Childhood -- Oxford and Cambridge -- My experience with ALS -- Public attitudes toward science -- A brief history of A brief history -- My position -- Is the end in sight for theoretical physics? -- Einstein's dream -- The origin of the universe -- The quantum mechanics of black holes -- Black holes and baby universes -- Is everything determined? -- The future of the universe -- Desert Island Discs : an interview.
In thirteen essays and one extended interview Hawking discusses imaginary time, how black holes can give birth to baby universes, and scientists' efforts to find a complete unified theory that would predict everything in the universe.