Sale Price:
£675.00
Original Price:
£770.00
1988 1st Edition 1st Printing
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME
FROM THE BIG BANG TO BLACK HOLES
Introduction By: Carl Sagan
A desirable first impression of one of the landmark works of twentieth-century popular science: Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time, published by Bantam Press in 1988.
Written for the general reader, Hawking’s celebrated study made some of the most profound questions in modern cosmology accessible to a worldwide audience. From the origins and possible fate of the universe to black holes, quantum mechanics and the nature of time itself, the book combines scientific ambition with clarity, wit and intellectual curiosity.
This UK first edition retains Carl Sagan’s introduction and the original diagrams and illustrations by the noted astronomical artist Ron Miller. Bound in the publisher’s blue cloth with gilt lettering to the spine and complete with the original price-unclipped dust jacket, retaining the £14.95 net price.
The first impression is reported to have comprised approximately 7,500 copies before the book’s extraordinary international success led to numerous subsequent printings and editions. An appealing collector’s copy of one of the most recognisable and influential popular-science books ever published.
By Stephen Hawking
Format: Hardcover, Octavo (Standard) (8vo 6 × 9 in 152 × 229 mm )
Note: Binding/size selection follows standard bibliographic conventions and is approximate; exact measurements may vary.
Language: English
Published By: Bantam Press, a division of Transworld Publishers Ltd, London, 1988
Printed By: Mackays of Chatham Ltd, Chathem, Kent
ISBN: 9780593015186
Condition Report:
Dust Jacket: Yes, Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
Very Good - First-Edition Note
The 1988 Bantam Press first edition includes an introduction by astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan, who places Hawking within the distinguished tradition of Cambridge physicists associated with the Lucasian Professorship.
The first impression is further identified by its 1988 Bantam Press publication statement, Mackays of Chatham printing credit, original blue cloth binding, Ron Miller illustrations and price-unclipped £14.95 dust jacket.
A well-preserved and attractive copy, appearing little read. Bound in the publisher’s original blue cloth, with gilt title and author’s name to the spine and the Bantam Press device at the foot. The binding remains firm and square, with only minimal signs of handling.
The original price-unclipped dust jacket retains the £14.95 net price and displays light shelf wear, with minor rubbing and gentle creasing at the extremities. The jacket is now protected in a removable archival Mylar cover.
The contents are clean and well preserved, with light natural toning consistent with age. A faint pen line or mark is present on the front free endpaper. No other significant internal defects are apparent.
An attractive example of the first edition, first impression, retaining its original jacket and presenting well both on the shelf and in the hand.
Black-and-white diagrams and illustrations throughout.
Collation: x, 198 pp.
Please see Photos as part of condition report.
Author Bio: Stephen William Hawking CH CBE FRS FRSA (1942–2018) was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author whose work transformed modern understanding of black holes, gravity and the origins of the universe.
From 1979 until 2009, Hawking held the distinguished position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, a chair previously occupied by figures including Isaac Newton and Paul Dirac. He later served as Director of Research at Cambridge’s Centre for Theoretical Cosmology.
Hawking’s scientific achievements included foundational work on gravitational singularities and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit thermal radiation, now known as Hawking radiation. Through A Brief History of Time and his subsequent books, he also became one of the world’s most recognisable and influential communicators of science.
Illustrated By: Ron Millar
Illustrator Bio: Ron Miller is an American illustrator, author and artist specialising in astronomy, space science, science fiction and fantasy.
Formerly art director of the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Miller developed an international reputation for scientifically informed depictions of astronomical subjects and imagined cosmic environments. His diagrams and illustrations for A Brief History of Time helped make Hawking’s explanations of space-time, black holes and cosmological theory accessible to the non-specialist reader.
Synopsis: A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes is Stephen Hawking’s celebrated exploration of the fundamental questions that have shaped modern cosmology.
Beginning with humanity’s changing picture of the universe, Hawking introduces the reader to the concepts of space and time, the expansion of the cosmos, elementary particles and the forces of nature. He then examines the strange properties of black holes, including the discovery that they are not entirely black but may emit radiation and gradually lose mass.
The book considers the relationship between general relativity, which describes gravity and the large-scale structure of the universe, and quantum mechanics, which governs matter at its smallest scales. Hawking explains why reconciling these theories remains one of the central challenges of modern physics.
Later chapters explore the origin and possible fate of the universe, the direction or “arrow” of time, and the search for a unified theory capable of describing the physical laws of the cosmos within a single coherent framework.
Written without demanding specialist mathematical knowledge, A Brief History of Time brought complex ideas concerning the Big Bang, singularities, imaginary time and black-hole physics to an unprecedented popular audience. It became an international bestseller and remains a defining work of modern scientific literature.
