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Stephen Hawking: Genius at Work - Roger Highfield ****

It is easy to suspect that a biographical book from highly-illustrated publisher Dorling Kindersley would be mostly high level fluff, so I was pleasantly surprised at the depth Roger Highfield has worked into this large-format title. Yes, we get some of the ephemera so beloved of such books, such as a whole page dedicated to Hawking's coxing blazer - but there is plenty on Hawking's scientific life and particularly on his many scientific ideas. I've read a couple of biographies of Hawking, but I still came across aspects of his lesser fields here that I didn't remember, as well as the inevitable topics, ranging from Hawking radiation to his attempts to quell the out-of-control nature of the possible string theory universes.

We also get plenty of coverage of what could be classified as Hawking the celebrity, whether it be a photograph with the Obamas in the White House, his appearances on Star Trek TNG and The Big Bang Theory or representations of him in the Simpsons. Hawking's celebrity is a fascinating social science phenomenon (in fact, it's a shame that isn't explored more.) And there's a pleasant undercurrent of Hawking trivia, whether it be artistic representations of the man, his interest in Marilyn Monroe or musical tastes.  All in all it is a highly entertaining and informative Stephen Hawking cornucopia.

I do have two concerns, one specific about this the book, and the other about a pair of cultural parallels that frequently occur when writing about Hawking. Highfield is steeped in the nature of London's Science Museum, and the structure of the book is more like that of a museum or art gallery than a conventional written document. Rather than get any sense of chronological development, or structure by scientific topic, the book jumps around from section to section as if we are walking from gallery to gallery, where particular artefacts and concepts are put into context in the approach beloved of trendy curators. I would have preferred a more book-like format.

As far as the cultural parallels, one is the medieval saint. We are told, for example, of a detailed scan of Hawking's office to 'preserve it in digital form so that it can be explored by online audiences'. This feels very like the careful preservation of saintly relics. The other parallel I felt was with Joseph Merrick. By repute, he was an interesting conversationalist - but his deformities defined him for the vast majority. There is no doubt that Hawking's story is inspiring - it is entirely remarkable that he was able to do so much work in mathematical physics while suffering from such a debilitating disease, yet it was this ability to overcome his condition and not his work itself that drives worldwide interest in him. Probably only Newton, Einstein and perhaps Marie Curie are in the same league of fame - yet they (and many other scientists) arguably achieved far more than Hawking did - and I would have liked to have seen a little more balance in putting his achievements into perspective.

That does not, however, take away the value of this book: it does very effectively document a phenomenon, and can provide a wide appeal because it dips into many aspects of his work for those who are interested in the science while also exploring (if not criticising) the more celebrity-framed aspects of his life. It reaches the parts that most heavily illustrated books never do, and that should be applauded.

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Review by Brian Clegg - See all Brian's online articles or subscribe to a weekly email free here
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