“As when astronaut Mike Mulhane was asked by a NASA psychiatrist what epitaph he'd like to have on his gravestone, Mulhane answered, "A loving husband and devoted father," though in reality, he jokes in "Riding Rockets," "I would have sold my wife and children into slavery for a ride into space.”

American author of popular science and humor

Mary Roach is an American author of popular science and humor. She is known for writing bestselling books that turn science into accessible, often playful nonfiction. 138 quotes on the site. Her books include Stiff, Spook, Bonk, Packing for Mars, Gulp, Grunt, Fuzz, and Replaceable You, all New York Times bestsellers. Her work often explores unusual corners of science, from human cadavers and the afterlife to sex, space, digestion, war, nature, and anatomy.