jcarter's review against another edition
5.0
Mind Blown. Black holes emitting something (sort of), no time before the Big Bang (could be), primordial black holes, the notion that intelligent life can only live in an expanding universe... I also enjoyed very much the historical contexts. Surely this is the classic popular science book that the hype says it is.
idrisadams's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 (rounded up) - the only criticism is that Hawking can seem to forget his target audience and slip into highly technical language and descriptions that become hard to follow. Otherwise a great guide to theoretical physics up to the late 20th century.
alexandramue's review against another edition
???????? i've never cared about / understood physics in the slightest and idk which demon possessed me when I acquired this book but it was not a good move
flexagoon's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about our universe and its history, however, the writing is a bit too scientific in some chapters and not very clear for someone who isn't into physics. The pace is also a bit too slow for my taste.
zaisgraph's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
A Brief History of Time is a clinically scientific book that tries to make some of the most prevailing theories about the formation and nature of the universe accessible to everyday folk. I am inclined to say that Stephen Hawking put on a valiant effort in this regard but fell just a bit short of making this book thoroughly dumbed down. I guess people like me would be the intended audience... I mean somebody who has an interest in astrophysics, I guess.
Reading the book, I felt I strange sense of dejavu because I am certain that I have encountered most of the concepts depicted inside, albeit in bitesize pieces from Youtube videos and the like. That all these theories were in one place inside the book didn't feel as rewarding as I expected but more like an assault of information. If you don't like science and generally don't enjoy nonfiction outside of true crime, this book is definitely not for you.
The edition I have is full of pictures and diagrams. They helped a lot in getting an iota of understanding. I did enjoy this one, but I feel like I should've read this one more slowly to appreciate everything it contained. 3.5 stars.
Reading the book, I felt I strange sense of dejavu because I am certain that I have encountered most of the concepts depicted inside, albeit in bitesize pieces from Youtube videos and the like. That all these theories were in one place inside the book didn't feel as rewarding as I expected but more like an assault of information. If you don't like science and generally don't enjoy nonfiction outside of true crime, this book is definitely not for you.
The edition I have is full of pictures and diagrams. They helped a lot in getting an iota of understanding. I did enjoy this one, but I feel like I should've read this one more slowly to appreciate everything it contained. 3.5 stars.
lucyking's review against another edition
really enjoying what i've read so far. Very interesting and insightful. But, i've got too many reads at once and i'm suffering from a terrible reading slump. Will 100% pick back up again once i'm out of this slump.