In the next decade, NASA, by itself and in collaboration with the European Space Agency, is planning a minimum of four separate missions to Mars. Clearly, exciting times are ahead for Mars exploration. This is an insider's look into the amazing projects now being developed here and abroad to visit the legendary red planet. Drawing on his contacts at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the author provides stunning insights into the history of Mars exploration and the difficulties and dangers of traveling there.
After an entertaining survey of the human fascination with Mars over the centuries, the author offers an introduction to the geography, geology, and water processes of the planet. He then briefly describes the many successful missions by NASA and others to that distant world. But failure and frustration also get their due. As the author makes clear, going to Mars is not, and never will be, easy. Later in the book, he describes in detail what each upcoming mission will involve.
In the second half of the book, he offers the reader a glimpse inside the world of Earth-based "Mars analogs," places on Earth where scientists are conducting research in hostile environments that are eerily "Martian." Finally, he constructs a probable scenario of a crewed expedition to Mars, so that readers can see how earlier robotic missions and human Earth simulations will fit together.
All this is punctuated by numerous firsthand interviews with some of the finest Mars explorers of our day, including Stephen Squyres (Mars Exploration Rover), Bruce Murray (former director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory), and Peter Smith (chief of the Mars Phoenix Lander and the upcoming OSIRIS-REx missions). These stellar individuals give us an insider's view of the difficulties and rewards of roaming the red planet.
The author's infectious enthusiasm and firsthand knowledge of the international space industry combine to make a uniquely appealing and accessible book about Mars.

DANNY SCHECHTER, "The News Dissector" has spent decades as a truth teller in the media, with leading media companies and as an independent filmmaker with the award-winning independent company Globalvision. A graduate of Cornell and the London School of Economics, Schechter was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and a multiple Emmy Award winner at ABC News, where he was among the first to cover the S&L crisis. In 2007, his film IN DEBT WE TRUST was the first to expose Wall Street's connection to subprime loans, predicting the economic crisis that this book investigates. Schechter is a blogger, editor of Mediachannel.org, and author of nine books. He has reported from 53 countries, and lives in Gotham. He owns no derivatives or tranches.

This fully updated second edition presents a conceptual framework of outdoor recreation management in the form of a series of management matrices. It then illustrates this framework through new and updated case studies in the US national parks, and concludes with the principles of outdoor recreation management. Written by an author team with extensive academic and practical experience in the field of outdoor recreation, the book: - Develops and presents a matrix-based framework of strategies and practices for managing outdoor recreation in a sustainable way. - Illustrates application of best management practices through a series of case studies in diverse national parks. - Includes lecture slides and online matrices to aid the teaching of outdoor recreation management to a new generation. Managing Outdoor Recreation, 2nd Edition is an essential resource for undergraduate and graduate students of parks, outdoor recreation and related subjects, as well as a helpful tool for practitioners.

Robert Manning (died c.1338) was a Gilbertine monk from Lincolnshire whose early English verse writings make him a notable forerunner of Chaucer. The first part of his Chronicle or Story of England translates into Middle English rhymed couplets Geoffrey of Monmouth's fabulous Latin history, as retold in the Roman de Brut of Wace, with some additions from Bede. Manning's express purpose is to let the people know which of their kings 'were fools and which were wise'. Beginning with the genealogy of the earliest British kings, he takes the story up to the death of Cadwaladr in 682. This edition, published in two volumes in 1887, was edited with an introduction and modern English side-notes by the scholar Frederick James Furnivall (1825 1910). Volume 2 also includes indexes of rhymes, names and subjects, as well as a glossary of Middle English words.

Robert Manning (died c.1338) was a Gilbertine monk from Lincolnshire whose early English verse writings make him a notable forerunner of Chaucer. The first part of his Chronicle or Story of England translates into Middle English rhymed couplets Geoffrey of Monmouth's fabulous Latin history, as retold in the Roman de Brut of Wace, with some additions from Bede. Manning's express purpose is to let the people know which of their kings 'were fools and which were wise'. Beginning with the genealogy of the earliest British kings, he traces the arrival of the Trojan Brutus on British soil, tells of the battles of Arthur and concludes with the death of Cadwaladr in 682. Published as part of a two-volume set in 1887, Volume 1 takes the narrative up to Arthur's time and includes an introduction and modern English side-notes by the scholar Frederick James Furnivall (1825 1910).

In Walks of a Lifetime in America's National Parks: Extraordinary Hikes in Exceptional Places, Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to explore the joys of hiking. Explaining the why, how, and where to walk and featuring first-hand descriptions of the nation's great National parks and their best hikes ranging from short day hikes to backpacking treks, and featuring scenic vistas, waterfalls, and information on lodging opportunities, this is a bucket list book for hiking in the national parks. Each chapter includes personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, and practical tips. Every chapter is richly illustrated with color photographs and maps. The book also includes a series of twenty short, engaging essays about hiking and related matters.