Mars on Earth

Description

Mars on Earth
by Mark Johanson

ISBN: 9781771606769
Hardcover, new

Brief Description:
An utterly unique travel memoir about a gay expat searching an otherworldly
place for a deeper understanding of his partner and his adoptive homeland.
Embark on an extraordinary odyssey through the heart of the world’s driest
non-polar desert–the Atacama. In Mars on Earth, intrepid journalist Mark
Johanson navigates this otherworldly terrain, a sliver of camel-colored
hills, windswept dunes, and desolate salt flats nestled between the
Pacific’s tumultuous waves and the towering Andes. Unfolding against the
backdrop of Chile’s 2019-2020 protests, Mark’s journey begins in Santiago,
unraveling a rich tapestry of human resilience and passion that fuels a
nation’s desire for change. As he traverses 1,200 miles of alien
landscapes, Mark climbs to the Andean Altiplano’s dizzying heights,
explores the Pacific’s kelp forests, and ventures onto a lithium-rich salt
flat threatened by progress. The narrative reaches new heights as Mark
delves into the heart of the Atacama, meeting captivating characters–a
guardian of ancient mummies, a guru in a glass box, and a copper miner who
defied nature’s grasp for 69 days. At its core, Mars on Earth weaves a rich
tapestry of voices, highlighting the stories of Chile’s marginalized
communities, including the working class, Indigenous peoples, LGBTQIA+
individuals, and immigrant communities from Venezuela and Haiti. Each
narrative contributes to the social movement that could redefine the
nation’s future. This vibrant and adventurous work of narrative nonfiction
is a captivating exploration of a land both barren and brimming with life.