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single21-May-2008books/literatureicurok Survey Qualifier This user is on the site NOW (8 minutes ago) by votes38661.8%

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Do you own a copy of "A Brief History of Time" by Professor Stephen Hawking?

"A Brief History of Time" is one of the best-selling popular science books of all time, having sold over 9 million copies since it was first published in 1988.

It attempts to explain a range of cosmology, including the Big Bang, black holes, light cones and superstring theory, to the nonspecialist reader.



VotesAnswer
22I do not own a copy and have never read it
4I own a copy and have read it
3Other
2I do not own a copy, but I have read it
1I own a copy, but I have yet to read it.

UserComment
Pomeranian
posted 22-May-2008 5:33am  
read it, loved it.
bill Survey Central Gold Subscriber Double Gold Star Survey Creator
posted 22-May-2008 7:48am  
My best guess is that I listened to it via audio tape during the early 90s (or late 80s?). This was possibily a audio-tape rental and thus I returned it. Or, possibily, it was an abridged version (maybe my mom gave it to me as a gift?), that I may have gotten rid of later. Possibly, I actually had the book and read it, and no audio was involved. It was a long time ago, of that I am sure. It was very popular at the time.
I checked and I don't think I have a copy of the book (we have a lot of books, but they are not organized, so it's hard to be sure) and I don't have any tapes anymore (I used to, but I think I got rid of them all at some point). In general, I make an effort to get rid of books that I've read (to make room for new books).
My strongest memory of the book is that it contained the "It's turtles, turtles, turtles, all the way down" story, probably in the introduction or at least early in the book. This is notable to me because there was at least one other book that I read around that time which also did. Possibly, that was "The Left Hand of Darkness", though it may have also been another non-fiction book.
As for the real content of the book, I don't recall very clearly. I also tend to watch a lot a science shows on TV and I know they have gone over Hawking's work more than once. Hawking is the dude who realized the black holes give off radiation. This is counter-intuitive since black-holes are generally seen as sucking in everything, including light/radiation. I think they even named this radiation Hawking Radiation. I also heard that he dumped his wife (who had stood by him for years) for his nurse or some such drama. That wouldn't have been in his book, though.
they Bronze Star Survey Creator Survey Qualifier
posted 22-May-2008 8:35am  
Do not, have not.

Should I?
Melf Gold Qualifier This user is on the site NOW (1 minute ago)
posted 22-May-2008 8:53am  
I don't own a copy and I've never read it. I intend on buying it, but it probably won't be for a few years. I hope I understand it. My science is ok, but my maths is naff. So I'm good at Biology, which I hate, and crap at Physics, which I like.
dab Survey Central Gold Subscriber Gold Qualifier
posted 22-May-2008 9:26am  
I saw the movie.
Enheduanna Survey Central Subscriber
posted 22-May-2008 10:45am  
Yes, I own a copy and have read it.
Galomorro Bronze Star Survey Creator Gold Qualifier
posted 22-May-2008 11:18am  
No I do not have it nor have I read it. If it's an easy read I may look thru it at the library to see if it looks interesting.
icurok Survey Qualifier This user is on the site NOW (8 minutes ago)
posted 22-May-2008 1:21pm  
I have owned a copy for a long time but I didn't read it until recently. It was just one item on my never ending 'to-do' list. I was interested to see if there any truth to it being regarded as an 'unread bestseller'.
aquawolfy
posted 22-May-2008 3:55pm  
Never heard of it.
RGirl
posted 22-May-2008 5:38pm  
It's on my Amazon wish list.
RainingFeathers
posted 22-May-2008 7:11pm  
I don't own a copy, and I've never read it, but I really want to.
romkey Survey Central Gold Subscriber
posted 22-May-2008 8:34pm  
I used to; I think I gave mine to cloudhugger.
Enigma
posted 22-May-2008 11:58pm  
Yes
Iseult Quadruple Gold Star Survey Creator Gold Qualifier
posted 23-May-2008 5:13am  
No, I don't own it. I wouldn't be opposed to reading it.
ihatespiders
posted 24-May-2008 10:26pm  
I have a copy and I have over half read.
Gomezy3k
posted 25-May-2008 10:17am  
Read it years ago but no longer have the book... Not sure what I did with it... Lost during the divorce or one of my many moves...
JessicaWoman99
posted 29-May-2008 1:16am  
I do not own a copy nor have I read it but i like Stephen Hawking and oh yes i have seen his movie on the Science
Channel he was so good
JessicaWoman99
(reply to icurok) posted 29-May-2008 1:18am  
> I have owned a copy for a long time but I didn't read it until recently.
> It was just one item on my never ending 'to-do' list. I was interested
> to see if there any truth to it being regarded as an 'unread bestseller'.

I have watched a movie on Stephen Hawking he was an amazing person indeed
icurok Survey Qualifier This user is on the site NOW (8 minutes ago)
(reply to JessicaWoman99) posted 29-May-2008 8:23am  
When did he stop being an amazing person?
JessicaWoman99
(reply to icurok) posted 29-May-2008 10:44pm  
> When did he stop being an amazing person?

Never he is still an amazing person indeed and will always be
Biggles Bronze Star Survey Creator Gold Qualifier This user is on the site NOW (3 minutes ago)
posted 30-May-2008 9:38pm  
My parents own a copy which is currently on my bookshelf. I haven't read it.
cloudhugger Bronze Star Survey Creator
(reply to romkey) posted 3-Jun-2008 2:25pm  
nice......
romkey Survey Central Gold Subscriber
(reply to cloudhugger) posted 3-Jun-2008 3:38pm  
 * raspberry *
kcthedog Survey Central Gold Subscriber
posted 6-Jul-2008 8:55pm  
No but I wish...
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