AUDIO

Brief Answers to Big Questions

by Stephen Hawking
4 CDs. Books on Tape. Nov. 2018. 5 hrs. ISBN 9781984844637. $30. SCI
COPY ISBN
Hawking presents answers to a few big questions such as what are black holes, where did the universe come from, will humanity survive, and does God exist? His answers are fairly brief and understandable to someone with the basics of physics or cosmology; however, most listeners will skip over the occasional mathematical formula and just assume he has it right. Hawking was working on this book at the time of his death in 2018; it was completed by his colleagues and family. This work focuses on the basics and is relatively short, so it is ideal for listeners as an introduction to Hawking's 1988 best seller A Brief History of Time. The audiobook is ably read by Ben Whishaw (Mary Poppins Returns), with snippets of Hawking's familiar mechanical voice between chapters.
VERDICT This work is for those interested in cosmology and physics, but because of the popularity of the author it would likely be of interest to a broader audience. Still, the level of attention required means it is not ideal for casual listening.
Reviewed by Eric D. Albright, Tufts Univ. Lib., Boston , Feb 01, 2019
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