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nkmeyers 's review for:
The Martian: Classroom Edition
by Andy Weir
I really enjoyed this fun read and the unique narrative voice of the protagonist Mark Watney.
It's a fictional survival narrative where the plot moves along through various problem solving challenges.
Mars doesn't really come to life, but that's the point isn't it? If you are stranded alone on a planet inhospitable to human life then your perspective isn't quite the same as captain kirk's who must have a record for most serial first contacts on atmospherically compatible worlds with humanoid aliens? Here we don't vicariously enjoy wide open vistas but instead overheat and freeze and smell bad . . . .
This book and Mark Watney have more in common with Sam Gribley and [b:My Side of the Mountain|2426382|My Side of the Mountain (Mountain, #1)|Jean Craighead George|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1268552123s/2426382.jpg|2682098] than captain kirk, but that is what makes this story a good read. Mark's a pragmatist with a sense of humor who is comfortable on his own.
This isn't a psychological survival story about a solitary mind trying not to go crazy for lack of companionship, for that try most any solo sailor's memoir like [b:The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone|480544|The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone|Robin Lee Graham|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387715859s/480544.jpg|468927] or a story of the mental battle that goes on when soemone faces the fear of the prospect of dying alone (for that try [b:The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon|11564|The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon|Stephen King|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1166480184s/11564.jpg|1836389]). This book pretty much ignores all that but doesn't suffer for it.
Instead this is a surprisingly fun and detailed story about the human ability to come up with solutions to complex problems.
What makes it surprising is the way the author doesn't just present the reader with an exceptional individual solving problems out of pure self interest or survival instinct but also includes some collective and altruistic ways that people are willing to go out of their way to solve problems for others. There is a little dark humor about the kinds of human personalities and motivations in marketing and management that sometimes hinder such efforts that gives the story some levity at just the right moments.
Within its own confines, this book is perfectly what it attempts to be - for that five stars for sure!
It's a fictional survival narrative where the plot moves along through various problem solving challenges.
Mars doesn't really come to life, but that's the point isn't it? If you are stranded alone on a planet inhospitable to human life then your perspective isn't quite the same as captain kirk's who must have a record for most serial first contacts on atmospherically compatible worlds with humanoid aliens? Here we don't vicariously enjoy wide open vistas but instead overheat and freeze and smell bad . . . .
This book and Mark Watney have more in common with Sam Gribley and [b:My Side of the Mountain|2426382|My Side of the Mountain (Mountain, #1)|Jean Craighead George|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1268552123s/2426382.jpg|2682098] than captain kirk, but that is what makes this story a good read. Mark's a pragmatist with a sense of humor who is comfortable on his own.
This isn't a psychological survival story about a solitary mind trying not to go crazy for lack of companionship, for that try most any solo sailor's memoir like [b:The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone|480544|The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone|Robin Lee Graham|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387715859s/480544.jpg|468927] or a story of the mental battle that goes on when soemone faces the fear of the prospect of dying alone (for that try [b:The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon|11564|The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon|Stephen King|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1166480184s/11564.jpg|1836389]). This book pretty much ignores all that but doesn't suffer for it.
Instead this is a surprisingly fun and detailed story about the human ability to come up with solutions to complex problems.
What makes it surprising is the way the author doesn't just present the reader with an exceptional individual solving problems out of pure self interest or survival instinct but also includes some collective and altruistic ways that people are willing to go out of their way to solve problems for others. There is a little dark humor about the kinds of human personalities and motivations in marketing and management that sometimes hinder such efforts that gives the story some levity at just the right moments.
Within its own confines, this book is perfectly what it attempts to be - for that five stars for sure!