Stephen Hawking’s father worried his son ‘does not study much’, diaries reveal

Key Takeaways

• In exploring the physics and geometry of the universe, Stephen Hawking became a world-renowned pioneer of black hole theory, writing the bestselling book A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 13m copies, and inspiring people to “look up at the stars and not down at your feet”.
• But, during Hawking’s student years and as he approached adulthood, his father was deeply concerned about how his son would turn out.
• Frank Hawking lamented that “he hangs round the house with little initiative and does not study much”, according to previously unknown diaries that he had written partly in code.
• Those diaries are among family papers and photographs to which a Costa award-winning biographer and physicist has been given unprecedented access.
• In September, Graham Farmelo will publish the first definitive biography authorised by the Stephen Hawking estate, the publisher John Murray will announce this week.