'An astonishingly good read, gripping and thought-provoking' – William Lane Craig

'If you wanted to understand Stephen Hawking but couldn't face the maths, this is the book for you.' – Dr Althea Wilkinson, Jodrell Bank

Stephen Hawking kept breaking rules. Given two years to live, he managed another 54. He wrote about quantum cosmology – and sold 20 million books. He could not speak, yet the world recognized his voice.

Hutchings and Wilkinson shine light on his extraordinary ideas. The result is a story of black holes, origins, many universes, and Big Questions.

'Remarkable.' – Professor Christine Done, Durham University

'Highly recommended.' – Dr Luke Barnes, author, The Cosmic Revolutionary's Handbook

'A warm and well-balanced portrait of Stephen Hawking and his seminal contributions to our understanding of the universe.' – Professor Reed A. Guy, Seattle University, USA

David Hutchings is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics. Professor David Wilkinson is Principal of St John's College, Durham, and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.