Theoretical physicist and author Leonard Mlodinow will discuss his book, “Stephen Hawking: A Memoir of Friendship and Physics,” during a virtual event at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, in conversation with Dr. Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine. The event is hosted by Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.
This virtual event will take place live on Crowdcast. If you’re interested, register ahead of time to save your spot and get an email reminder. Register through this event link: www.crowdcast.io/e/mlodinow-
One of the most influential physicists of our time, Stephen Hawking touched the lives of millions. Recalling his nearly two decades as Hawking’s collaborator and friend, Len Mlodinow brings this complex man into focus in a unique and deeply personal portrayal.
Through the book, the reader meets Hawking the genius, who devotes time to uncovering the mysteries of the universe — ultimately formulating a pathbreaking theory of black holes that reignites the discipline of cosmology and paves the way for physicists to investigate the origins of the universe through completely new ways; Hawking the colleague, a man whose illness leaves him able to communicate at only six words per minute but who expends the effort to punctuate his conversations with humor; and Hawking the friend, who can convey volumes with a frown, a smile, or simply a raised eyebrow.
Mlodinow puts the reader in the room as Hawking indulges his passion for wine and curry; shares his feelings on love, death, and disability; and grapples with deep questions of philosophy and physics.
Whether depicting Hawking’s devotion to his work or demonstrating how he would make spur of the moment choices, such as punting on the River Cam, or spinning tales of Hawking defiantly urinating in the hedges outside a restaurant that doesn’t have a wheelchair-accessible toilet, Mlodinow captures his indomitable spirit. This deeply affecting account of their friendship teaches us not just about the nature and practice of physics but also about life and the human capacity to overcome daunting obstacles.
Mlodinow is recognized for groundbreaking discoveries in physics and as the author of five best-selling books. His book, “The Grand Design,” co-authored with Hawking, reached No. 1 on The New York Times best-seller list; “Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior,” won the 2013 PEN/E.O. Wilson Award for literary science writing; and “The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives” was chosen as a New York Times notable book, and short-listed for the Royal Society book award.
Mlodinow is also known through his many public lectures and media appearances on programs ranging from “Morning Joe” to “Through the Wormhole,” and for debating Deepak Chopra on ABC’s “Nightline.”
Shermer is the host of the ”Science Salon” podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years, he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers “Why People Believe Weird Things” and “The Believing Brain,” “Why Darwin Matters,” “The Science of Good and Evil,” “The Moral Arc,” and “Heavens on Earth.”
His new book is “Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist.”
