Today in History: Stephen Hawking set new British best-selling record
Hawking's book, A Brief History of Everything, sold millions and millions of copies on its way to breaking the record for a British best-seller.
The legendary physicist’s book, A Brief History of Time, sold millions of copies in 22 different languages right across the world.
A Brief History of Time explained what were then the latest theories on the origins of the universe in language accessible to educated lay people. The book was made into an acclaimed documentary in 1992, focussing largely on Hawking’s own story.
Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in his 20s, Hawking was told he had only two years to live. Despite the sobering prognosis, Hawking pursued his studies in theoretical physics, married, and had a son.
Eventually, his disease left him paralysed everywhere except for his left hand. He was able to speak, although his speech was difficult to understand, until he underwent a tracheotomy in 1985 during a bout with pneumonia.
Afterwards, he relied on a mouse-controlled voice synthesiser, which improved the clarity of his speech. His familiar, synthesised voice can be heard in the Brief History of Time documentary, a popular Pink Floyd song, as well as an episode of The Simpsons.
A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other honours, Hawking wrote several additional popular science books, including Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays (1993) and The Grand Design (2010), which he co-wrote with fellow physicist Leonard Mlodinow.
He was well-known for his scientific contributions to cosmology and quantum gravity and was affiliated to the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology, among other institutions.
A Brief History of Time was on the non-fiction bestseller list for three and a half years, selling more than 3 million copies in 22 languages.
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