Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

I really enjoyed this book about the space program. Mary Roach writes in a super-accessible style about all of the techy stuff that goes into space flight. I am not a science fiction or outer space person at all, but Roach brings a very human perspective to the subject matter, and that made for a great read.

This is one of those books that, as I read, I kept finding passages I wanted to read aloud to whoever was around me. I also spent most of a one-hour car ride telling Mike about the logistics of going to the bathroom in zero-gravity - pretty exciting stuff. That's what made the book so great for me: it isn't ultimately about the technology, it's about how to ensure that people can survive and function in an atmosphere that is completely different from the one we are designed for.

I highly recommend this book, both to science geeks and non-geeks alike. It's just a really good read.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void