amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Presents a brief biography of physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking, discussing how as a young man Hawking was fascinated with the stars, was diagnosed with ALS in university, and now, fifty years later, is still theorizing about the universe.

"From his early days at Oxford, Stephen Hawking's brilliance and good humor were obvious to everyone he met. At twenty-one he was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that limited his ability to move and speak, though it did nothing to limit his mind. He went on to do groundbreaking work in cosmology and theoretical physics for decades after being told he had only a few years to live. Through his 1988 bestseller, A Brief History of Time, and his appearances on shows like Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory, Hawking became a household name and a pop-culture icon"--Provided by the publisher.

"Nicholas Sparks returns with his signature combination of gripping, emotionally resonant storytelling and love overcoming all odds"--.

"Hope Anderson is at a crossroads. At thirty-six, she's been dating her boyfriend, an orthopedic surgeon, for six years. With no wedding plans in sight, and her father recently diagnosed with ALS, she decides to use a week at her family's cottage in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to ready the house for sale and mull over some difficult decisions about her future. Tru Walls has never visited North Carolina but is summoned to Sunset Beach by a letter from a man claiming to be his father. A safari guide, born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tru hopes to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his mother's early life and recapture memories lost with her death. When the two strangers cross paths, their connection is as electric as it is unfathomable...but in the immersive days that follow, their feelings for each other will give way to choices that pit family duty against personal happiness in devastating ways"--Provided by publisher.

"In 2008, Simon Fitzmaurice was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. He was given four years to live. In 2010, in a state of lung-function collapse, Simon knew with crystal clarity that now was not his time to die. Against all prevailing medical opinion, he chose to ventilate in order to stay alive"--Publisher.

"Stephen Hawking studies black holes, gravity, and the universe. He has written books for children and adults. Learn how Hawking's determination and love of math and science have made him a successful and well-known scientist."--.

In Japan, teenaged Abe Sora, who is afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease, finds friends online and elicits their help to end his suffering.

The author writes about her young husband's descent into dementia, and her and her two boys' struggle to come to terms with his diagnosis and what it means to their family.

Profiles the life and achievements of cosmologist Stephen William Hawking, one of the world's greatest science writers, whose notable accomplishments were achieved in spite of disabilities caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.