A brief history of time?

[briangriffin]

Anyone read it? I'm not stupid but I'm not overly intelligent especially when it comes to technical sciences, algorithms and maths. Is a relative laymen going to be ok with this?

[Ayahuasca]

Yes, and no.

[Einion Yrth]

I've read it, didn't find it terribly challenging; just give it a go, third entry in a google search was to an online pdf, so no investment needed.

[welshjon81]

I've read it. For some parts you would need a deeper understanding of physics to grasp (I have a physics degree) but others parts are quite simple.

If you are struggling try A Briefer History of Time. I preferred A Grand Design overall though.

[skeeterm5]

briangriffin said:

Is a relative laymen going to be ok with this?

Great pun!!

[g3org3y]

Read it a number of years ago. It's ok, but imo there are other books on the subject written in a more 'user friendly' way if no background scientific knowledge. Check out Marcus Chown's work.

[TheJimi]

skeeterm5 said:

briangriffin said:

Is a relative laymen going to be ok with this?

Great pun!!

In theory. He may not have meant it

[Nom de ploom]

I'd say give it a go as well I found the first few chapters ok - I've read a lot of popular science books, Gliek, Gell-Mann, Sagan etc but after a few chapters it lost me a bit.

the concept of a particle behaving like a partical and a wave at the same time invited parrots of the whoosh variety...

[mko9]

It seemed to me that each successive chapter was a little bit more challenging, a little harder to wrap my head around. The first few chapters are pretty basic stuff that I could probably have written myself. The last chapter or two, i was just taking his word for it.

[CubanPete]

I read it at school, don't remember it being overly difficult.

As an irritating 17 year old it made for a comedy conversation with some jehovas witnesses who tapped on the door a couple of days after I finished it (having already explained my parents were out giving blood...)

[Nom de ploom]

^^^^^^

[marcosgt]

TheJimi said:

In theory. He may not have meant it

Surely in some alternative universe he did and didn't...

Or is that another book?

I've not tried to read it, but funnily enough I mentioned this to my B-I-L yesterday who said he struggled with latter parts of the book.

I scraped a C in 'O' Level Physics, so I suspect it would be a bit of a stretch for me!

M