Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void | 
so-soI finally finished my #BookSpin for this month. It wasn't bad, but it was gross much of the time and kind of ruined the glamour of being an astronaut. This book is not for the squeamish or those who would rather remain oblivious to the often disgusting logistics of putting humans into space.
My #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin for August both look great. I'm especially looking forward to reading Pyramids!
so-soThis book killed the last bit of me that wanted to be an astronaut. The writing is good, but I found the focus on poop to be somewhat boring & irritating and the lack of ethical concern over animal testing to be frustrating. I did learn a lot, which I always enjoy, but I think it makes a lot of sense why one of the books after this was about sewage.
2/5 stars, read if you want to know more about space travel but do NOT read while eating.
@Andrew65 Here are the books I plan to read during this weekend. Gearing up for #Scarathlon #TeamMonsterMash
so-soWitty and insightful story about space explorations throughout the years
Read this to understand why the Earth is the only home humans will ever have.
pickA whole lot of interesting facts about space travel. My final takeaway from this book - I do not think I will be taking up any offers for space travel.
I do however salute the astronauts who put themselves through all the inconveniences and challenges to explore this frontier.
so-soI appreciated the research and subject matter, but I found a lot of the humor uninspired, as though she thought she couldn't talk about sex or pooping in space without making jokes. Don't get me wrong, she is a good writer and funny at time, but it also felt forced sometimes. A lot has happened in the past 12 years, but even if the questions she poses have been answered, there is enough historical content that it still makes for an engaging read.
pickThis was another #NewYearWhoDis . I love Mary Roach - her humor mixed with the fascinating science is true art. From how to keep astronauts safe on take off to the complexities of pooping in space, I‘m here for it!
#BookspinBingo
pickI always tell my students when people go to Mars I‘m not going. Why? I‘m not going until they get the toilet situation and the food situation at a point where it‘s worth it! Is it worth it to go to Mars? The last paragraph in this book says it all..yes, let‘s go outside and play! Loved this book
In honor of Perseverance launching for its seven month trip to Mars! 🚀
1. The Martian by Andy Weir
2. I‘ve really enjoyed all of Roach‘s books that I‘ve read, and this one‘s been on my TBR for a while now!
3. HD 188753, a planet in a triple star system! ☀️☀️☀️
#sundayfunday Have an out of this world day, and don‘t forget to tag me!
pickThe creation and evolution of the space program has always been interesting to me. This was a good and interesting look at the origins of the space program and where we stand now with entertaining and humorous stories from astronauts. #AuthorAMonth #AAMMR
Lots of “I never thought about that” information presented in a light hearted and accessible style. #authoramonth
Gravitation is the lust of the cosmos.
pickBetween a “pick” and a “so-so” for me (I rounded up). Mary Roach is an amusing writer—several chapters made me LOL, particularly the one about pooping in space. (Favorite aside: when talking about the astronauts having to deal with a floating turd that suddenly made an appearance: “Howdy, doody!” 😄) Completed for July‘s #authoramonth @Soubhiville
pickWhew, this was an informative, funny, and embarrassing read! I liked most parts but found some parts too science-y. I still don‘t understand gravity--it sailed right over my head. But I sure know now a lot about human waste & other bodily functions in space! I liked it, but didn‘t love it. I don‘t see myself reading anymore of her books that just don‘t pass the ick factor for me. Glad I read it for #authoramonth though. Worth the challenge!
Fortunately I have a very childish sense of humor and I‘m dying laughing at the ways she describes things in this chapter. But my husband had to leave the room; I was also very embarrassed.
“Howdy, doody” takes on a whole new meaning. 😊🤣
#thoughtfulthursday
🇳🇴 My Norwegian headband I bought when we were there last but not cold enough yet to wear in south Texas
🌵 Two: the Chihuahuan Desert in west Texas, the Sonoran Desert in California
🚀 Tagged. It‘s good
Thanks for tags @Crazeedi and @MoonWitch94
I‘ve had a pretty awful week so I‘m late but my cat‘s still alive after her close call and I learned today I tested negative for COVID-19. So here I am!
An “interesting” discussion about vibrating machines having no exercise value. More importantly, it‘s the first time I‘ve seen “indeedy” in print. Finally someone who gets my vocabulary.
I was waiting for the motion sickness chapter! I love space but I knew I was never destined to be an astronaut for this very reason 😬
Just reading about parabolic flights and the “human disorientation device” gave me anxiety! Nope nope nope.
I‘m highly susceptible to motion sickness and have been violently sick on trains, planes, boats, and automobiles. So I was hoping NASA would give me some tips in this chapter. All I managed to learn was that even astronauts get violently ill with motion sickness, and probably even worse than me and there‘s no cure as of yet!
pickThis wasn‘t my favorite Mary Roach, but I enjoyed the last chapters when she started talking about veterinarians and food. As a vet who would‘ve gone into food science otherwise, I like to think I would‘ve done a better job than the 1960s Air Force vets. Just sayin.
I also found the chapters on sex in space...interesting.
But before that, there was a general history of the space program than I didn‘t care for. 3.5⭐️
#authoramonth #bookspinbingo
I appreciate the author‘s humor. I, too, would have liked the Reduced Gravity Office to be “devoted to the taking of absolutely nothing seriously.”
