Packing for Mars – Mary Roach

$9.23 in paperback from amazon.com

Buy it if: You’re a trivia buff. Words that turn you on include “quirky,” “random,” and “idiosyncratic.”

Don’t buy it if: You’re a hardcore space nerd interested in debating launch trajectories and the political governance of the ISS. This book talks about pooping in space.

God knows there have been more than enough articles, books and columns entitled “Everything you ever wanted to know about (blank), but were afraid to ask.” From STDs to Scientology, the world has no shortage of forbidden topics. And, let’s be honest, even those subjects are still going to have more than a few items that make them off-limits for the Barnes & Noble “Features” table. But perennial foot-noter Mary Roach turns this notion on its head. Forget the questions you’re afraid to ask, she’s focused on the ones you didn’t even know you existed.

As such, Packing for Mars is really just the next step down the line for the author of Bonk, Stiff and Spook. * The woman who once questioned what became of medical cadavers after their ‘service’ was complete has moved on to equally fascinating questions like: How do you poop in space?** There’s a good deal more to her writing than sophomoric Q&A with the world’s space explorers, but icky stuff will keep you entertained no matter how little you care for the little bit of science thrown your way as well.

Stylistically, Roach can be a tough nut to crack if you prefer your science writing to be presented with an orderly, methodical approach. At first glance, the writing will feel stream-of-conscience,*** but I’m now convinced that the book’s organization is more of a calculated chaos than it feels. That’s a good thing. Rarely do the chapters lose their luster. If they do, it’s usually only a few pages more before you’re on to something new. (Though always with a very pithy segue!)

If you’re already Roach fan, you’ll be pleased to know that Packing for Mars is closest to Stiff in both style and substance. Its balance of humor with fact is spot on. You’ll giggle to yourself while reading, but still have enough pieces of knowledge to chime in ceaselessly should cocktail conversation ever turn to the subject of NASA, the moon or Tang. If you’re not a regular reader, but are up for a quirky take on the great beyond that reads a bit like Monty Python meets a Tom Hanks miniseries in literary form, you may want to make ‘space’ on your bookshelf.

*Brava, Mary, on you first multi-syllabic title!

**Until now, I never really thought about just how many simple parts of our lives really are governed by gravity. Roach provides us with examples that would make Newton blush.

***This is not helped by the author’s rampant footnoting. Ironically, the footnotes are at least as interesting as the main narrative. Unfortunately, there are times a reader may find themselves wishing that the bottom of the pages were less crowded. The overlong asides can prove to be quite a distraction from the main text. Like this one.

I’m Here to Win – Chris McCormack

Still in hardcover only from Amazon.com - $17.06

Buy it if: You want to pick up where Scott Tinley left off. And you actually know who Scott Tinley is.

Don’t buy it if: To you triathlon is three times as stupid for having three times the ways to exhaust oneself.

Triathletes are a dime a dozen, trust me. Throw a rock in any corporate setting and you’re likely to hit at least two or three on your first go. By its very nature the sport caters to the Type-A personality, the type of person that thrives on extra complication. But that’s triathlon for mortals. At the pointy, Olympic end, are a few very gifted, very focused outliers doing things with three sports that most people wouldn’t dream of doing with one. Chris McCormack is the one of these athletes, a man so at the edge of the triathlon bell curve it’s doubtful you could slide a toothpick in past him.

McCormack is also one of the sport’s most divisive figures, cutting a wide swath of opinion through competitors of all abilities. As such, it’s no surprise that his upset win at the 2010 Ironman World Championships was all the impetus the cagey athlete would need to put his story (up to this point) down on paper for the endurance junkies of the world to snap up from their local bookseller. If his book is to be believed, he’s a man who always prefers to bet on himself. The publication of I’m Here to Win maintains this leitmotif.

Interestingly, for all of its marketing as a guide for improving a reader’s own mental gamesmanship, it’s real strength is actually the ‘simpler’ portion: the autobiography itself. McCormack has had a fascinating athletic life and his own take on accomplishments and disappointments is incredibly honest. From his start, racing the continental and World Cup sprint series, to his most recent wins on the long course circuit, the man has included a collection of sports and personal stories that would rival any self-penned athletic tome in your collection. With a career that spans a good portion of his sport’s entire history, I’m Here to Win is also a fascinating look inside the very sparsely populated world of pro triathletes.

Refreshingly, for a book purporting to be an athletic guide to avoiding psychological pitfalls, the author takes quite a few very hard looks at his own performances and history before delivering advice that his younger self may have found difficult to take. That being said, there’s not going to be a lot advice here that can’t be gleaned from the myriad of coaching/training/racing manuals already available: Train your weaknesses. Analyze and correct you tactical mistakes. Rest properly. Learn to interpret your body’s signals.

None of it is groundbreaking. The unique slant offered here is McCormack’s own insistence that simplicity and common sense are the keys. If the messenger has succeeded, it’s certainly a lot easier to trust the message.

All in all, if you’re a fan of the sport or the athlete, the racer’s writing will be welcome on your shelf. Apart from a few stylistic missteps (repeating a sentence in bold and with break lines around it does NOT constitute a bullet point) it’s a decent read. If you’re looking for a training guide, your money should be spent baking your endurance cake elsewhere. I’m Here to Win is only the icing.