It would be like hearing Christopher Columbus on the New World.Hawking presents a series of seven lec-tures--covering everything from big bang to black holes to string theory--that capture not only the brilliance of Hawking's mind but his characteristic wit as well.

Of his research on black holes, which absorbed him for more than a decade, he says, "It might seem a bit like looking for a black cat in a coal cellar."Hawking begins with a history of ideas about the universe, from Aristotle's determination that the Earth is round to Hubble's discovery, over 2000 years later, that the universe is epanding.

Using that as a launching pad, he eplores the reaches of modern physics, including theories (less)

There are new ideas about the top-down theory of cosmology (the idea that there is no one history of the universe, but that every possible history exists). It concludes with a riveting assessment of m-theory, and discusses whether it is the unified theory Einstein spent a lifetime searching for.

This is the first major work in nearly a decade by one of the world's greatest thinke A succinct, startling (less)

Sustainable success comes from values, and these can sustain a society, and a nation, even in times of hardship. The book attempts to express an ideal by which Indian society may prosper, and speaks of how spirituality can help create a noble nation and a better world.

It provides a valuable counterpoint to the modern-day emphasis on consumerism and the philosophy of more is better, highlighting the sanctity of the natural world and its great power to evoke human creativity and love (less)

Whether he is remebering his first experience of nursery school; puncturing the arrogance of those who think science can best be understood only by other scientists and should be left to them; exploring the origins and the future of the universe; or reflecting on the phenomenon of 'A Brief History of Time', Stephen's wit, directness of style and absence of pomp are vital characteristics at all times (less)

Through interviews and anecdotes, he embarks on a journey that takes in the many faces of India, from the intouchables of Uttar Pradesh to the skyscrapers of Gurgaon, from the religious riots of Ayodhya to the calm of a university campus. And he explores how successfully India reconciles opposites, marries the sensual with the sacred, finds harmony in discord, and treats certainty with suspicion (less)

But when a senator's son is killed in a hit-and-run, Fenney is asked by the state judge to put his air-conditioned lifestyle on hold to defend the accused: a black, heroin-addicted prostitute - a very different client to the people Fenney usually represents..

.THE ABDUCTION WhenElizabeth Brice turns up to collect her daughter Grace from football practice, the coach tells her she needn't have bothered, as Grace's uncle has already picked her up.

The only problem is - Grace has no uncles. And so begins a furious race against time to save Grace from unknown kidnappe But secrets from the past make the little girl's survival more uncertain with every passing minute (less)

If you can imagine a modern-day retelling of Mark Twain's classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", featuring a teenage girl and a pregnant young Mexican woman as the main characters, then you've got the gist of Matthew Olshan's "Finn", a brilliant debut novel due out from Bancroft Press and Girls' Life Books in March 2001. Written primarily for young people, but nuanced enough to interest adult readers, "Finn" is both adventure story and social criticism.

"Finn" is an unflinching portrait of modern America; but even more than that, it's a good, old-fashioned, picaresque tale. A fun, fast, and inspiring read, "Finn" aims to hold the attention of every reader, whatever her age.

The book's narrator is Chloe Wilder, a quiet, tough kid, a tomboy and survivor. Rescued from a murderous life with her mother, Chloc is living with her grandparents at the beginning of the story, in the cocoon of a quiet, middle-class neighborhood, attending a fancy private school.

After unwittingly forcing Sylvia, her grandparents' live-in maid, from the house, Chloe is herself torn from her placid life. Together, Chloe and Sylvia take to the road, hoping to reach California before Sylvia's baby is born.

As they face the wilderness of the streets, and Chloe learns about Sylvia's incredible past, a new friendship is forged, and old prejudices begin to fall away. Along the way, Chloe begins to face a personal demon: the long-buried, ungrieved death of her father.

While "Finn" is about the adventures of Sylvia and Chloe. it's equally about the social challenges of modern America, which, ironically, parallel those of Mark Twain's time: the corrosive power of racism; violence within the nuclear family; theyawning divide between rich and poor; and the hunger for equal justice.

Author Matthew Olshan was educated at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Oxford Universities. He is a freelance writer, screenwriter, and producer, specializing in educational media.

He lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife and daughter. "Finn" is his first published novel (less)

Whether he is remebering his first experience of nursery school; puncturing the arrogance of those who think science can best be understood only by other scientists and should be left to them; exploring the origins and the future of the universe; or reflecting on the phenomenon of 'A Brief History of Time', Stephen's wit, directness of style and absence of pomp are vital characteristics at all times (less)

But the West is under the East's greatest threat yet. The Stuxnet virus that successfully subverted Iran's nuclear defense program for years is being rapidly identified and defeated, and Stuxnet's creators are stressed to develop a successor.

As Jeff and Daryl struggle to stay together, they're summoned to disarm the attack of a revolutionary, invisible trojan that alters data without leaving a trace. As the trojan penetrates Western intelligence, the terrifying truth about Iran is revealed, and Jeff and Daryl find themselves running a desperate race against time to reverse it - while the fate of both East and West hangs in the balance.

Like Zero Day, Trojan Horse is a thrilling (less)

Sustainable success comes from values, and these can sustain a society, and a nation, even in times of hardship. The book attempts to express an ideal by which Indian society may prosper, and speaks of how spirituality can help create a noble nation and a better world.

It provides a valuable counterpoint to the modern-day emphasis on consumerism and the philosophy of more is better, highlighting the sanctity of the natural world and its great power to evoke human creativity and love (less)

In The Blood Sugar Solution, Dr Mark Hyman reveals that the secret solution to losing weight and preventing diabetes - as well as heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer - is balanced insulin levels. The Blood Sugar Solution, Dr.

Hyman gives us the tools to achieve this with his revolutionary sixweek healthy-living programme and the seven keys to achieving wellness - nutrition, hormones, inflammation, digestion, detoxification, energy metabolism, and a calm mind. With advice on diet, exercise, supplements and medication, and options to personalise the plan for optimal results, The Blood Sugar Solution teaches readers how to maintain lifelong health.

Groundbreaking and timely, The Blood Sugar Solution is the fastest way to lose weight, prevent disease, and feel better than ever (less)

A brutal enforcer, and a soft-hearted family man. The Australian record-holder for highest score in Tests and One Day Internationals, who was at times troubled by self-doubt and doubteIn Standing My Ground, Hayden confronts these contradictions head-on.

He talks frankly about the forces that shaped his journey from fringe international to a giant of the game. He dissects Australia's tactic of verbal warfare and his own role as a key aggressor, taking us on a privileged tour inside the sporting machine that dominated all comers in a golden ageof Australian cricket.

This isn't a predictable ball-by-ball account of a stellar career. Instead, Hayden delivers characteristically direct assessment of the matches and the people that mattered most.

He pays homage to great role models like Allan Border and explains his deep connection to controversial (less)

In India in Slow Motion, Tully and his colleague Gillian Wright delve further than ever before into this nation of over one billion people, attempting to unravel a culture that, famously, has always resisted unravelling. India in Slow Motion is the account of a journey that for Tully and Wright has no true beginning or end (less)