Reviews (18)

Epic tale of space exploration
This is a fascinating book that takes you inside NASA and the JPL and details just how incredibly hard the modern business of space exploration is.To accomplish something as successful as the two mars rovers have been is nothing short of miraculous.An endless chain of complicated technical, budgetary and scientific challenges awaited the brilliant engineers and scientists on this project.
Fascinating and inspiring
I loved this book and couldn't put it down.What a great story!And the best part is it's true.

History in the making - what more do you want?
Mr. Squyres does not aspire to the heights of great literature, but he does manage to maintain absolute clarity across the many varied and technical aspects of the Mars rover missions - a truly remarkable feat that makes the book accessible to everyone.Because of his account, we learn about the intriguing mission selection process, the critical mission stopping engineering problems, and the seemingly arcane science that drives those missions. Most of all, Steve answers my most perplexing question, i.e., what did we accomplish on Mars with the rovers.
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Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Exploration    4. Extraterrestrial Biology    5. Mars (Planet)    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Space Exploration    9. Space flight to Mars    10. Planets & asteroids    11. Science / Nanostructures   

Reviews (1)

20 Yrs Later, Still the Best Mars Reference
20 years after publication, "The Surface of Mars" is still the absolute best starting point for anyone interested in learning the basics about what Mars is like.Chapters describe the channels, craters,volcanoes, history, moons, etc. as best as these topics were understood atthe end of the 1970s Viking missions.Even after Pathfinder and with MarsGlobal Surveyor, this is still the book I suggest people start with tolearn about the Red Planet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Earth Sciences - General    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Unassigned Title    7. Planets & asteroids    8. Science / Earth Sciences   

Editorial Review

Reviews (11)

May I Kindly Say This Book Kicks Some Serious Butt?
This is a really cool book! I didn't know we had the so-called red planet (a better name is the butterscotch planet) mapped out to the extent that we do. I've always loved geography and to take a tour of the features of another world is thrilling. If you like astronomy, geography, or have an optimist's bent on human destiny being among the stars, read this great book!

Very informative
Have you ever wanted to go beyond the headlines concerning discoveries about Mars and get a thorough overview so that you can put things into perspective?This book is more than a collection of pretty pictures from a far away place.It gives a good introductory account of what we think we know about the planet, and why.
A great book and a wonderful resource
This fascinating book is the work of scientist, author and artist, William K. Hartmann. What this item is, really, is a travelogue about the planet Mars! Going interesting location by interesting location, the book takes the reader across the face of Mars, and through Martian history. Along the way, the reader is treated to *many* colorful pictures and maps.
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Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Mars (Planet)    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Planets & asteroids    7. Popular astronomy    8. Travel writing   

Reviews (19)

Something in this book...may be true...?
To most people this book would come across as absurd, and to others it would become a bible. I really think though, that one should approach this middle-of-the-road style, perhaps leaning toward the former.
Snore
Nothing in this book is true but it is a comprehensive new age/rebirthing/early 90's generic unified theory of kookiness. The reason this book seems original is because Bob did combine a lot of strange information here, but didn't add much to the mix. Is NASA hiding things on Mars? I think so. Is there a devious secret government? Yes, but you'll find a lot more accurate info elsewhere on these subjects. I recommend Bob's companion volume Something in This Book is True instead of this because it has a much more personal touch and at least Something true.

IT'S HARDLY RECOMMENDED TO ME!!
But I really would like to read it in Spanish, I heard that it's a great book, there somethings that I read and I understand, But it will be better if I can find it in Spanish ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Extraterrestrial anthropology    2. Geology    3. Mars (Planet)    4. Metaphysics    5. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    6. Occultism    7. Philosophy    8. Unexplained Phenomena    9. Unidentified flying objects    10. Occultism & quasi-religious beliefs    11. Parapsychology, psychic powers, ESP   

Subjects:  1. American wit and humor    2. Form - Essays    3. Humor    4. Liberalism    5. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    6. Political Process - Political Parties    7. Political Science    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Topic - Political    10. United States   

Editorial Review

Humans are not native to the Earth. So posits astronautical engineer Bob Zubrin in the opening of Read more

Reviews (38)

