I'm thinking about buying a copy of "A brief history of time" by Professor Hawking because I don't have much to do this easter. Has anybody read this book and is it any good? Do you think I would like it? (Note: I am interested in the origins and functions of the universe and physics on a personal level)

It's really good. I highly recommend it. Also, you can download the .mp3's of the book on tape if you want. I used to listen to it in my car all the time, along with his later work, The Universe in a Nutshell.

I'd recommend "Universe in a Nutshell" as your first reading

No I would not understand that book. Is it like all in scientific geek talk?

Read it! It's very good..it's actually one of the reasons I'm studying physics now^^

Sounds good, I went to my local waterstones and picked up a copy of the universe in a nutshell today, I look forward to reaing it

Get it! I love that book. Hawking has this way of taking the world's most complex ideas and makes them seem within the grasp of the normal man (i.e. me). He has a great sense of humor, and it comes through throughout the whole book (which is pretty strange for a book about the growth and eventual decline of the universe).

I've read most of it, though I keep forgetting to go back and finish it. It really is interesting if you like that sort of thing.

One thing to keep in mind though, it was written quite awhile ago and Hawking has changed his mind about some of the conclusions he made. I'm not entirely clear on which ones, I just had a physicist friend tell me that it was definitly a bit dated, but still an excellent book.

I would definitely recommend it.  It has been seven or eight years since I read it, so I can't expound much on it, but it was very interesting.

get it, don't think about it any more.

I also strongly recommend Bill bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything