Mars: From Myth and Mystery to Recent Discoveries - Tapa dura

From the reviews:

"With an easily readable, understandable style ... Hotakainen begins this book with a long history of Mars, particularly concentrating on the early-20th-century speculations that the planet contained canals indicating the presence of intelligent life. ... There is an excellent colored map of Mars near the back flap, many photographs accompanied by good explanations ... . Summing Up: Highly Recommended. Libraries serving general readers, lower- and upper-division undergraduates, and two-year technical program students." (W. E. Howard, Choice, Vol. 46 (9), May, 2009)

"The book covers the early observers like Herschel, Schiaparelli and Lowell right through the latest space missions of NASA in the USA and now ESA in Europe. The style is light-hearted, almost flippant in places, and non-technical, as befits a book aimed at a general readership. ... As a beautifully presented, very readable, not-too-technical but scientifically respectable and up-to-date account of interesting things about Mars, the latest contribution ... about the Red Planet is to be welcomed by interested non-specialists everywhere." (F. W. Taylor, Contemporary Physics, November, 2009)

This absorbing book tells the story of Mars since the dawn of mankind's curiosity for celestial wonders. It covers everything, right from our ancient beliefs, through the revolution in our concepts of the cosmos around us in the 1600s, to the present day knowledge and beyond. It takes the reader on a journey all the way to the futuristic visions of science fiction and terraformed Mars with conditions suitable to Earth life. The story is told in a readable form with an absence of technical jargon. The text is supported by informative imagery and a simple, but inspiring layout with some special features such as a "flip movie" of the rotation of Mars.