The single most authoritative book on the potential human future in space
Astonishingly imaginative and technically authoritative, this is the single best and most important book that exists right now on the possibilities for the human future in space. Full disclosure: I have written articles for books Zubrin has edited. Dr. Zubrin, a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering with master's degrees in physics and aeronautics and astronautics, probably did more than any other single person to change everyone's thinking, including NASA's, about human missions to other planets, with the mission architecture he came up with for sending humans to Mars.
A detailed technical manifesto
If you're like me, you've always felt that it would be pretty cool (and useful) to be able to travel through space like we currently jet around the globe. If that's the case, then you've probably also ran up against a huge wall of "who cares?" whenever you try to express your excitement about the possibilities inherent in space travel. This cogent, well-researched book will help you do two things: Convince your friends that a spacefaring civilization is possible in the few decades or so, and that it is worthwhile. Believe you me - I have always thought that the problems involved in getting ourselves to Mars were more political than technical, but Zubrin makes it abundantly clear how we can get to Mars, the asteroids, and accomplish a host of other tasks, and all for pennies on NASA's current dollar estimates. Furthermore, he outlines the possible benefits to such programs, including the literally astronomical mineral wealth of the asteroids, technological drives, and the intangibles that go along with a new human push towards the frontiers. This book has rekindled the vision of space for me and every one of my friends who has taken the time to read it.
A touch preachy, speculative and stodgy
Robert Zubrin is obviously dissatisfied with the state of affairs with NASA.He complains about the lack of funding for certain programs and the lack of direction from the top brass.He makes his point but he should have cut it short.Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astrophysics & Space Science    3. Exploration    4. Outer space    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Space colonies    8. Astronomy, Space & Time    9. Science / Astronomy    10. Space Exploration    11. Aeronautics & Astronautics    12. Space flight    13. Mars (Planet)    14. Life on other planets   

Reviews (3)

A peek into "another world"
If you are a voyeur at heart, you will love this book. Theodore Flournoy, Professor of Psychophysiology at the University of Geneva, got extremely close to his subject, Catherine Elise Muller, who he gave the pseudonym Helene Smith, and studied her for five years. On many occasions he provided his home as the locale for her excursions, each of which lasted several hours. And the subject rewarded Flournoy with an amazing display of behaviors.
The Greatest Fraud of the 20th Century
This book is an excellent piece of work.The author was successfully played by the infamous Mme. Helene Smith (an alias) who had created, based on her native language of French, a Martian language in one of her "mediumistic" states.Overall, it is an important work in the field of psychology and takes psychological analysis to a whole new level.I would sincerely recommend this work to a serious student of psychology to uncover the gullibility of a skeptic. From India to the Planet Mars
Sonu Shamdasani's insightful preface to Fluornoy's classic study makes this book well worth rereading.The case of H�l�ne Smith was a hallmark in the early development of modern psychology.This is one of the firstscientific studies of mediumship, making it a classic both for students ofpsychology and for those interested in parapsychology as well.Fluornoy'scareful and measured scientific insight combined with his writing stylegive this work the fascination of a novel and the import of a scientificwork. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. General    3. Geneva    4. Investigation    5. Mediums    6. Metaphysical Phenomena    7. Metaphysical Phenomena - General    8. Parapsychology    9. Psychology    10. Smith, Hâeláene,    11. Switzerland    12. d. 1929    13. Mind, body, spirit: reincarnation & past lives    14. States of consciousness   

Reviews (2)

A Classic!
This book is a real classic. You will see how rocket wizzard and space visionary Wernher von Braun and his colleagues imagined a manned mission to Mars with the technology available in the mid 20th century. With today's knowledge and financial horizon, von Braun's vision looks pretty oversized, and the surface of Mars certainly is very different from what they believed 50 years ago. The very value of this book is that it simply showed how such an extensive mission could be made feasible -- that it is possible to send people to Mars without fancy technology of science fiction writers. The authors use some calculus and diagrams to explain the complicated flight dynamics for sending a spacecraft to another planet and landing on its surface. A book for the true space junkie.
Do you wonder how they did it? How they actually figured out how to get to the moon? Well, this is Von Braun's plan for getting to mars using the technologies available in the early 1950's and it shows the detailedthinking necessary to figure out how to make it all work. Lots of math anddiagrams. My vote for the best book of the century. To give you some idea,I already own this book, a 1962 edition. It is getting too precious tothumb through. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. General    3. History: American    4. Science    5. Space Exploration    6. Space science    7. Space travel & exploration   

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Mars (Planet)    4. Pictorial works    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Astronomy, Space & Time    8. Photographs: collections    9. Science / Astronomy   

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Astrophysics & Space Science    4. Climate    5. Mars (Planet)    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Climatology    9. Planets & asteroids    10. Science / Astronomy   

Reviews (5)

Human Reaction In the Face of a Possible Paradigm Shift
This book is a page-turner! The possibility of having discovered traces of ancient Martian life, no matter how primitive, has sent ripples throughout the (mainly scientific) world. This book gives an excellent overview of the entire story - from the 1984 discovery of this Martian rock in the Antarctic to the present time. As expected, there was much debate about whether the rock did indeed show signs of primitive, ancient Martian life. Consequently, two main camps formed: those trying to prove that the rock did show such signs of Martian life and those proposing alternative explanations for the rock's interesting features. I think that the author has done an excellent job in presenting the story without taking sides in the occasionally heated debates that took place over the years. There are no good guys and no bad guys here, just people trying to understand what had been found in the face of a possible paradigm shift. This book can be enjoyed by anyone because of its clear prose and engaging writing style. Nevertheless, because of its subject matter, it will likely be more popular among science buffs.

