Andy Wier's The Martian

Well, that was SPECTACULAR. "The Martian" is a novel by Andy Wier, chronicling the upheavals that face astronaut Mark Watney after he is left for dead by his crew on Mars. What was a stupendous literary undertaking was executed even more brilliantly on the big screen, thanks to director Ridley Scott. Though as a reader, one is hard pressed to find a book to movie adaptation that exceeds the former, I am glad to report that DAMN does "The Martian" come close.

"The Martian" is the harrowing tale of Mark Watney, who, through no fault of his own or of his crew, is left stranded on Mars. With nothing but blind resiliency and ingenuity he is able to survive those first spine tingling days, and is able to make contact with Earth. What transpires

This is how I end. Now you can either accept that, or you can get to work. That's all it is. You just begin. You do the math. You solve one problem and you solve the next one, and then the next. And If you solve enough problems, you get to come home."

It highlights that we as humans, seek community. That we find sanctuary and refuge amongst one another. That when push comes to shove - or in this case, when one stranded astronaut needs help - GODDAMMIT the world unites. The world mobilizes. "The Martian" puts into words and vivid imagery, the power of the human condition. That in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, the will to live, that will to survive, it transcends, it overcomes.

"Every human being has a basic instinct: to help each other out. If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it's found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don't care, but they're massively outnumbered by the people who