Includes bibliographical references and index.

1942-1975. "The quest for a theory of everything" ; "Our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the universe we live in" ; "Equal to anything" ; "The realization that I had an incurable disease, that was likely to kill me in a few years, was a bit of a shock" ; "The big question was, was there a beginning or not?" ; "There is a singularity in our past"
1970-1990. "These people must think we are used to an astronomical standard of living" ; "Scientists usually assume there is a unique link between the past and the future, cause and effect. If information is lost, this link does not exist" ; "The odds against a universe that has produced life like ours are immense" ; "In all my travels, I have not managed to fall off the edge of the world" ; "It's turtles all the way down" ; "The field of baby universes is in its infancy"
1990-2000. "Is the end in sight for theoretical physics?" ; Between film roles, I enjoy solving physics problems" ; "I think we have a good chance of avoiding both Armageddon and a new Dark Age" ; "It seems clear to me"
2000-2011. "An expanding horizon of possibilities ; "Grandad has wheels" ; "I've always gone in a somewhat different direction" ; "My name is Stephen Hawking : physicist, cosmologist and something of a dreamer."

BIOGRAPHY: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY &​ MEDICINE. Stephen Hawking is one of the most remarkable figures of our age--bestselling author of A Brief History of Time, celebrated theoretical physicist, and an inspiration as he exhibits grace, dignity, and courage while coping with devastating disability. With race access to Hawking, including childhood photos and in-depth research, award-winning author Kitty Ferguson has created a rich and comprehensive picture of Hawking's life: his childhood; the heartbreaking ALS diagnosis when he was a first-year graduate student; his long personal battle for survival in pursuit of a scientific understanding of the universe; and his rise to international fame. Ferguson uses her gift for translating the language of theoretical physics into the language of the rest of us to make Hawking's scientific work accessible. Stephen Hawking is an insightful, absorbing, and definitive account of an extraordinary life and a brilliant mind.