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