Tales of the Rock Star
We are fascinated by the possibility that there may be some sort of life elsewhere than on the Earth.The possibility that there is no life elsewhere is equally interesting, but it doesn't, for instance, make interesting science fiction movies.Life outside of Earth has most often been imagined on Mars, which for all its differences from our planet is the one that is most similar to our own.Thus, when on 7 August 1996 researchers announced that they had found evidence that might show fossilized life on Mars, it was not just a scientific announcement, but one which that non-scientist President Clinton had to take part in making._The Rock from Mars: A Detective Story on Two Planets_ (Random House) by Kathy Sawyer tells how the announcement came about, the science behind it, and the personalities (and the infighting) that made it happen and have kept research in the arena to the current day at various cutting edges at the limits of our understanding.Sawyer, a science reporter for the _Washington Post_, has made this story not only interesting but exciting, a refreshing view of how big science is done these days.
Science vs Politics. (Guess who wins?)
Kathy Sawyer does an absolutely first-rate job of describing what is really a very intricate subject--what is life, and how do we know?The first half of the book describes the discovery of a meteor lying on the snow in Antarctica--which turns out of have been ejected from the planet Mars! The initial investigation of these rocks is cursory and tells little that is new. The rock molders in a museum repository for years--until it is examined again. Suddenly, in a leap of inspiration, one scientist notices tiny features that look strikingly like fossilized microbes--the first signs of extraterrestrial Life!
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Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Earth Sciences - Geology    4. Geology (Specific Aspects)    5. Life Sciences - General    6. Life on other planets    7. Mars probes    8. Meteorites    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Science / Astronomy   

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Astrophysics    4. Astrophysics & Space Science    5. Cosmology    6. Planets    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Science / Astrophysics & Space Science    11. Space travel & exploration   

Reviews (6)

Where Brian Muirhead when you need him?
What an incredible book!Brian Muirhead's story of developing, launching, and landing the successful Mars Pathfinder Mission is an incredible story of vision, hard work, attention to detail, and because of it all, success. At last a simple powerful book on how to perform in groups
You were so impressed by the Mars Pathfinder mission, and you are definetely interested by people management issues: get this great little book, you will appreciate the conciseness, precision, and high value of allthe concepts it expresses.
A management, not science book
This book is an advertisement for Pritchett Associates. It is not a bookabout Pathfinder science. The amount of real information about Pathfinderand the team is minimal.There is more Pathfinder information on NASAs website.Unless you have never read a quality or other management book in thepast few years, this book is nothing special. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. Mars Pathfinder Project (U.S.)    3. Organizational change    4. Organizational effectiveness    5. Performance standards    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Business    9. History    10. Investing    11. Science: Nature   

Reviews (74)

Lets wake up people, we should all praise Mr. Hoagland!!!
N.A.S.A. knows way more about Mars then it would ever tell us-(the taxpayers). Mr. Hoagland has done his homework and a whole lot more. This book is NOT fantasy.....it is REALITY!!! It is beautifully written and was a true joy to read. I have been following Mars info for 14 years now, in the form of TV, books and the internet. I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH....I DEMAND IT!!! I trust Mr. Hoagland's knowledge and years of dedication to what he believes. That why this is a great book from cover to cover. Some people like being the sheep in this world, always believing what big brother tells you. For them, I say, "Too bad you're missing out".

Mountain or "Face??"You Decide!!!!
+++++
Just suppose...
for a moment that NASA*DID* find evidence of past or present intelligent life on this (or any other planet) besides Lichens and bugs, I mean-do you think for a moment they would tell us about it?
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Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Astrophysics & Space Science    4. Controversial Knowledge    5. Cosmology    6. Cydonia (Mars)    7. Life on other planets    8. Mars (Planet)    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Surface    12. Science: General Issues   

Reviews (29)

AMAZINGMAGIC=TRUTH
Another of my fatherZ favoriteZ to give for EVOLVING CONSCIOUSNESS.He is a SHAMAN in Costa Rica.i LOVE this book & often refer back to IT!!!
Too Much
The issue with this book isn't that it demands an open mind, although that certainly will help. The issue is that it tries too hard to tie too many things together, and in doing so references some topics that stretch credulity, even for a book like this. For instance, the Billy Meier abduction has been pretty thoroughly debunked but it's in here. Sitchin's Nibiru? There is some pretty strong cosmological evidence that it couldn't exist or, at the very least, that it could not have been created in the way that Sitchin insists. I'm willing to give Frissell the benefit of the doubt on Toth, Melchizedek, and the greys but by bringing in these other concepts he calls everything into question. If he "knows" all this information as he claims, he should know what is crap too.
Unintentionally Humorous
The parts of this book intended to be serious are, in fact, hilarious.This guy is nuts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Extraterrestrial anthropology    2. Metaphysical Phenomena - General    3. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    4. Occultism    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Unidentified flying objects    7. Occultism & quasi-religious beliefs    8. Unexplained phenomena   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Astrophysics & Space Science    4. Exploration    5. Geology    6. Mars (Planet)    7. Philosophy & Social Aspects    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Sociology Of Science    11. Space Exploration    12. Science / Astrophysics & Space Science    13. Science: General Issues   

