Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Brief Answers to the Big Questions
Brief Answers to the Big Questions | Stephen Hawking
The world-famous cosmologist and #1 bestselling author of A Brief History of Time leaves us with his final thoughts on the biggest questions facing humankind. Stephen Hawking was the most renowned scientist since Einstein, known both for his groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology and for his mischievous sense of humor. He educated millions of readers about the origins of the universe and the nature of black holes, and inspired millions more by defying a terrifying early prognosis of ALS, which originally gave him only two years to live. In later life he could communicate only by using a few facial muscles, but he continued to advance his field and serve as a revered voice on social and humanitarian issues. Hawking not only unraveled some of the universes greatest mysteries but also believed science plays a critical role in fixing problems here on Earth. Now, as we face immense challenges on our planetincluding climate change, the threat of nuclear war, and the development of artificial intelligencehe turns his attention to the most urgent issues facing us. Will humanity survive? Should we colonize space? Does God exist? ??These are just a few of the questions Hawking addresses in this wide-ranging, passionately argued final book from one of the greatest minds in history. Featuring a foreword by Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar playing Stephen Hawking, an introduction by Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne, and an afterword from Hawkings daughter, Lucy, Brief Answers to the Big Questions is a brilliant last message to the world.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Twainy
post image
Pickpick

What a great final word. He caught my attention with A Brief History of Time. A classic! His books across the years have always made their way onto my TBR to entertain & educate me. It was lovely that his daughter participated. Where are we headed? If you‘re interested in Hawking‘s opinion on several big questions … God, AI, climate change, etc … you need this book. The hardcover is on my Amazon list. Loved it!

On a non-fiction kick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

21 likes1 stack add
review
marcoavello
Pickpick

Amazing

review
OriginalCyn620
post image
Pickpick

I‘ve never read Hawking before and I‘m glad I took a chance with this book! It‘s really good! Like Neil geGrasse Tyson, Hawking explains science in a simple way so that it can be understood by anyone. Definitely worth a read!

#bookspinbingo - free space

dabbe Just got this on Kindle; now I'm excited to read it! 🤩😍🤗 1y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 1y
40 likes2 comments
blurb
CoffeeAndABook
post image

#theworldismyoyster is the fabulous August prompt for #titlesandtunes hosted by @BarbaraBB & @Cinfhen !!

My picks for that came easily and so I‘m posting early, for a change!!
I‘m slowly making my way through this last book by Stephen Hawking, who took „the world being his oyster“ to another level!! 🪐 🧬He conveys his fascination with and curiosity for the world so well, it‘s really inspiring 💫
⬇️⬇️

CoffeeAndABook The song for me represents this deep promising feeling of the world being my oyster. Back when I was young & had my first big love, a fabulous gorgeous man who could dance like a god. One night we went out for cocktails at a fun restaurant called the Whistelstop Café and this song came on. We‘d seen Kadja Nin at a concert shortly beforehand and both loved this song. He stood up and asked me to dance right there in the middle of the restaurant!! ⬇️ (edited) 1y
CoffeeAndABook So we danced (this was not a place that has a dancing floor or anything) around the tables and barspace and the whole place clapped afterwards. This is not what I do. Ever. It was scary but also magical 🌀 I have to add, I had just the right amount of Margarita in me to make it possible without stumbling around ☺️ (edited) 1y
Cinfhen I LOVE the story behind the song choice❤️🎶🙌🏻 all first loves should be as delicious 🕺🏻💃🏾😁 1y
See All 9 Comments
CoffeeAndABook @Cinfhen Oh absolutely 💯😊 1y
Cinfhen How‘s your foot??? 1y
CoffeeAndABook Oh @Cinfhen it‘s still not well 😖 I‘ve got to learn to be patient!!!!! 😤 1y
Cinfhen I know a broken foot takes some time to heal - and im sure you‘re going stir crazy - missing your walks with Zelda 🙁 1y
BarbaraBB What a wonderful book choice 🩷 1y
CoffeeAndABook @Cinfhen Yes totally stir crazy!! I still take short walks with Zelda but I‘m sure they‘re driving HER stir crazy because we‘re limping along at such a slow pace 🙈 1y
37 likes9 comments
review
Jaz09
post image
Pickpick

Book is too good ...as always the big concepts and theories are explained in very simple language.
These questions we must have asked or thought of once in while..or it may have crossed our mind...the answers to these questions is definitely worth a read...they are mind opening... would definitely widen your horizon.

1 like1 stack add
review
abookdragonsretreat
post image
Pickpick

This isn't a book I would usually pick up, however I throughly enjoyed it! It's simple to understand and makes you question a lot of things, with Stephen's humour sprinkled in, I found it entertaining and educational.

quote
abookdragonsretreat

"Remember to look out at the stars and not down at your feet"

review
VeraNyx
post image
Pickpick

Interesting take on God and AI technology. His daughters afterword had me in tears.

blurb
Moony
post image

#Newin 😁 a wonderful version of the book 'brief answers to the big questions' by #hawking #nonfiction #buechergilde

review
scripturient-ink
post image
Pickpick

Last read of the year probably!
I really liked this, even though it was repetitive at times and I found the whole colonising space bit slightly alienating. Hawking is great at breaking down super complicated things into chewable portions and made me really excited about space and black holes! The afterword by his daughter was very emotional and made me appreciate the book even more.
All in all a great way to finish this year!

blurb
scripturient-ink
post image

So, apparently I have read all of 16 books this year so far. I am striving to make it 20, but all in all this was not a great reading year ... Hopefully, the slump will end soon!

AkashaVampie aww sorry to hear u are in a slump. Have u checked out any of my #FallBackIntoReading posts. I have been doing them for the whole Fall season. I usually post Tuesdays and Fridays with articles and quizzes to maybe help with getting into books again. Maybe try looking at some. Hope they help! 4y
scripturient-ink @AkashaVampie I'll check it out, thanks! 4y
AkashaVampie @scripturient-ink oh shoot... I'm just seeing this now. Hope they help. Ur welcome, hun. 4y
8 likes3 comments
blurb
scripturient-ink

Hello friends! Sorry for my lengthy absence, I barely read anything this year with the looming apocalypse and all.
But I just created an account on The StoryGraph in an attempt to motivate myself to get back to my books, feel free to follow me there (username: scripturient)!

quote
Lou.isab
post image

"So remember to look up at the stars and not downs at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't give up. Unleash your imagination. Shape the future."

blurb
Philonist
post image

My fundamental understanding of God and creation has been altered by this book. Some questions still linger😱. Unfortunately, the world will never be able to seek those answers from Sir Stephen Hawking.

Tine taken: 2 hrs.

review
Shelly5
post image
Pickpick

Fascinating

blurb
Nelle1
post image

This one - so far amazing 👏

10 likes1 stack add
quote
Mrs_B
post image

Hawking‘s humour and wit are coming across very well in this book - an easier read than I had anticipated because of it.

review
jazza08
Pickpick

A great summary of his writings followed by a lovely piece by Lucy at the end. Well worth the read even just as a reminder of his brilliance and perseverance.

SW-T A belated welcome to Litsy 😊 #litsywelcomewagon 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🥳👏🏻🥳 5y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 5y
2 likes3 comments
quote
jazza08
post image

At some point during our 13.8 billion years of cosmic history, something beautiful happened. The information processing got so intelligent that life forms became concious. Our universe has now awoken, becoming aware of itself.

quote
GatheringBooks
post image
blurb
BestDogDad
post image

My favorite reads of the last decade. Two of which I read for the @ReadingEnvy readalongs- East of Eden and Gone With the Wind. #favorites #bestofthedecade

LauraJ That‘s a great group of books! 5y
BestDogDad @LauraJ Yes! I was enlightened and entertained. 5y
16 likes2 comments
quote
BookNik

When people ask me if a God created the univers, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense. Time didn't exist before Big Bang so there is no time for God to make the universe in.

quote
BookNik

But it would be an empty universe indeed if it were not for the people I love, and who love me. Without them, the wonder of it all would be lost on me.

review
Yoram
Pickpick

The universe is interesting!

blurb
Texreader
post image

BookBub posted this special today.

blurb
Gargim
post image

Excited!! As i start this book...Have been wanting to read it for some time.. 😀 This is the last book by Stephen Hawking...

review
ashrayreads
post image
Pickpick

Just finished Brief Answers to the Big Questions. Amazing book. Feels like a conversation with the late Stephen Hawking. Makes you think about the bug questions and also gives a glimpse in the future space exploration technologies. Must read.

#24in48 entering hour 7

quote
Pasha
post image

“Unleash your imagination. Shape the future.” - Stephen Hawking

review
jb72
post image
Pickpick

I enjoy most science books so this is a pick for me. There were several points in which I agreed with Hawkings especially some of his AI ideas and explanations. Frankly though I feel we should conquer our every day problems before adding robots that will overtake mankind.

11 likes1 stack add
blurb
kindergartenkat
post image
blurb
AnneFindsJoy
post image

#nonfiction2019 #science It is calming to hear words of someone who spent his life thinking the big picture! We get so easily distracted by daily woes of economy, environment etc, but Hawking reminds us, in a few hundred years super-humans will be zipping around the cosmos, settling on Mars, etc. Life will be unimaginable to ours today! I loved listening to audio, with snippets of Hawkings speaking, and a lovely afterward by his daughter!

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds wonderful! 6y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
tealwish
post image
Pickpick

I didn't understand a lot of the theoretical physics in there, but I tried! His answers about what may cause the end of the world, the dangers of artificial intelligence, the possibilities of time travel and the existence of God were very clear and interesting.

jb72 I‘m waiting on my hold from the library for this book. Sounds like it‘ll be good. 6y
tealwish @jb72 The audio book was good and had parts where Stephen did the talking in his own voice, but I also wonder if I would have understood better if I read the physical copy. Hope you enjoy it! 6y
jb72 @tealwish Thanks. I‘m on hold for the ebook so that should work. 6y
67 likes3 comments
blurb
Gina
post image

We lost this man on pi day. Just WoW...

#StephenHawking

blurb
Awk_Word_Smith
post image

“Brief Answers to the Big Questions” by Stephen Hawking (2018)
“Revenge of the Nerds” (1984)
“That‘ll Be The Day” by Buddy Holly (The Crickets; 1957)

#manicmonday #ontuesday @JoScho

JoScho 🤓🖤🤓 6y
22 likes1 comment
blurb
Jeannineth
post image

My hair stylist gave this to me today. He knows me so well.

BookishMarginalia 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 6y
Buechersuechtling Wow, I‘m a bit jealous on the hairstylist you have. None of my ever gave me a book. It‘s seldom enough that they talk with me about books. 5y
76 likes2 comments
review
MIReAd
Pickpick

The book from Stephen Hawking "Brief answers to the big questions" is a must-read. Full with interesting speculations and information, it really makes you conserned about the big problems and questions nowadays, but it also gives you hope that with knowledge and fantasy we can cope with them and make the impossible, besause it's our mission to make sure we continue to exist and explore the universe and find an answer to all our questions.

blurb
BekaReid
post image

Asking the big questions with Stephen Hawking this cold, snowy February afternoon.

14 likes1 stack add
review
CampbellTaraL
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed this book. It's sad that this is it, but I think the book is well done as a final piece to Stephen Hawking's extraordinary work.

39 likes1 stack add
blurb
goodbyefrancie
post image

1. Tagged book - Stephen Hawking
2. Hot cocoa
3. Tea, this afternoon.

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

rachelsbrittain Thanks for joining in ☕😊 6y
70 likes1 comment
review
Nitpickyabouttrains
post image
Pickpick

I loved this as an audiobook. Before passing Hawking wrote out answers to some questions. Other answers came from speeches he gave over the years. It‘s all very accessible and very interesting.

24 likes1 stack add
review
Avatar.of.sonia
post image
Mehso-so

Sooo, this is not my everyday book.. although I promised to delve deeper into life during 2019. I found the book interesting, but not as much as I hoped it would be. The chapters on AI though really got me thinking about the present and the future, and the hard choices we need to make as a species.

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 6y
Crazeedi Welcome to litsy! 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!! 6y
See All 8 Comments
greenhairdontcare Welcome to Litsy! 💚 6y
AlwaysForeverReading Welcome to Litsy!! 6y
julesG Welcome to Litsy! 6y
Weaponxgirl Welcome to Litsy 😊 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🤗📚 6y
13 likes8 comments
review
SW-T
post image
Pickpick

Each chapter starts with a question and ends with an answer. Intriguing, universal, questions are asked and Hawking gives some approachable and easily understood answers. Relatable science for us non-science types.

12 likes1 stack add
blurb
BestDogDad
post image

#Novemberwrapup I can‘t believe December is here already. It‘s been a great year for reading.

review
ontheBL
post image
Pickpick

Stephen Hawking isn‘t an anti-social genius. He‘s brilliant, no doubt. He‘s also witty, sarcastic, charming, and completely relatable in his book Brief Answers for the Big Questions, published posthumously.

https://onthebl.org/2018/11/29/brief-answers-to-the-big-questions/

12 likes1 stack add
quote
ontheBL
post image

“We don't expect the universe to end in a brick wall, although there's no logical reason why it couldn't.”