A new biography of Stephen Hawking, written by veteran science writer Graham Farmelo, offers a detailed and approachable look at the physicist’s life, covering both his groundbreaking scientific work and his personal shortcomings. The book, authorized by the Hawking family, does not shy away from discussing controversial aspects of his life, including his ambition, tendency to promote himself, and instances where he failed to credit others for their contributions. These flaws were often overlooked by the public and the scientific community, partly due to Hawking’s battle with motor neurone disease, which left him physically disabled but intellectually active. Hawking’s scientific achievements are widely regarded as inspirational, especially his research on black holes and the theory of Hawking radiation, which suggests that black holes can emit radiation and eventually evaporate. His early career at the University of Cambridge was marked by a diagnosis of motor neurone disease, which was initially given a bleak prognosis of less than 10 years to live. Despite this, Hawking went on to make significant contributions to physics, particularly in understanding the gravitational collapse of stars and the implications of these processes for the origins of the universe, known as the Big Bang. However, Hawking’s personal life and behavior were not without controversy. His father, Frank, expressed concerns about his son’s selfishness, while his sister, Mary, described him as self-centered. During his time at Oxford, some friends found him lazy and entitled, and at Cambridge, he was viewed as haughty. His first marriage to Jane Wilde was marked by tension, with Hawking’s authoritarian behavior and failure to recognize her sacrifices contributing to the strain on their relationship. Hawking’s interactions with colleagues were also contentious. He failed to give proper credit to physicist Roger Penrose and later discredited physicist Jacob Bekenstein’s work before claiming it as his own. Some of his peers felt that his public lectures were overly self-focused, and his tendency to not publicly acknowledge the contributions of others was a source of friction. The biography also touches on Hawking’s personal habits, including an obsession with Marilyn Monroe and visits to Stringfellows, a London strip club. While the book does not elaborate on a trip to Jeffrey Epstein’s island, it notes that Hawking’s celebrations of scientific achievements sometimes included T-shirts featuring scantily clad women. This biography aims to provide a balanced view of Hawking’s legacy, acknowledging both his remarkable scientific contributions and the personal flaws that were often overlooked due to his disability. By presenting a more complete picture, the book invites readers to consider how public perception can be shaped by both a person’s achievements and the circumstances of their life.