Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson

Red Mars

by Kim Stanley Robinson

The front page of this book has a quote from Arthur C. Clarke saying "[Red Mars]...It should be required reading for the colonists of the next century" – not sure about making it required reading, maybe it can be used as a test. If you can read this book without falling asleep, you will probably be able to endure the boredom of being locked into a small can for one or two years on the way to Mars (I failed - fell asleep twice, something that I usually never do while reading).

...