For centuries, humans looked up at Mars with fascination, trying to chart its erratic path through the sky, and wondering what awe-inspiring powers might reside there. Because of its blood-red hue they associated it with the gods of war. When telescopes made it easier to examine it more closely, some people thought they saw canals, cities, and cultivated land on its rough surface. Some were convinced it was the home of alien forms of life. Jonathan Webb describes the scores of missions to Mars and the amazing discoveries that have resulted from these investigations. He shows how, around the year 2030, a spaceship will be launched to take a crew of men and women to become the first humans to land on the Martian surface. Incorporating the most up-to-date information about Mars and featuring stunning photographs from recent missions, Journey to Mars is an inspiring introduction to Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor.

JONATHAN WEBB is a journalist, writer, and editor whose previous books include an award-winning novel, Pluck; a non-fiction investigation into the illicit trade in stolen artworks, Stolen: To Catch an Art Thief; and a children’s book, What’s a Zoo Do?