Mapping Mars: Science, Imagination, and the Birth of a World

I picked up this book expecting it to be sort of a comprehensive “traveler’s guide” to Mars (despite the book with that same name). Instead of giving me a blow-by-blow account of the wonders of individual named features, Oliver Morton provided a seemingly complete review of the geography and geology of Mars. He discusses the creation of Martian maps by Schappiarelli, Lowell and modern geologists. He talks about the spacecraft that have informed us about Mars. He then introduces us to the major people behind Martian science. His book attempts to make Mars something concrete and sensible and to give dimension to flatness of the images through which we perceive it. Almost immediately upon picking up the book, I found that childlike glee show more about Mars again. I’ve felt it a couple of other times, when I read KSR’s Mars series, and also after reading Zubrin’s Case for Mars. In fact, those three books (along with my fervent belief in the power of science obtained from Sagan) nicely encapsulate when I want to devote my life to helping humans get to Mars. To sum up Mapping Mars’s contribution to my current high enthusiasm, I would have to say that it’s completely responsible. I am excited about my career again, and I’m refocused. I have a great review of the current state of Martian science under my belt. Enough so that I am going to write a fairly long paper here pretty soon that will sort of formalize everything for me. I’m energized, enthused, and excited. show less

This book might be better titled as "the history of mapping mars" and it is fascinating, very well researched.

Dad recommended this to me and, while interesting, and while I can see why he enjoyed it, I can't say I was wild about it.
The descriptions of Mars geology and the history of (and ongoing debate over) how Mars has evolved were well-written and interesting, but I can't say I cared much about the history of Mars in science fiction.

I can't put on finger on just why the whole seemed underwhelming, given that sections were so interesting; maybe it just felt padded, that if 30% had been tossed, the slimmer result would have been that much better a book.

If you have the slightest interest in the exploration of the planet Mars, you'll find this book a fascinating read.