Was there a beginning to 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 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 string 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 is the synopsis which greeted me before I flipped open this book. As an enthusiast of physics myself, I have always heard of the famed book to the universe, and therefore it was my every intention of getting my hands on one copy of it. Fortunately, this happened no sooner than on my 17th Birthday, to my parents' courtesy.
Throughout my schooling years, I have always been given the comment which implies of the sentiments that physics is a hard-to-understand subject, one that sparks few joy and curiosity. In this regard, I can say nothing in defense to the national physics syllabus. In spite of this, stating that physics as a field of study is boring and uninteresting itself, evidently shows one's naïve perception towards the said subject, because the exploration of physics entails an exploration towards the central truth of the universe. And with that, A Brief History of Time, written by Professor Dr. Stephen Hawking brilliantly portrays this adventure.
In around 200 page thick, Professor Hawking has singlehandedly lectured the reader on almost all fields of physics, providing an easy-to-understand but extensive explanation to physical phenomena. This book (the 2016 edition), comprises of 11 chapters listed below. One could somewhat understand the topics discussed merely by reading the said titles.
Our Picture of the Universe
Space and Time
The Expanding Universe
The Uncertainty Principle
Elementary Particles and the Forces of Nature
Black Holes
Black Holes Ain't So Black
The Origin and Fate of the Universe
The Arrow of Time
Wormholes and Time Travel
The Unification of Physics
When going through the book, I believe anyone would be able to understand what Hawking would like to illustrate. For instance, when mentioning the development of physics in the field of gravity, one would find it daunting when coming across arbitrary constants and equations representing the said principles. From Newtonian gravity to Einstein's interpretation with the Theory of Special and General Relativity, it takes physics students years of learning and experimentation to fundamentally understand what there is to know. But what about the general populace who merely has an interest in the subject itself? Hawking figured he would condense and simplify the information into digestible tablets for readers. Through this book, complex ideas of quantum physics and gravitational waves could be easily understood with illustrations and precise explanations.
In addition to that, one of the more interesting facts about this book is the lack of equations contained. In fact, the only equation mentioned by Hawking is the famed E = mc2, of which should be universally known at this point. Henceforth, I am confident in stating that anyone with an interest in physics would find it relatively easy to understand all principles within the book because of this lack of unnecessary mathematical proof (unnecessary for general readers of course).
In accordance with this, although this lack of accurate physics notations and mathematical proofs would make the book seem lackluster, I must emphasise that this is merely for the general reader, and not for professional physicist. For the everyday Tom, Dick and Harry, this book would be sufficient in painting an image to the function of our universe, and the modern questions we are asking within the field of theoretical physics. It does not provide textbook-like descriptions, but it evokes curiosity and a desire to explore more within physics to those who read it, of which I find more crucial than the former.
In conclusion, I would most definitely recommend this book to those interested in how our universe came to be, and what previous and current physicists are doing to find the truth at the centre of our universe. With clear language and no unnecessary use of physics jargon, I am sure it will be a joy to read.
10 out of 10
~Cheerful Loh
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