Mars: The Lure of the Red Planet

by William Sheehan, Stephen James O'Meara

No other planet has so fired the human imagination as Mars. The possibility of life on the planet was an obsession in the 19th century. It is not surprising to find that it has become so once again, because of all the planets in the solar system (apart from Earth), Mars has always been regarded as the most likely to serve as the abode of life. Now that there are hints that the planet may have held "liquid water" (a prerequisite for life, in contrast to the frozen water of the ice caps) much more recently than anyone had supposed, excitement over Mars exploration has never been higher.In this engaging, eloquent account of our love affair with the Red Planet, William Sheehan and Stephen James O'Meara review the history of human fascination with our neighbor in the solar system, and look at the prospects for manned spaceflight to Mars in this new century. The authors portray the history of Mars investigations through the eyes of the dreamers and achievers that have made the planet such an integral part of the human psyche. They reveal the discoverers' hardships, their strength in the face of criticisms, and the glories of their successes.What Everest and the moon were to the 20th century, Mars will be to the 21st. Mars is our Everest, a new frontier that will continue to spur the greatest flights of imagination and the most astounding technical feats. Projects are already underway to make these dreams a reality. This book will prepare you and fill you with enthusiasm for the adventure ahead.

Genres: Science, Astronomy

408 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Dr. William Sheehan is a neuroscientist and amateur astronomer who is also a research fellow of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizon.

Reviews

[David R.]

This one is a very solid overview of our species' thoughts, dreams and exploration of the neighboring planet. It never gets unduly starry-eyed and does have insights I have not seen elsewhere.

[Jim]

I read this book in 2003 ( I wrote down that I finished the book on May 4, 2003), when I thought we were still serious about going to the Red Planet--and colonizing it. Now, I'm not so sure. A lot of voices have been raised saying it would be a bad idea. And incredibly costly ( like paying for a war with Iran).
It's about the history of our fascination with our neighboring planet, the planet where it was felt there was a good chance we might find life. The hope for that has certainly died down but I'd like to think we could find signs of life there...
This book was published in 2001. 4 stars.