Book by "Science-Art" founder Robert Pope given to Stephen Hawking during 1979 general relativity conference in Italy

Pope, R., Science-art, Robert Pope, 1979. " Dedication by author dated 27 June 1979 on inside front cover.

Robert Pope is an artist inspired by contemporary physics and founder of the Science-Art Research Centre in Australia. Most physicists consider his interpretations of physical theories to extend into the metaphysical, making hom broadly part of the 'New Age' culture of the 1960s-70s. Nonetheless, he has participated in important gatherings alongside physics, including the Second Marcel Grossmann Meeting on Recent Developments in General Relativity that took place in Trieste in July 1979. The presence of Pope's book in Hawking's office is likely connected to this Grossman conference, as the date of the dedication is just one week before the actual meeting.

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.