[T]he story of his life…. is told with sympathy, and skilfully interwoven with the developments in Hawking's pioneering theories in cosmology, black holes in particular, and the search for the theory of everything… [A]n intriguing work. Early in her book, the author says that Hawking does not like biographies, so would probably not read this one. Want a bet?

Gnomon

In an elegant, pristine universe black holes are decidedly messy. Apprentice physicists may try to sweep them under the cosmic carpet and hope no one notices the lump. The masters, like Hawking, relish the messy bits, the structure of space-time, the no-boundary concept, the baby universe. Larsen makes such messy bits, and Hawking's expertise in straightening them out, accessible to general readers and sets the concepts within the framework of Hawking's career and personal life. As a result, along with explanations of the theory of everything we learn why Hawking turns up so much in the media as one of the greatest and certainly one of the most easily described physicists on the planet.

SciTech Book News

His devilishly complex cosmological theories are handled engagingly in accessible language for the lay reader. [T]his is a touching portrait that will grace any bookshelf.

Astronomy Now

[T]his is a well-written introduction to Hawking and his work that is worth having.

SB&F