Book: textbook of modern classical physics co-written by Hawking's friend KIp Thorne, offered by its publisher

Book: textbook of modern classical physics co-written by Hawking's friend KIp Thorne, offered by its publisher Book: textbook of modern classical physics co-written by Hawking's friend KIp Thorne, offered by its publisher Book: textbook of modern classical physics co-written by Hawking's friend KIp Thorne, offered by its publisher

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Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Thorne, K.S. and Blandford, R.D., Modern classical physics : optics, fluids, plasmas, elasticity, relativity, and statistical physics, Princeton U.P., 2017. With publisher's letter.

Stephen Hawking's office contained more than 300 books, all located on the bookshelves above the kitchen counter. They date as early as his student years, and the bulk corresponds to his long professional career from the 1960s to the 2010s. From the 1990s onwards Stephen would have used digital versions increasingly, so the books in his bookcases were a select subset. While some items are rare copies -like the dissertations he advised or book drafts- most of the library contents are rather standard prints. The majority contain significant individual marks, and even for those that do not, the connection to Hawking is evident. Books by friends and colleagues often contain inscriptions and inserts that evidence their relationship. Others remind of places he visited, conferences he attended, or relate to having become a celebrity and inspiration throughout the world. Of the books that he authored, there are usually multiple versions, translations, and occasionally draft versions. A good portion of the books also contain inserts such as notes by the authors or editors, receipts, and occasionally unrelated material that found its way into them around the time of their acquisition. A portion of them has also been bookmarked with post-its by Stephen's assistants pointing to the sections most relevant to show visitors.

Details

Category:
Stephen Hawking Office
Collection:
Stephen Hawking’s Office
Object Number:
2021-561/151
Materials:
paper (fibre product)
Measurements:
overall: 267 mm x 220 mm x 67 mm, 3.415 kg
overall (letter unfolded): 279 mm x 218 mm .00563 kg
type:
book
credit:
Accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by H M Government from the Estate of Stephen Hawking and allocated to the Science Museum, 2021