# Mary Roach on Reddit (u/maryroach1)

Part of Celebrities on Reddit, researched with Autumn (https://www.autumn.ai) from public sources. Updated 2026-11-06. Interactive version: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/celebrities-on-reddit/mary-roach

Mary Roach: Science writer, author of Stiff and Packing for Mars.

- Reddit account: [u/maryroach1](https://www.reddit.com/user/maryroach1/) (AMA only)
- How we know it's theirs: [Her 2016 r/books AMA, posted from this account](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/5l4pv4/im_mary_roach_author_of_stiff_bonk_packing_for/)
- Where they post, in the records we retrieved: r/books (52)
- Known activity in the posts we found: 2016 to 2022
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Roach

## Moments

### u/maryroach1 in r/books, Dec 30, 2016 · Funny

Replying to a redditor:

> Just finished Packing for Mars recently and I loved it. One thing I wanted was an additional chapter about how astronauts keep entertained in space. During your research, did you discover anything interesting pertaining to astronaut entertainment? Also, knowing all that you now…

> Thanks!
>
> Astronauts have a weight restriction for personal items, so some hobbies are tough to continue up there.  Tuba, say.  I have heard of astronauts bringing up a guitar or a karaoke machine.  Ipads and Kindles have improved the situation tremendously. If you like reading and listening to music, I mean.  But mostly they spend a lot of time just gazing out at Earth and having their minds quietly blown.  And for that reason right there, yes, I would become an astronaut.  THough I'd never pass the personality tests.  Too grumpy!

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/5l4pv4/im_mary_roach_author_of_stiff_bonk_packing_for/dbsy5t8/ · 31 points as of Nov 6, 2026

### u/maryroach1 in r/books, Dec 30, 2016 · AMA answer

Replying to a redditor:

> Do you use the oxford comma in your writings (left out of this post title), and if not, why do you not use it. Thanks :) Always like to see the reasons why people do and don't use it.

> I do use it. Mostly because I spent a couple years working as a copy editor and that seemed to be more often the style preference for the houses I was working for.
>
> To me it seems more balanced.  Without it, I feel like I've created a false affinity between the second two items. Does that make sense?

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/5l4pv4/im_mary_roach_author_of_stiff_bonk_packing_for/dbsybao/ · 32 points as of Nov 6, 2026

### u/maryroach1 in r/books, Dec 30, 2016 · AMA answer

Replying to a redditor:

> No question. Just wanted to say that I love love love the footnotes you put in your books.

> Thanks, me too!   They are always the most fun bits to write. I worry that with ebooks, people may not bother with them. And sometimes audiobooks skip them!  NOOO!!!

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/5l4pv4/im_mary_roach_author_of_stiff_bonk_packing_for/dbszbc3/ · 36 points as of Nov 6, 2026