8 Best Stephen Hawking Books of All Time

Stephen Hawking was a renowned physicist, cosmologist, mathematician, and author. As one of the most popular scientists in modern times, Stephen Hawking’s books received many positive feedback. Here are some of Stephen Hawking’s books in chronological order to start your voyage to our amazing universe.

Best Stephen Hawking Books You Should Read

1. A Brief History Of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes, 1988

In this book, Hawking explains about what led the universe to its current state. Aside from the thorough explanations, he uses easy and non-technical terms to make the book digestible. Therefore, it makes a perfect Stephen Hawking’s book for beginners.

It starts from the era of Aristotle, where the great philosophers and men of science are around. And it’s finished with an explanation of things we often heard in fantasy books: wormholes and time travels.

Moreover, you will also know about the Earth and many of the universe’s phenomena, such as black holes and radiation (in which theory Hawking excelled).

2. Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, 1993

“Came for the science, stayed for the humor”, says one review about this book. In this book, Hawking invites you to look deeper into one of the universe’s phenomena: black holes. He also provides you with his notion about imaginary time, alternate universes and even white holes.

Unlike “A Brief History of Time”, this book doesn’t provide information in chronological order, but rather in essays. Thirteen essays, to be exact.

If you think this is one of those heavy science books, don’t worry, because it’s not. This book is just as enjoyable as his first one. Always a humorous figure, he also shares his opinion about non-science topics, such as his fame and even celebrities.

3. The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of The Universe, 2002

A lot of you may recognize the title, especially if you have watched “The Theory of Everything” at the cinema. The 2014 film starring Eddie Redmayne tells a story about Stephen Hawking’s journey. It has gained success worldwide, while also putting more spotlight on Hawking’s name.

Although it harbors the same title and main character, the content of these two medias are very different. In this book, Hawking wrote about the chronicle of the universe and also introduction to astrophysics.

This book consists of seven lectures Hawking did back in Cambridge, and is actually titled “The Cambridge Lectures: Life Works”. Many people say this book is a simpler version of “A Brief History of Time”. So, if you find the former harder to grasp, you might want to try this one.

4. My Brief History, 2013

As implied in the title, this book is a memoir of Hawking, the most influential scientist in the 21st century. In this book, Hawking briefly tells the story of his journey, from early childhood to adulthood.

After being diagnosed with motor neuron disease in his 20s. Hawking felt like his life had crumbled. Even so, in the brink of despair, he succeeded to see it in a more positive manner. Instead of feeling down, he pushed himself to the point he succeeded to make a wonderful breakthrough during his career.

This book makes you see another side of Stephen Hawking, not just a scientist but also a husband and father. And also, his hopeful drive to reveal the secrets of the universe.

5. The George’s Series, 2007-2016

Hawking’s resolution to make science more enjoyable to everyone comes in the form of The George’s Series. Targeting youngsters from age 8 to above, he co-wrote this series with two more people. One of them is Lucy, his daughter, who is also a children’s novelist.

These books tell us about the exciting adventure of George Greenby and his best friend, Annie Bellis. Along with Cosmos, the most intelligent computer, they shuffled through space in order to solve many mysteries. You can read their stories in these five books:

• In 2007: George’s Secret Key to the Universe
• In 2009: George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt
• In 2011: George and the Big Bang
• In 2014: George and the Unbreakable Code
• In 2016: George and the Blue Moon

Although the series might not make so much sense to adult readers, it does a good job convincing kids to start reading about science. These Stephen Hawking books for kids make a perfect gift for your children’s or nephews.

6. The Grand Design, 2012

It is not like Stephen Hawking to throw small questions. And so, he asks: Why is there something rather than nothing? Is the ‘grand design’ of the universe evidence for a benevolent creator who set things in motion? Or does science offer another explanation?

Hawking offers this question and also his thoughts about the possible answer together with Leonard Mlodinow. Just like Hawking, Mlodinow is also a physicist and works around quantum theories.

Upon reading this book, you will find some thought-provoking ideas to answer the questions Hawking throws. They also deliver it with easy explanations so you will not feel overwhelmed by the amount of technical terms.

7. Brief Answers to the Big Questions, 2018

The existence of God.
The beginning of everything.
The possibility of being outsmarted by artificial intelligence.
The way to shape the future, according to science.

Those are some raging questions Hawking tried to solve in all of his works. Although not intentionally, this book feels like a valuable parting gift. Not only does it dabble on the topic he’s known for; science, it also contains his message to humanity and our approach to face the unpredictable future.

8. Unlocking The Universe, 2020

“Unlocking the Universe” is a book Hawking co-wrote with Lucy Hawking. The materials for this book are gathered from The George Series, and is completed by Lucy after her father’s passing.

Although it is intended to explain some complex topics, they delivered it in a fun and fascinating way. Some of the information is about wormholes, time warp and even Schrodinger cat experiment. Moreover, it has many visualizations, and is a perfect Stephen Hawking books for young adults.