Packing for Mars

This book was very amusing, but also straight-up informative. The author has done a lot of research into the problems that arise from putting humans into space, and the history of addressing them. I'd go so far as saying that this is essential reading for anyone planning to write a book, movie or TV show set in space.

This is the fourth book I've read by this author. I've been a fan since reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers back in 2004. This book is full of fascinating details about the nitty gritty life of astronauts in zero gravity. It doesn't take long to realize that the life of an astronaut is far from glamorous. In fact, the problem of waste management (i.e. going pee and poo) in zero gravity is a real... mess. Astronauts have a term for floating bits of fecal matter: “escapees.” And you can't open a window to help with the smell either. Astronauts on a short trip generally hope to be a little constipated just so they don't have to deal with it. Dealing with it actually takes about a good 45 minutes too. Anyway, there's more to this book than astronauts having to take a crap. And the author brings her sense of humor to bear on numerous occasions.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is infatuated with space and wants to know a bit more about fascinating space tests. Some are more pleasant to read, while others are extremely disgusting. My hat goes off to those who put their time, health, and bodies into the space program. If it were not for that space challenge so long ago, we would not have the incredible gizmos and gadgets we all use on a daily basis to keep us safe, entertained, and more importantly, alive. I would rate this in the 3.5 range. It would have been much higher, but I couldn't get past the bathroom sections. Maybe it was because I was eating dinner. Word of warning. Skip those sections while eating a plate of spaghetti.