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This book is stunning. You read the first-hand account of astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded on Mars alone with no means of communication with Earth or hope of escape. It would take years for a rescue mission to arrive. His survival instinct is extraordinary and he uses all his experience, intellect and training to carefully map out a plan that will give him the best shot of staying alive until the next Mars mission. His sheer ingenuity and resourcefulness make for a riveting tale. His wit, his vulnerability, his determination all show through and we see a human being unwilling to surrender in even the most insurmountable of odds. This man vs. nature tale is set in the most extreme of environments and science is Mark’s tool to beat the red planet. It’s amazingly funny, emotional, realistic and it will pull you in from the first page.