The Martian by Andy Weir, 369 pages

This is one fantastic book.  Okay, okay it is very technical in parts but if you are unscientific like me just think of it as getting a free pass to skim.  Astronaut Mark Watney is one witty, wicked smart and optimistic guy.  That's all good because he gets stranded on the planet Mars when the rest of his crew think he's dead and abandons the planet in a hurry during a devastating sandstorm.

NASA figures out he survived about 60 days later and Mark and NASA figure out how to communicate close to 40 days after that.  NASA, his old crew and pretty much everyone on earth do everything they can to bring Mark home.  The suspense is fantastically excruciating.  Will they do it?  Luckily, I saw the movie first. Loved the movie, LOVED the book.   Andy Weir, I can't wait to see what you bring us next.