Hawking Hawking: The Selling of a Scientific Celebrity
Apr 2021 · Sold by Basic Books
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About this ebook
Stephen Hawking was widely recognized as the world's best physicist and even the most brilliant man alive–but what if his true talent was self-promotion?
When Stephen Hawking died, he was widely recognized as the world's best physicist, and even its smartest person.
He was neither.
In Hawking Hawking, science journalist Charles Seife explores how Stephen Hawking came to be thought of as humanity's greatest genius. Hawking spent his career grappling with deep questions in physics, but his renown didn't rest on his science. He was a master of self-promotion, hosting parties for time travelers, declaring victory over problems he had not solved, and wooing billionaires. In a wheelchair and physically dependent on a cadre of devotees, Hawking still managed to captivate the people around him—and use them for his own purposes.
A brilliant exposé and powerful biography, Hawking Hawking uncovers the authentic Hawking buried underneath the fake. It is the story of a man whose brilliance in physics was matched by his genius for building his own myth.
When Stephen Hawking died, he was widely recognized as the world's best physicist, and even its smartest person.
He was neither.
In Hawking Hawking, science journalist Charles Seife explores how Stephen Hawking came to be thought of as humanity's greatest genius. Hawking spent his career grappling with deep questions in physics, but his renown didn't rest on his science. He was a master of self-promotion, hosting parties for time travelers, declaring victory over problems he had not solved, and wooing billionaires. In a wheelchair and physically dependent on a cadre of devotees, Hawking still managed to captivate the people around him—and use them for his own purposes.
A brilliant exposé and powerful biography, Hawking Hawking uncovers the authentic Hawking buried underneath the fake. It is the story of a man whose brilliance in physics was matched by his genius for building his own myth.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Andrea Romance
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April 6, 2021
Given that the subtitle of this book is "The Selling of a Scientific Celebrity," I expected that to be the focus of this book. In fact, that's just a small portion of it. This is a long, thorough biography covering Hawking's life and work. It's a fascinating tale, honest and compassionate, which leaves the reader with a fuller understanding of Hawking's science and his humanity. I highly recommend it. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
About the author
Charles Seife is a professor of journalism at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and has been writing about science and mathematics for nearly three decades. The author of numerous books, including the bestselling Zero, he lives in New York City.
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