Omni Crush: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
Mary Roach became a bit of a legend in the world of books last May when she was one of four headliners at BookExpo America's Adult Author breakfast. She had the daunting task of following literary luminaries like Jon Stewart, Condoleezza Rice, and John Grisham. So how did she top this lineup? By following these celebrities with an early morning chat about "separation anxiety" in space (in case you need a better sense of what that means, check out her interview with Jon Stewart from earlier this week).
Her new book (with a whole chapter dedicated to the science of "separation"), Packing for Mars, is, quite simply, one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. And, deservedly so, it's also our spotlight pick for our Best Books of August:
With her wry humor and inextinguishable curiosity, Mary Roach has crafted her own quirky niche in the somewhat staid world of science writing, showing no fear (or shame) in the face of cadavers, ectoplasm, or sex. In Packing for Mars, Roach tackles the strange science of space travel, and the psychology, technology, and politics that go into sending a crew into orbit. Roach is unfailingly inquisitive (Why is it impolite for astronauts to float upside down during conversations? Just how smelly does a spacecraft get after a two week mission?), and she eagerly seeks out the stories that don't make it onto NASA's website--from SPCA-certified space suits for chimps, to the trial-and-error approach to crafting menus during the space program's early years (when the chefs are former livestock veterinarians, taste isn't high on the priority list). Packing for Mars is a book for grownups who still secretly dream of being astronauts, and Roach lives it up on their behalf--weightless in a C-9 aircraft, she just can't resist the opportunity to go "Supermanning" around the cabin. Her zeal for discovery, combined with her love of the absurd, amazing, and stranger-than-fiction, make Packing for Mars an uproarious trip into the world of space travel.
--Lynette
Beth on August 05, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Lovely - I look forward to reading this one. I had the chance to interview her a year and a half or so ago, and she was just great - warm and funny and as interesting as her books!
http://www.abebooks.com/books/romance-vs-erotica.shtml
Lynette Mong on August 05, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Thanks for sharing, Beth! I love how she sums up her approach to researching a new topic: "I thought 'that sounds like an awkward and entertaining prospect!' so I figured it would fit in well with my interests."
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