Matthew Shindell curates the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's collection of spacecraft, instruments, and other artifacts related to the exploration and study of our Earth and solar system. He cohosts the museum's AirSpace podcast. A historian of science, he is also the author of The Life and Science of Harold C. Urey, coauthor of Spaceships and Discerning Experts, and coeditor of Smithsonian American Women.
"“Armchair astronomers and history buffs alike will find this to be a fresh and engaging account.” * Booklist * ""This insightful history will charm readers of popular science, science fiction, and history."" * Library Journal * ""Shindell describes efforts to understand a celestial body closer to home, tracing the red planet’s evolution in the popular imagination."" * Publishers Weekly * “This is the right voice to bring Mars vividly to life. Shindell’s history of what we know about the red planet goes beyond Western ideas, bringing valuable knowledge from many times, places, and cultures both into our view and into rich conversation. Its diverse perspectives and cast of characters make For the Love of Mars an essential read.” * Janet Vertesi, author of Shaping Science: Organizations, Decisions, and Culture on NASA’s Teams * “Through a wonderful combination of scholarly scientific research and thoughtful humanist perspective, Shindell’s For the Love of Mars provides a delightfully educational and entertaining history of our exploration of the red planet.” * Jim Bell, Mars researcher and coauthor of Discovering Mars: A History of Observation and Exploration of the Red Planet * “Shindell has done the impossible: setting out the long history of human engagement with the red planet over thousands of years in a single book. For the Love of Mars is compelling reading for anyone who has ever looked at, or even just wondered about, the fourth world from the sun and whether we'll set foot on it someday.” * Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society *"