Reviews (1)

Water on Mars
"Water on Mars" is an excellent source for basic and intermediate theories on the Martian geologic and atmospheric history. The book clearly shows Carr's bias towards a wet, warm early Mars but he doessuggest alternative theories, if only briefly. The book includes manyfabulous images from Viking and other sources, clearly defines theimportant aspects of Martian topology, and in general provides a fluid andeasily readable description. "Water on Mars" is an excellent textbook for any Mars related class, or important reference for anyoneinterested in Mars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Earth Sciences - Hydrology    3. General    4. Geology    5. Geology (General)    6. Life on other planets    7. Mars (Planet)    8. Planets    9. Poetry    10. Science    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Water    13. Earth Sciences | Planetology    14. Geology & the lithosphere    15. Hydrology (freshwater)    16. Planets & asteroids    17. Science / Earth Sciences   

Reviews (3)

Excellent Book, great pictures
This book contained some new pictures that I had never seen before.Written narration is good.If you're interested in learning and seeing more of Mars, I highly recommend this book.

Classy pictures bring you right to the Red Planet!!
What would Mars look like if you could actually get in your own spaceship and fly there right now?And what book would you want to put what you were seeing in context?Well, in both cases, this is your book!The fourth planet from the sun is brought to life in full color in this priceless blend of realistic paintings, actual photographs and informative prose.Great as a gift or for yourself: You'll never have quite the same Visions of Mars ever again!!

Picture postcards from a very distant shore
"Visions of Mars" is filled with astounding images of Mars, most of them photographs taken by the Viking, Pathfinder, Spirit, and Opportunity lander missions, some by the Mars orbiters, and others created by computers based upon orbital laser data.Almost all of them are colored according to the best interpretation of what Mars would look like to the human eye (in general, the photographs are constructed from black-and-white images made with color filters, then layered together).We get to see the salmon-pink of the Martian sky and the coppery dust that covers the planet.Many of the orbital images show canyons that dwarf anything to be found on earth,Along the visual journey, the text explains the latest findings and thinking regarding the questions about water on Mars and the possibility of life there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astronomy - Solar System    3. Exploration    4. Mars (Planet)    5. Photo Essays    6. Photoessays & Documentaries    7. Photography    8. Photography Of Specific Subjects    9. Pictorial works    10. Planets    11. Science    12. Science/Mathematics    13. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    14. Popular astronomy    15. Popular science    16. Science / Astronomy   

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astrophysics & Space Science    3. Earthquakes & Volcanoes    4. Guidebooks    5. Lunar geology    6. Planetary volcanism    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Volcanoes    10. Astronomy, Space & Time    11. Science / Astronomy   

Editorial Review

"For our generation and many that will follow, Mars is the New World," writes Zubrin. This book went to press serendipitously, just as NASA was making its startling if heavily-qualified announcement that simple life may have once existed on the fourth rock from the sun. Zubrin doesn't spend an enormous amount of time arguing why Mars exploration is desirable -- we all want astronauts to go there, don't we? -- but rather devotes the bulk of this book explaining how it can happen on a sensible, bare-bones budget of $20-30 billion and a "travel light and live off the land" philosophy. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

It's okay
As many of reviewers have said, Robert Zubrin describes his plan for getting to Mars as effeciently as possible.
Skeptic turned advocate.Coverage thorough, authentic & compelling
Speaking as an aerospace engineer, my evaluation of this book is that it gives a comprehensive and accurate assessment of not just reaching Mars on a realistically limited budget and time frame, but actually colonizing the planet.Most material I have read about space travel is either very detailed technical coverage of some small aspect, or some dreamer's uninformed broad brush speculations.This book gives comprehensive coverage of a workable plan that includes enough detail to verify that the author and his associates have done their homework.
The lightbulb blinks to life...
This book was a real eye-opener. The plan developed by Zubrin (and others) is a great piece of engineering. Elegant, robust, cost-effective. It doesn't turn on technologies yet to be realized, and doesn't lobby for a pure research plan (and attendant budget) to be sent their way.
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Subjects:  1. Aeronautics & Astronautics    2. Astronomy - General    3. Life on other planets    4. Mars (Planet)    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Popular astronomy    8. Science / General    9. Planets    10. Cosmology    11. Space flight    12. Space Exploration