Packing for Mars

The Curious Science of Life in the Void

By: Mary Roach

Narrated by: Sandra Burr

Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? Have sex? Smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour?

To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

©2010 Mary Roach (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

not what I expected but

I thought we'd look into how we are preparing for Mars, and then I came to learn, we aren't, but should be.

This Was So Much Fun

What did you love best about Packing for Mars?

It's everything you didn't know you (didn't) want to know about Space travel. Space nerds like me will Love this. The narrator was perfect for this. WARNING: they get into (with humor) some of the nasty bits of space travel (motion sickness, space toilets, sex). If you're sensitive to the descriptions of icky things you may have back off.

Roach Delivers!

Awesome book for someone interested in space & NASA. Roach's writing style allows for a lot of info to be covered with ease, all while trying not to fall out of the chair from laughter. Burr scores again with her perfect narration.

Never Disappoints

This book is a very approachable description of the machinations NASA and other space agencies go through to enable space travel. Well written and well read. Mary is a consummate storyteller. She's willing to turn over every stone including some that might smell bad. I love Howe joyously she can describe some of the most unsavory and yet necessary parts of having humans in space. Excellently performed by Sandra Burr, who usually reads Mary's books. She makes it come alive by being so expressive whilst covering some highly technical, and much not so, material.

She Drones On About Chimps Masturbating

Would you try another book from Mary Roach and/or Sandra Burr?

Yes, I've read both Grunt & Stiff and found those to be fascinating. However, Packing for Mars had a lot of filler (e.g. Mary Roach droning on and on for several chapters about the chimps who went into space: the jokes, the fame, the debate as to whether or not the moody one pleasured himself or not). What? Yeah. I stopped listening half-way through the book as I just couldn't hear one more word on the chimps.

Would you ever listen to anything by Mary Roach again?

I think I'll likely be more selective about listening to Mary Roach. Some of her books are very interesting whilst others crash and burn.

What about Sandra Burr’s performance did you like?

Burr was very entertaining. Can't blame her for the material.

Was Packing for Mars worth the listening time?

NO. I only made it half-way through before I gave up amidst what I call "filler" chapters about the space chimps. Sure, the initial science regarding space travel was interesting. But I don't want to listen to nearly an hour about the chimps and how one was popular whilst the other one was not (and further detailing why he had an unlikeable nickname and if he was a chronic masturbater or not). Who cares?

Splendid look at where we have come from in space.

I loved this book. it's a detailed, cheeky and fun look at the bizarre and sometimes unabashedly gross history of how man got to space... and some of what we had to do up there. I enjoyed the forward look on the effects each part of the history of space travel would have on a manned mission to Mars but I think my favorite part is the authors humor when confronted with some of our social taboos that cannot be ignored when in " a tin can floating through space".

Excellent performance. Superb book.

Suggested by Destin of smarter every day on YouTube. Found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable examination of the nitty gritty details of nasa, and the history of space exploration.

Disappointing

This rates WAY down the ladder, if you've heard the autobiographies
of astronauts like Eugene Cernan and Wally Shirra.
Also, the details of body function are gross and boring.
Try again Mary, do a chronicle of the Shuttle missions, only with more
science and less poop and barf.

Completely fascinating

The book was interesting throughout from beginning to end. It did take me a while to get adjusted to the narrator reading the notes but once I did that was fine too. highly recommended.

great read!

this book creates a fun entertaining and enlightening way to talk about a topic that may otherwise be considered boring. very well done. I love the creativity in this book.