The Grand DesignThe Grand Design
Score Modern
What it's about
When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? Is the apparent design of the universe evidence of a creator, or can science explain it? Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow take a whirlwind tour of physics and cosmology to answer these questions.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a short, accessible tour of modern physics.
You'll love it if you liked
A Brief History of Time
The Elegant Universe
CosmosGood to know
Its argument that physics makes a creator unnecessary drew wide debate. It's illustrated and short.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #76 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #728 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1368 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
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Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is The Grand Design worth reading?
Yes. It spent 2 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,368 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Grand Design about?
When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? Is the apparent design of the universe evidence of a creator, or can science explain it? Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow take a whirlwind tour of physics and cosmology to answer these questions.
How long does it take to read The Grand Design?
About 5 hours (209 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Grand Design?
If you liked it, try A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene or Cosmos by Carl Sagan.