Brief Answers to Big Questions

The 10 questions addressed here include

1. Is there a God?
2. How it all began?
3. Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
4. Can we predict the future?
5. What is inside a black hole?
6. Is time travel possible?
7. Will we survive on Earth?
8. Should we colonise space?
9. Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
10. How do we shape the future?

I was skeptical about this book. I wasn’t sure if I would grasp everything about cosmology, quantum physics, black holes, and string theory. That’s the amazing thing about Hawkings. He simplifies things for you, and you get the gist. His answers are straightforward, factual, and funny. He never misses an opportunity to throw in a joke. What a remarkable person and a remarkable life, and he is so honest about everything he thinks and has experienced.

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.

Grit - Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success

The book is divided into 2 parts. In the first part, the author explains how excellence and genius can be achieved through Grit. How we as a society are so obsessed with the naturals and geniuses with high IQs, and we give too little importance to the efforts put into achieving excellence. What good is talent when you don’t put it to use, and yet when we hear of naturals, we get excited? Talent is necessary, but it is not the only thing that defines success. Dr. Duckworth summarizes this with a simple formula ““ Talent x Effort = Skill, Skill x Effort = Excellence. But it is not just perseverance; she defines Grit as something that you do repeatedly and improve progressively since you like it and find a purpose in it.

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.