I saw both specials...twice. He is a remarkable person not to have let his brutal disability take the center stage of his life. He chose to continue learning even when faced with the initial odds of only two years, where I would have crawled in a dark corner and waited for the end to come. I'm not that brave.

 

Although I don't see him as being on the same level as Einstein, I blame that on his inability to get things out of his mind and down on paper fast enough. Anyway, I think he is awesome.

 

Bettina

He's funny, I liked his book "Brief history of time", I got a copy of Briefier history of time for my Brother, I think he will enjoy it, even though I am not so sure he's the physics type of guy.

I did not get much from Hawking's brief book. I am slowly working my way forward through these large questions. It would be largely satisfying if time went this way and that on opposite sides of horizons so that things ultimately go nowhere, winding and unwinding.