Mapping Mars by Oliver Morton
01/09/2002 . Source: Joules Taylor 
Pub: Fourth Estate 368 page hardback. Price: £18.99 (UK). ISBN: 1 84115 668 X. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. Check out website: www.4thestate.com
From the names and achievements of the first
observers of Mars through to the present day ethical and moral arguments
for and against terraforming the red planet, ‘Mapping Mars’ is a
journey through just about everything that has been learnt - and
written - about our planetary neighbour.
 It's
a fascinating journey, covering a vast range of subjects. The glamour
and magic of maps and mapping - the cartographic representations
of places that really exist, even if we can't get to them - is dealt
with almost lovingly.
There's a wealth of detail about the results of all the Mars missions
- the Mars Global Surveyor, Mariner, Viking - all written to be
easily understandable to the non-scientific layperson. There are
discussions about the easiest/cheapest ways to send human beings
to Mars - and why.
There are the experts' esoteric theories about the possibility
of water and life on Mars laid out in a sympathetic and objective
way, inviting the reader to consider the options, the plausibility
of such things being present in that harsh environment.
It's full of succinct descriptions of meetings with the remarkable
men and women who've brought the study of Mars to its current stage.
It's crammed with easily digestible information about how that extraordinary
phenomenon known as 'life' actually exists - on the surface of the
Earth, deep within the ocean's depths, even inside rocks.
If such things can be, on Earth, why not elsewhere? The book
is extremely well-researched, hugely detailed and the information
presented in an amazingly accessible, user-friendly way. In the
main calmly - I might almost say diplomatically - objective, ‘Mapping
Mars’ still manages to portray the writer's love and knowledge of
the subject in a very refreshing way. HOWEVER ... It meanders.
It seems to take a very long time getting to any of the numerous
points it raises. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can
be a little annoying, especially if you have no map to guide you.
And that's the main problem with the book. I hasten to add that
the version I have is a proof copy and the final publication may
have the maps and diagrams and illustrations it so desperately needs.
Because it's all very well describing the Martian landscape in
great detail - but envisaging those details in one's mind from a
piece of prose isn't something I can do. Maybe other people can
and, if so, I'm very happy for them.
Me, I need pictures. I'd like cross-sections of the terrains -
both Terran and Martian - that are talked about in the book.
I'd like some sort of graph illustrating how Martian history correlates
to Terran history: talking about the Procellarian and Noachian and
Hesperian periods of Mars' past is all very well, but I can't remember
now which, if any, of Earth's prehistoric eras these equate to ...
I'd like visual comparisons of Olympus Mons to Everest, of the Valles
Marineris to the Grand Canyon - or to the Marianas Trench, if that's
more appropriate; of Mars' atmosphere to Earth's.
Most of all I'd like a map of Mars.
You can't call a book ‘Mapping Mars’ and not include a map of the
place.
Joules Taylor
http://www.wordwrights.co.uk
Addendum, Sept. 11th '02: I've
now been advised that the book does in fact contain maps, which
is good news! My thanks to Mr Morton for the information.
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