First published 2000
Bergreen traces the long history of human obsession with the Red Planet. He examines how astronomers, scientists, and visionaries have pursued knowledge about Mars across multiple centuries. The book follows key figures who dedicated their careers to understanding our planetary neighbor, from early telescopic observations through modern space missions. Bergreen shows how Mars captured imaginations and drove scientific advancement, even when technology fell short of ambitions. He details the personalities behind major discoveries and the institutional forces that shaped Mars exploration. The narrative reveals how the quest for Mars reflects deeper human drives to explore, understand, and potentially inhabit other worlds. Bergreen demonstrates that this planetary obsession says as much about human nature as it does about astronomy or space science.
Genres: history, science, 20th-century, adventure, non-fiction, astronomy, 21st-century
Vibes: engaging, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: exploration, scientific-advancement
Setting: Mars
Period: Multiple Centuries
320 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollins