By Jack Levene ’20, Staff Writer

I was going to write a normal book review but instead I decided to “Science the sh!t out of this” (Andy Weir).  
Mark Watney, a sarcastic, satirical, and just plain funny botanist who somehow ended up on Ares III (a manned mission to Mars) guides you through his life by writing whatever he feels in his diary.  Watney was hit by a flying piece of scrap metal during a quick run through Mars’s winds, which can reach up to 60 miles an hour.  Those numbers might not have a big impact on you, but just try and digest the thought that the winds kick up all of the undisturbed dust and can create dust storms so powerful you can not even see your hand in front of your face.  Watney then has to face a planet where literally everything is trying to kill him (kind of like Australia–sorry, Australians!).  Watney finally is able to talk to NASA, who, as he puts it, “are a bunch of idiots who run around for five hours and always come up with the same stupid ideas.”  Watney is less than compliant with what they would like him to do, especially when it comes to messing around with hydrogen and oxygen as he tries to make water.  For those of you who have not gone through Mrs. Palmer’s science class the way water is made is when Hydrogen atoms bond with Oxygen atoms (hydrogen is a highly explosive gas which if not contained properly could literally blow up Watney’s home away from home).  As Watney battles all of these troubles, you will not be able to resist what he confides in you.  From the satirical comments, to the thought of death always lingering above him, you will not be able to pry your eyes from this book.  And for all you wanna-be writers, you should know that this book was originally self-published on the web!  People began talking about it…and soon a self-professed nerd had a book deal, became a best-selling author, and was the inspiration for a movie starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott!