69 pages • 2 hours read
The Martian
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011
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Introduction
The Martian
- Genre: Fiction; science fiction
- Originally Published: 2011
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile HL680L; grades 9-12; college/adult
- Structure/Length: 26 chapters; approx. 387 pages; approx. 12 hours on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: In 2035, American astronaut Mark Watney becomes stranded on Mars after a dust storm forces the rest of his crew to return home. With ingenuity and grit, Watney finds a way to cultivate a garden in the Martian soil and survive until NASA can rescue him.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Profanity throughout the book
Andy Weir, Author
- Bio: Born in 1972; grew up in Milpitas, California; was inspired by science fiction writers Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke; studied computer science at UC San Diego; worked as a software engineer before finding success as a writer; first published The Martian as a series of blog posts; The Martian was adapted as a film starring Matt Damon in 2015; offers many of his stories for free on his website
- Other Works: Artemis (2017); “Randomize” (part of Forward series of short stories); Cheshire Crossing (graphic novel with Sarah Andersen; 2019); Project Hail Mary (2021)
- Awards: John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (2016)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Bureaucracy, Morality, and the Modern Media
- The True Nature of Explorers and Exploration
- The Individual and the Human Community