Doing some #outsidereading with my dog and bearded dragon. Unfortunately I haven‘t been able to take my lizards out as much as usual, thanks to an energetic dog and a baby.
Reading this for a #bookclub I am that focuses on #womensciencewriters
This chapter really felt like it was describing what many of us around the world have felt in lockdown mode.
When a female Canadian astronaut was in an isolation experiment, a Russian crew member grabbed her and French kissed her outside camera range. This sexism has me boiling mad. 😡
pickThere is nothing dry or boring about this topic when it‘s in the expert words of Mary Roach. She has the best questions and know how to get the answers! So much great info especially the lengthy and detailed simulations required for space travel. Plus it‘s witty, as is her style 😂
#authoramonth2020 @Soubhiville
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
Picked up my new book from Jenny Lawson‘s Nowhere Bookstore this afternoon. This one‘s for #authoramonth for July. I‘d never read this otherwise so #blameitonlitsy. Looking forward to it.
Just ordered the tagged book for July‘s #authoramonth for curbside pickup at Jenny Lawson‘s Nowhere Bookshop. It‘s still not open but she‘s selling books so I‘m ready to support her. Very excited husband thought of this option rather than Amazon.
So great to be able to read a great book and enjoy the lake too.
pickMary Roach has been on my authors-to-try list for ages now, and I‘m delighted to have started with Packing for Mars. Not only was this fascinating and hilarious for me, but I know now what to get my scientifically-inclined grandfather for Christmas. He‘ll adore this book.
#lmpbc #round7 #groupx #teamcanada @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego @BookishTrish @StayCurious @michellelav looking forward to my last read. Have loved this adventure with you girls. Much love
pickThis is now my second Mary Roach book and I love her! She has the wittiest sense of humor and I can't get enough. 💛 I read this book for #LMPBC and i really enjoyed this pick! So many fun facts about space that I never would have thought of. 🌍 I read this book while listening to the audiobook and even my partner was hooked! Next up, spook by Mary Roach 😁
@StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego @BookishTrish @StayCurious @Jemmygem
panThis was a painful read that I wanted to cover in red ink and mail to Roach‘s editor. I think my fairest complaint is her lack of flow inside paragraphs and between them, which change tenses in thoughtless ways. It feels like an attempt at flow of conscious writing but comes off to me as poorly organized. She would often use this to end talking about a topic that had been barely introduced. It felt forced with tons of sad filler in many ways
#BookSpin List for June!
Hopefully the book choice can overlap with the #ReadYourSign challenge :) I‘m really excited for all of these!
Looking forward to seeing everybody else‘s lists too. Just signed up for my library‘s summer reading challenge, started a #bookstagram (@everydayhonestiesreads) and kept working on a few books. Feeling productive but also wanting to stay in bed all day. Anyone else?
💜💜💜
pickOuch, Mary Roach. 😬
I enjoyed this book a lot! Lots of fun, very funny, though sometimes cringe-worthy. I did feel that the title was a bit misleading; we‘re nowhere near as close to going to Mars as the title implies.
Also, the bibliography and footnotes faked me out. I thought I had a lot more book to go. I forgot how Kindle books with footnotes always seem longer than they are! 😆
Zero gravity causes fairly significant loss of bone density. Black women, on average, have higher bone density than white and Asian women, so Mary Roach wonders whether NASA “ought to consider an all-black crew for Mars.” Seems like a good idea to me.
“NASCAR seats are fitted to each driver, but that‘s too expensive to do for each astronaut.”
I know there must be far more astronauts than NASCAR drivers, but I still feel this says unpleasant things about our priorities as a country 🤦🏻♀️
I‘m proud and excited to announce that we finished the 3005.3 km hike today! In total I read or listened to 52 books over 128 days. We have three days of nothing to do in Airbnbs followed by two days of travel back home to Texas so I hope to get a few more books read or listened to. Especially the tagged book which I‘ve been slowly chipping away at for weeks now.
I haven‘t read this but synopsis says Roach explains the mechanics and preparation behind all sorts of space activities in this book.
Anyway, the astronaut is holding a case and he‘s in space.😁
#NamasteNovember #spacecase
(Image from google)
pickThis book was sensational! So fascinating, hilarious, and informative. This might be my favourite read of the year so far! I liked it even better than her book Stiff. I can't wait for my #lmpbc #GroupX #Round7 to read it. 👩🚀🚀
@BookishTrish @StayCurious @Jemmygem @michellelav
Wasn't sure what we were doing so I picked my book already. I kinda wanted to read this last round, but picked another book. Hopefully no one minds this one. 😁 #LMPBC #GroupX #TeamCanada #Round7
@Jemmygem @michellelav @BookishTrish @StayCurious
pickRoach brings her inimitable informative irreverence into outer space this time. More specifically, to the details, and often indignities, of humans in space. Ever wondered if astronauts get motion sick, have sex in space, or are ever jealous of monkeys? Mary Roach did, and found some very serious people to answer her questions. Her questions are often hilarious, but they are never irrelevant.
pickIt was interesting to read about how they made the flag “fly” (with no gravity!) on the moon, and also how to even pack it to bring with them, with the limited space available. There was one real transcript of three astronauts having a discussion when one of them noticed a “turd” flying in the air – omg, I couldn‘t stop laughing and crying reading that transcript! Kept me from continuing to read for at least 5 minutes, if not more!!
