Finding Mars

"Finding Mars" is a rollicking tale of science, travel, and adventure, as science writer Ned Rozell accompanies permafrost researcher - and inveterate wanderer - Kenji Yoshikawa on a 900-mile trek by snowmobile through the Alaska wilderness. Along the way, Rozell learns about Yoshikawa's fascinating life, from his boyhood in Tokyo to the youthful wanderlust that led him to travel by rickshaw through the Sahara, by sled to the South Pole, and by sailboat into the frozen reaches of the Arctic Ocean. It's an inspiring, entertaining account of a man driven not just by the desire to fill in the blank spots on a map but also to learn everything he can about them - and a ringing testament to the power of science, enthusiasm, and individual inspiration.