Mary Roach has made a career writing books that answer questions most people would never think to ask. Having already given readers more than they ever wanted to know about the science of cadavers (“Stiff”), souls (“Spook”) and sex (“Bonk”), she turns her inquisitive mind to the cosmos.
“Packing for Mars” is a book even the most casual space geek will enjoy. From the race to the moon in the ’60s to the current goal of a manned mission to Mars by 2030, the book features chapters exploring everything from vomiting in zero gravity (“Throwing Up and Down”) to sex in space (“The Three-Dolphin Club”). It’s written in a very casual style, with Roach inserting herself into the story whenever her curiosity demands it. She takes a ride aboard NASA’s tricked-out C-9 to experience weightlessness and drinks her own filtered urine — all in the name of research.