By Robert Zubrin
Free Press, $16.99, 383 pages
Mars has been on everybody’s mind lately. Can we afford to go? Can we afford not to go? Here is the book we’ve been desperately waiting for. It builds on the book Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. Robert Zubrin’s The Case for Mars is based on his original book by the same title, which was published 15 years earlier. It was endorsed by a distinguished collection of astronauts, scientists and writers, including Buzz Aldrin, the late Arthur C. Clark and the late Carl Sagon.
In the 1990 movie Total Recall, based on a sci-fi by Philip K. Dick, the author depicts a corrupt society built on Mars. Just like The Case for Pluto by Alan Boyle, author Zubrin paints a glossy picture of the red rock with all the justification of a mission in The Case for Mars. Zubrin believes there is yet room for a Mars exploration, replete with building a base on Mars, the colonization of Mars and terraforming of Mars. He then begins to speculate on his vision of the significance of the Martian frontier. I think Mars’ time has come, and Zubrin has put it right in a brilliant, intense read.
Reviewed D. Wayne Dworsky
The Case for Mars by Robert Zubrin has a sister book, entitled, The Case for Pluto by Alan Boyle. Both these scientists have brilliantly a case to be considered in serious terms. As well as The Case for Mars, Mary Roach put out an intriguing book, Packing for Mars. All of these may be found on Sacramento/San Francisco Book Reviews.
I know, I left out a word. (have brilliantly orchestrated a case to be considered…)