***** Reader review 
 
****************************************************************************** 
Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time was a publishing phenomenon and continues to captivate and inspire new readers every year. When it was first published in 1988 the ideas discussed in it were at the cutting edge of what was then known about the universe. In the intervening years there have been extraordinary advances in our understanding of the space and time. The technology for observing the micro- and macro-cosmic world has developed in leaps and bounds. During the same period cosmology and the theoretical sciences have entered a new golden age and Professor Stephen Hawking has been at the heart of this new scientific renaissance. 
 
Now, in The Universe in a Nutshell, beautifully illustrated with original artwork commissioned for this project, Stephen Hawking brings us fully up-to-date with the advances in scientific thinking. 
 
We are now nearer than we have ever been to a full understanding of the universe. In a fascinating and accessible discussion that ranges from quantum mechanics to time travel, black holes to uncertainty theory and the search for science's Holy Grail - unified field theory (or in layman's terms the 'theory of absolutely everything'), Professor Hawking once more takes us to the cutting edge of modern thinking.

Professor Stephen Hawking is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. Here is his follow up to the phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time - illustrated to bring his theories to life in a clear, captivating and visually engaging way. 
 
'Brilliant and very readable!' -- ***** Reader review 
'I love Stephen Hawking - such an incredible mind' -- ***** Reader review 
'A must-read book for everybody' -- ***** Reader review 
'Keeps going back to it and back to it, keeps you so interested you don't wonder off' -- ***** Reader review 
'Thought provoking. A great read!' -- ***** Reader review 
'The Universe in a Nutshell is the best popular science book I have ever read' -- ***** Reader review 
 
****************************************************************************** 
Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time was a publishing phenomenon and continues to captivate and inspire new readers every year. When it was first published in 1988 the ideas discussed in it were at the cutting edge of what was then known about the universe. In the intervening years there have been extraordinary advances in our understanding of the space and time. The technology for observing the micro- and macro-cosmic world has developed in leaps and bounds. During the same period cosmology and the theoretical sciences have entered a new golden age and Professor Stephen Hawking has been at the heart of this new scientific renaissance. 
 
 Now, in The Universe in a Nutshell, beautifully illustrated with original artwork commissioned for this project, Stephen Hawking brings us fully up-to-date with the advances in scientific thinking. 
 
We are now nearer than we have ever been to a full understanding of the universe. In a fascinating and accessible discussion that ranges from quantum mechanics to time travel, black holes to uncertainty theory and the search for science's Holy Grail - unified field theory (or in layman's terms the 'theory of absolutely everything'), Professor Hawking once more takes us to the cutting edge of modern thinking.

Black Holes And Baby Universes And Other Essays

A collection of essays, both personal and scientific, from the bestselling author of A Brief History of Time.

Is the universe going to expand into eternity or will everything collapse in one Big Crunch in which physical laws become meaningless? Stephen Hawking, author of the phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, sheds light on the darkest regions of space and time and considers an extraordinary array of possibilities for our future?

Stephen Hawking has done it again. In A Brief History of Time he succeeded in interesting the widest possible audiences in the most abstract of theoretical astrophysics. Now he has once more broken out of the scientific ghetto to claim the intellectual and cultural high ground for science... Black Holes and Baby Universes takes us still further, almost over the limit...Turn to Stephen Hawking if you would look outward, to the ends of the universe

Readers worldwide know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time. 
 
 In this collection of essays and other pieces - on subjects that range from warmly personal to the wholly scientific- he is revealed variously as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and - as always - the rigorous and imaginative thinker. Whether remembering 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.

Xin Li

Lucy Hawking

Stephen Hawking

'We are all time-travellers, journeying togetehr into the future. Be brave. Be determined. Let's work together to make that future a place we want to visit.' 
 
Based on Professor Hawking's 2018 Earth Day address, this inspiring picture asks children everywhere to look up and wonder at the world around them - just as Professor Hawking did his whole life. Including questions and answers to some big science topics, perfectly explained for young readers by Professor Hawking's daughter, Lucy, and beautifully illustrated by Xin Li, this is the perefct read for curious minds.

Stephen Hawking

Books by Stephen Hawking

Series by Stephen Hawking

George's Secret Key to the Universe

Articles featuring Stephen Hawking

14 kids’ books for science fans

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