Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays (1993)

This collection of essays by the famous Steven Hawking consists of pieces published by him between 1976 and 1992. Some chapters consist of autobiographical sketches, on his childhood, his education at Oxford and Cambridge, his experience with ALS (a motor disease), and his unexpected best-seller A Brief History of Time. One chapter deals with the future of theoretical physics, and another, with Einstein's ideas. (In discussing relativity, Hawking jokes: "you would have to fly around the earth 400 million times to add one second to your life; but your life would be reduced by more than that by all those airline meals")

Other essays in this collection deal with the origins of the universe, the future of the universe, the nature of black holes, and whether all events are determined (i.e., caused). (Regarding the latter, he answers "yes" but that "it might as well not be because we can never know what [result] has been determined.") A concluding piece is from a radio interview with BBC's "Desert Island Discs," in which Hawking reveals his five favorite/ indispensable recordings: "Gloria", by Polenc; Brahm's "Violin Concerto"; "The Valkyrie;" the Beatles' "Please Please Me"; and Edith Piaf's "je ne regrette rien".

All of the essays, even those dealing with astrophysics and cosmology, are quite readable by the general public. I found the autobiographical pieces less revealing than they might have been -- but Hawking guards his privacy, as he is of course entitled to do. Overall, I found these essays mildly interesting, and a reasonable introduction to life and ideas of one of history's greatest scientists. ( )

Now nearly 20 years old, Stephen Hawking's collection of essays are rather a mixed bag. Some of his personal stories about his youth and contracting ALS have been repeated to some extent in other works, most of this I heard before. The quantum physics still causes glassy eyes, more so than the astrophysics anyway. On a windy day like today, though, the book had me contemplating whether a black hole the size of a proton (containing the mass of a mountain) could serve as a paperweight and keep the book from blowing shut.

Hawking is probably the most unique, remarkable scientist in human history -- not just for his achievements, but considering the debilitating handicap he has managed to overcome. I'll keep reading his stuff because comprehension seems so close...but my brain short circuits when I try to connect all of the dots (especially quantum dots). ( )

Readers worldwide have come to know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal bestseller, The Brief History of Time. Now, in his first collection of essays and other pieces -- on subjects that range from the warmly personal to the wholly scientific -- Stephen Hawking is revealed variously as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and -- as always -- the rigorous and imaginative thinker. Whether he is 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 Hawking's wit, directness of style and absence of pomp are vital characteristics at all times.

These essays reveal not only more of Hawking's thinking, but more of Hawking himself. A fine read. ( )