In addition to having a new theory released after his death, Stephen Hawking will also have a posthumously-released book in 2018.
When Will Hawking's Final Book Get Published?
On Wednesday, May 16, UK publisher John Murray revealed that it will release the celebrated physicist and cosmologist's final book in October 2018. Publisher Bantam will release the book in North America.
The book's working title is Brief Answers to the Big Question: Stephen Hawking. Amazon will release the book on October 16.
The publication of Hawking's final book will coincide with the 250th anniversary of John Murray, which launched in 1768.
"Stephen Hawking did more in his lifetime to deepen our understanding of gravity, space and time than anyone since Einstein. He was also a great communicator and populariser of his subject," said Nick Davies of John Murray. "We feel immensely privileged to be publishing his final book."
John Murray will help ensure that the book reaches as many readers as possible.
A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to two non-profit organizations: the Motor Neuron Disease Association and the Stephen Hawking Foundation.
What Will Be In Hawking's Final Book?
Hawking passed away in March 2018 at the age of 76. To complete his final book, the publisher will collate Hawking's most important and timely reflections that were written as part of his personal archive.
"The idea for this book rose out of the thousands of requests Professor Hawking received from people from all over the world for answers to the big questions of our time," said Robert Kirby, Hawking's agent. "With his characteristic wit and brilliant mind he began writing and collating his responses and I'm delighted his Estate has agreed to support publication of Brief Answers to the Big Questions, the last book he was working on before he died."
The publisher confirmed that the book will be divided into four sections: Why Are We Here? Will We Survive? Will Technology Save Us or Destroy Us? How Can We Thrive?
Some of the topics in the book include alien intelligence, artificial intelligence, God, black holes, and the origins of the universe.
Hawking's first book, A Brief History of Time, was published in 1988. It was a bestseller that sold more than 10 million copies. His other books include The Universe In A Nutshell, On the Shoulders of Giants, and God Created the Integers.
