Packing for Mars

As a seven year old, I wanted to be astronaut when I grew up; (I also wanted to be a firefighter, detective, actress, teacher, and librarian—the career I eventually settled on). Though I’ve now chosen a different career path, had I still been hankering for a life riding rocketships, Mary Roach’s book Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, would have changed my mind. Turns out that astronauts have to deal with more challenges than just years and years of math and science: like how do you poop in zero-gravity?

Packing for Mars is a hilarious (and informative) look at space travel. Roach focuses each chapter on a particular space curiosity; in addition to the previously mentioned bathroom-problem, Roach tackles the issues of motion sickness (specifically how NASA deals with vomit in space suits), the possibility of zero-gravity sex, coexisting with others in tight spaces, lack of personal hygiene, and the difficulty of creating non-disgusting space food (dehydrated astronaut ice cream is delicious, but what about a dehydrated beef sandwich?), among others.

Roach asks NASA for all the answers we (and our inner fifth-grader) want to know and presents the facts in an entertaining, funny, easy to read, and educational book. Though the book reveals that astronaut-life is full of struggles and discomforts, it doesn’t make the subject any less interesting (it fact, I'd say it makes reading about space that much more exciting).

I am giving Packing for Mars a 5/5, and I definitely recommend it to everyone. And you know who else recommends it? A.J. Jacobs, the guy who unintentionally got me started on this whole Daily Shill mission. Here’s his blurb from the back of the book: “Mary Roach is the most entertaining science writer in America. She has given us far more than the Right Stuff. She’s given us the funny stuff, the weird stuff, and the human stuff. In space, no one can hear you cackle like an insane person, which is what I did while reading this book.” So, read it!

Watch Jon Stewart’s interview with Mary Roach

Buy the Book

Just FYI, there will probably not be a new review next week. I’ve been inundated with homework and employment-work and will probably not have time to finish the Daily Shill book I’m currently working on. I will still try to post something, though, so check back!

No one likes Crisis and Command (or at least I don't)

I admit defeat. I'm not giving up on my mission, but Crisis and Command by John Yoo has beaten me. I had to return it to the library today, and I only made it through 250 pages. And let me tell you, those 250 were rough.

My main complaint with Crisis and Command isn't the way it's written, it isn't its political message, it's that it is BORING! Granted, a book mostly about constitutional law doesn't sound like a thriller, but since it focused on particular presidents, I thought the history would be interesting. And the first few pages of each chapter was...but that was it. Who knows, maybe the chapters on FDR, the Cold War Presidents, and the Once and Future Presidency were different. But I didn't make it that far. Since it was unfinishable, I give it 1/5.

If you're looking for a book to help you fall asleep at night, this is the one. But if you're looking for some entertainment, turn elsewhere. Might I recommend the book that started me on this mission: The Know It All by AJ Jacobs.

I could talk more about Crisis and Command if you wanted, but I think it would make for a boring review. Ask me, though, if you have any questions (about the first 250 pages).

Watch Jon Stewert's interview with John Yoo

Part 1

Part 2

If you really wanted to, you could buy the book here.

Why I'm Doing This

I'm pretty sure my family and friends think I'm crazy for attempting to do this. They're probably right. Instead of reading/watching everything The Daily Show's guests promote, I should be doing my homework, working on my senior project, applying for grad school, and working. But, you know, I got this idea.

It's all AJ Jacobs' fault. For those of you unfamiliar with the fella, he is a writer who often turns his life over to "experiments," such as following all the rules the Bible gives and telling the complete truth. Earlier this month, I was reading his book The Know It All, where he reads the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica in an attempt to become the smartest man on earth (A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book-- you should read it). And I got to thinking, These experiments are kind-of like games. And I love games. I wonder what I could do.

That night (after watching The Daily Show), I came up with my plan. I did a little research, and learned the task was not going to be easy. In 2009, there were 160 episodes of The Daily Show. In those shows, 78 guests were promoting books, 22 were promoting movies, 16 were promoting TV Shows, 3 were promoting albums, 2 were promoting articles, 2 were promoting podcasts/radio shows, and 1 was promoting a website. The remaining guests were promoting ideas. But I had the idea, and I wasn't going to throw it aside because it was hard.

This year, I am going to read and watch all of those promoted things. And I'm going to review them here. It's probably not possible for me to get them all done in a year, but I won't quit until I've blogged about them all. I won't get to be as timely as I'd like. I'm a college kid with very limited funds, so I'll be getting the majority of the books from the library and seeing the movies in the cheap theater, which both involve waiting. Plus, there's the whole "finding time to do my actual homework" thing. But I'm going to do it, gosh-darn-it. And I hope you'll read.