Has anyone read ' A brief history of time' by Stephen Hawkins?

Question

Was it fascinating or insufferably boring?

Thinking about reading it.

Answer 1

I read it in college and as long as you enjoy reading about and can understand advanced physics and quantum mechanics it shouldn't be too boring and in some places in the book possibly very fascinating to you.

Answer 2

I read less than half of it, it was fascinating, but pretty hard going and not as accessible as it's supposed to be. I read Bill Bryson a Short History of Nearly Everything and probably got more out of that on the concepts of space, black holes etc!

I think it depends on how much of the theory you already understand or find easy to grasp - I think Im probably just a bit thick!

Answer 3

I bought it and left it on the shelf for about a year like many people. Recently I did read it and its tough going in parts but well worth a go as some parts were fascinating even if I did not understand the more advanced topics.

Answer 4

Both, its fascinating +boring, but have read, A Briefer History Of Time with Leonard Mliodinow, it less boring, but just as fascinating. If your intersested ISBN 0593 054970.

Answer 5

I have read that book three times and damned if I can understand a word of it.

Actually, he has discredited that book, citing it is ultimately wrong. I think you should read The Theory of Everything.

The book itself (ABHOT) is short, but incredibly dense. It is written for the layperson, but the concepts are so incredible that one's head just explodes. Then again, I got a D in physics.

Take a whack at it. The stuff on black holes alone is interesting.

Answer 6

i've tried to read it loads but the first page is so brilliant it takes forever and a day just thinking about the title...i think he's refuted bits of it now which presumeably is in more recvent copies so unless you get an old copy printed two years before he wrote it the postscripts should be a forward...**** the time machine train is late again ..have to run backwards faster

Answer 7

I have read it a few months back and found it fascinating. I could understand most of it and some of the new ideas are astonishing.

Answer 8

"Brief History" was possibly one of the most influential and interesting books of all time. In fact when it was first published it outsold The Bible.

I will give you this though, it does take some open-mindedness to understand so could be boring.

Answer 9

I have only seen a video of Steve Hawings... the video was very interesting

I think he got confused between his proposed theories and facts... he kept saying he had a theory and demonstrated why it was plausible... and then kept using the phrase 'I proved'

he struck me as touched by too much pride ... but given human nature, dont we all struggle with those types of things

Answer 10

I had to read it for a modern physics class. Most of it is actually very interesting. It is also written in a very "readable" format unlike some other scientific works. I recommend it.