SKU: BTETM0000955
Shipping Info: Approximate Package Dimensions H: 12.5, L: 30, W: 25 (Units: cm), W: 2Kg
Tracked Shipping, Insurance Coverage as per Customer Request
1988 1st Edition 1st Printing
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME
FROM THE BIG BANG TO BLACK HOLES
Introduction By: Carl Sagan
A desirable first impression of one of the landmark works of twentieth-century popular science: Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time, published by Bantam Press in 1988.
Written for the general reader, Hawking’s celebrated study made some of the most profound questions in modern cosmology accessible to a worldwide audience. From the origins and possible fate of the universe to black holes, quantum mechanics and the nature of time itself, the book combines scientific ambition with clarity, wit and intellectual curiosity.
This UK first edition retains Carl Sagan’s introduction and the original diagrams and illustrations by the noted astronomical artist Ron Miller. Bound in the publisher’s blue cloth with gilt lettering to the spine and complete with the original price-unclipped dust jacket, retaining the £14.95 net price.
The first impression is reported to have comprised approximately 7,500 copies before the book’s extraordinary international success led to numerous subsequent printings and editions. An appealing collector’s copy of one of the most recognisable and influential popular-science books ever published.
By Stephen Hawking
Format: Hardcover, Octavo (Standard) (8vo 6 × 9 in 152 × 229 mm )
Note: Binding/size selection follows standard bibliographic conventions and is approximate; exact measurements may vary.
Language: English
Published By: Bantam Press, a division of Transworld Publishers Ltd, London, 1988
Printed By: Mackays of Chatham Ltd, Chathem, Kent
ISBN: 9780593015186
Condition Report:
Dust Jacket: Yes, Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
Very Good - First-Edition Note
The 1988 Bantam Press first edition includes an introduction by astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan, who places Hawking within the distinguished tradition of Cambridge physicists associated with the Lucasian Professorship.
The first impression is further identified by its 1988 Bantam Press publication statement, Mackays of Chatham printing credit, original blue cloth binding, Ron Miller illustrations and price-unclipped £14.95 dust jacket.
A well-preserved and attractive copy, appearing little read. Bound in the publisher’s original blue cloth, with gilt title and author’s name to the spine and the Bantam Press device at the foot. The binding remains firm and square, with only minimal signs of handling.
The original price-unclipped dust jacket retains the £14.95 net price and displays light shelf wear, with minor rubbing and gentle creasing at the extremities. The jacket is now protected in a removable archival Mylar cover.
The contents are clean and well preserved, with light natural toning consistent with age. A faint pen line or mark is present on the front free endpaper. No other significant internal defects are apparent.
An attractive example of the first edition, first impression, retaining its original jacket and presenting well both on the shelf and in the hand.
Black-and-white diagrams and illustrations throughout.
Collation: x, 198 pp.
Please see Photos as part of condition report.
Author Bio: Stephen William Hawking CH CBE FRS FRSA (1942–2018) was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author whose work transformed modern understanding of black holes, gravity and the origins of the universe.
From 1979 until 2009, Hawking held the distinguished position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, a chair previously occupied by figures including Isaac Newton and Paul Dirac. He later served as Director of Research at Cambridge’s Centre for Theoretical Cosmology.
Hawking’s scientific achievements included foundational work on gravitational singularities and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit thermal radiation, now known as Hawking radiation. Through A Brief History of Time and his subsequent books, he also became one of the world’s most recognisable and influential communicators of science.
Illustrated By: Ron Millar
Illustrator Bio: Ron Miller is an American illustrator, author and artist specialising in astronomy, space science, science fiction and fantasy.
Formerly art director of the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Miller developed an international reputation for scientifically informed depictions of astronomical subjects and imagined cosmic environments. His diagrams and illustrations for A Brief History of Time helped make Hawking’s explanations of space-time, black holes and cosmological theory accessible to the non-specialist reader.
Synopsis: A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes is Stephen Hawking’s celebrated exploration of the fundamental questions that have shaped modern cosmology.
Beginning with humanity’s changing picture of the universe, Hawking introduces the reader to the concepts of space and time, the expansion of the cosmos, elementary particles and the forces of nature. He then examines the strange properties of black holes, including the discovery that they are not entirely black but may emit radiation and gradually lose mass.
The book considers the relationship between general relativity, which describes gravity and the large-scale structure of the universe, and quantum mechanics, which governs matter at its smallest scales. Hawking explains why reconciling these theories remains one of the central challenges of modern physics.
Later chapters explore the origin and possible fate of the universe, the direction or “arrow” of time, and the search for a unified theory capable of describing the physical laws of the cosmos within a single coherent framework.
Written without demanding specialist mathematical knowledge, A Brief History of Time brought complex ideas concerning the Big Bang, singularities, imaginary time and black-hole physics to an unprecedented popular audience. It became an international bestseller and remains a defining work of modern scientific literature.
SKU: BTETM0000955
Shipping Info: Approximate Package Dimensions H: 12.5, L: 30, W: 25 (Units: cm), W: 2Kg
Tracked Shipping, Insurance Coverage as per Customer Request
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