The Theory of Everythingis a unique opportunity to explore the cosmos with the greatest mind since Einstein. Based on a series of lectures given at Cambridge University, Professor Hawking's work introduced "the history of ideas about the universe" as well as today's most important scientific theories about time, space, and the cosmos in a clear, easy-to-understand way.Professor Hawking transformed our view of the universe in his landmark bestselling bookA Brief History of Time, and most recently in the bestsellingUniverse in a Nutshell. Here he reviews ideas about the universe from Aristotle to Newton and Einstein, applying the principle of quantum mechanics to the Big Bang, black holes, and the universe's ultimate fate. He goes on to advance a "no boundary" theory of time and space that could lead to one unified theory and a true understanding of our universe.The Theory of Everythingpresents the most complex theories, both past and present, of physics; yet it remains clear and accessible. It will enlighten readers and expose them to the rich history of scientific thought and the complexities of the universe in which we live.Amazon.com ReviewWith a title inspired as much by Douglas Adams'Hitchhikerseries as Einstein,The Theory of Everythingdelivers almost as much as it promises. Transcribed from Stephen Hawking's Cambridge Lectures, the slim volume may not present a single theory unifying gravity with the other fundamental forces, but it does carefully explain the state of late 20th-century physics with the great scientist's characteristic humility and charm. Explicitly shunning math, Hawking explains the fruits of 100 years of heavy thinking with metaphors that are simple but never condescending--he compares the settling of the newborn universe into symmetry to the formation of ice crystals in a glass of water, for example. While he explores his own work (especially when speaking about black holes), he also discusses the important milestones achieved by others like Richard Feynman. Though occasionally an impenetrably obscure phrase does slip by, the reader will find the bulk of the text enlightening and engaging. The material, from the nature of time to the possibility that the universe has no beginning or end, is rich and deep and inevitably ignites metaphysical thinking. After all, Hawking is famous for his "we would know the mind of God" remark, which ends the final lecture herein.--Rob LightnerReview...can explain the complexities of cosmological physics with an engaging combination of clarity and with ... his is a brain of extraordinary power. --The New York Review of Books