Rockin’ Ronnie recommended me a good one.

The Martian is the first published novel by American novelist Andy Weir.

It was originally self-published in 2012 before Crown purchased the rights and re-published it in 2014. A science fiction novel, it follows the fictional American astronaut Mark Watney as he becomes stranded alone on Mars and must improvise in order to survive.

It has been described as an Apollo 13 meets Cast Away. A film version directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon is scheduled for release in November 2015. …

A wise cracking goofball avoids the cliche of going mentally ill in solitary confinement.