The landmark biography of the world-famous cosmologist and bestselling author of A Brief History of Time, by Costa Award-winning biographer, Graham Farmelo

'When one is faced with the possibility of early death, it makes one realise that life is worth living.' Stephen Hawking

An insatiable curiosity and appreciation for life powered Stephen Hawking to the furthest reaches of the universe and human achievement: during his remarkable lifetime he shed light on many of the mysteries of black holes and made key contributions to our understanding of the beginnings of the universe, all while captivating the world and selling more than 25 million copies of A Brief History of Time.

A brilliant theoretical physicist, Hawking lived one of the most extraordinary lives of the past century. And yet, none of this should have been possible. Aged 21, he was given only a few years to live - and spent the next fifty-five showing what can be achieved despite near-hopeless odds.

Drawing on his parents' previously unseen letters and diaries, and exclusive interviews with Stephen's family, friends and closest colleagues, Costa Award-winning biographer and physicist Graham Farmelo reveals the complex man behind the theories and global celebrity - and the resilience, fortitude and support that enabled him to defy his life-limiting diagnosis.

Vividly told and rigorously researched, Hawking is the definitive portrait of an exceptional man and extraordinary intellect.

Details

ISBN13: 9781529339345
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 608
Edition:
Publication Date: 22 Sep 2026
Publisher: John Murray Press
Publication City, Country: United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 23.2(H)x15.4(L)x4.8(W)776
Weight (gm): 776

Author Biography

Graham Farmelo is a prize-winning biographer and physicist. His life of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Paul Dirac, The Strangest Man, won the Costa Biography Award and the Los Angeles Times Science Prize. Farmelo is a fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge, a regular visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and winner of the Kelvin Prize for his contribution to the public understanding of physics.

www.grahamfarmelo.com

@grahamfarmelo

Reviews

This is without doubt the definitive biography of Hawking, the uniquely brilliant theoretical physicist and the global superstar. With unprecedented access to archives, letters, and diaries, newly unearthed family details, and deep insights into Hawking's work, Farmelo has cemented his reputation as the very best science biographer of his generation -- Jim Al-Khalili
Definitive and deeply researched -- Tom Whipple * The Times *
Hawking doestn't just give us the facts; it sets them in context. The result is an absorbing and informative account of the life of the most interesting physicist of the second half of the twentieth century * Literary Review *
A comprehensive and accessible portrait of a brilliant scientist and an extraordinarly determined man -- Philip Ball * Guardian *
Farmelo handles Hawking's scientific accomplishments with trademark economy and precision . . . [a] warmly sympathetic account * Daily Telegraph *
Meticulously researched and highly readable . . . Farmelo's candid, calm and objective tone is a welcome antidote to the hysteria that characterized much of the reporting about Hawking during his lifetime -- Neil Turok * Nature *
Farmelo captures vividly both the scientific and human aspects of Hawking in this extensive, fascinating and well-illustrated biography * Science *
A triumphant success. Stephen Hawking is fortunate to have as his official biographer someone who writes with authority about his science and describes his astonishingly full life with insight and sensitivity -- Martin Rees, University of Cambridge
Hawking is extremely impressive. It gives a very readable, detailed, and comprehensive account of the life and work of this most remarkable of men -- Roger Penrose, 2020 Nobel Laureate
This will almost certainly be regarded as the definitive biography of Stephen Hawking for many years to come, perhaps indefinitely. Deeply researched, unfailingly honest and accessibly written . . . I warmly recommend it -- Kip Thorne, Caltech, 2017 Nobel Laureate
This compelling and deeply human biography of Stephen Hawking captures both the remarkable scientist and the complexity of the man. It brings to life not only Hawking's scientific imagination, but also the courage, humour and relationships that shaped his life -- Marika Taylor, Dean, University College London
A wonderful book . . . A fascinating account of the incredible life and science of a man who knew no boundaries -- Juan Maldacena, IAS, Princeton Breakthrough Prize winner