British physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking has lived for nearly 50 years with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative motor-neuron disease. Professor Hawking’s life story has recently been celebrated in print and on film.

My Brief History, published by Bantam Books in the US and Bantam Press in the UK, traces Hawking’s life story, from his childhood in post-war London through his many accomplishments and personal journey. The memoir explores the celebrity associated with his status as one of the world’s most recognizable physicists. You can find more details on his website.

Also, just released this September, Hawking: The Remarkable Story of a Beautiful Mind is an autobiographical film written by Hawking, Stephen Finnigan, and Ben Bowie. Hawking is the narrator of the film, which has been described as “an intimate and moving journey into his world, past and present”.

Photo by ²°¹°° [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Fact: Stephen Hawking’s website describes in detail the computer-based communication system he currently uses.