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PODCAST

Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados

Hey we are the Mere Mortals and we review books of all genres/styles but with an emphasis on those that have stood the test of time (the "classics" if you will). Join us on Weekly live episode on Thurs 11am AEST (Thurs 1am UTC+0) plus bonus episodes from my cohost Juan.

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All Episodes

00:32:10

Fun Classy Paisanos | Tortilla Flat (John Steinbeck)...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/10/30

Never have I ever more wanted to be a homeless peasant!'Tortilla Flat' by John Steinbeck is the tale of how an eclectic bunch of friends live together in Monterey. Danny becomes a house owner and experiences the highs and lows of a raised social status. To help Danny his friends begin living with him and hijinks ensue. They rotate between fights, wine, fire and women whilst being lovable rascals.Huge thanks to Cole McCormick for supporting the show. Very much appreciated!Timeline:(0:00) -

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00:30:18

Boring Oratory | On Government (Cicero) BOOK REVIEW

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/10/23

Hopefully I'm not as boring as Cicero is ..... but don't count on it!'On Government' by Cicero is a collection of his writings set out in a chronological format. The large bulk are orations he delivered in front of the senate (or law court) and some smaller sections on his ideals for what a government should look like. I found it pretty boring to be honest but did give me some historical insights into the time period of ~100-0 BC and showcased why politics has always been a shitshow.Huge thanks to

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00:09:11

More Than Words on a Page | The Daily Dad (Ryan...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/10/19

Join me as I dive into the heartwarming and insightful pages of "The Daily Dad" by Ryan Holiday, exploring 366 meditations on fatherhood, love, and raising great kids. This book, structured to be read daily, offers a unique blend of historical context, stoic principles, and practical advice, all condensed into one-page chapters. I share my personal journey of reading it aloud to my baby girl, turning it into a cherished daily ritual and sparking meaningful conversations with mypartner. Discover how

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00:31:03

Sex, Beer & Mail? | Post Office (Charles Bukowski)...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/10/16

What's it really like to work in the United States Post Office?'Post Office' by Charles Bukowski is a fictional yet semi-autobiographical account of Henry Chinaski working as a mailman/clerk in the post office. His life sucks and gets increasingly worse as he deals with frustrating bureaucracy and seeks escape through sex, gambling and alcohol.Huge thanks to Ashley Glenday for supporting the podcast. Very much appreciated.Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(2:40) - Initial Impression(4:42) - Plot/Style(9:05) -

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00:30:10

War, Anger & Revenge | If Not Now, When? (Primo Levi)...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/10/09

Will the Jews ever find a peaceful resting place?'If Not Now, When?' by Primo Levi is a fictional story of Jewish partisans surviving behind German lines during WWII. It follows Mendel as he tries to forget about his suffering/pain but is constantly reminded of his deceased wife and the uprooting of his life. He joins a band trying to escape the horrors of war but is constantly drawn into conflict and revenge.Huge thanks to Cole McCormick and Ashley Glenday for supporting the podcast. Very much

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00:30:55

Trauma & Healing | The Body Keeps The Score (Bessel...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/09/28

How can you heal a damaged mind?'The Body Keeps The Score' by Bessel Van Der Kolk is a book focused on mental health plus the what/why's of PTSD and trauma. It's split into 5 parts dealing with history, brain science, child abuse, memory and healing strategies. It has a mix of case studies, hard/soft science and personal opinion.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a dense read that was more scientific than not. The tone was empathetic and despite being about heavy topics it focused on the

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00:20:11

A Change Is Gonna Come | September 2023 Recap

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/09/26

I'm changing up the book review channel and starting a book club.In September 2023 we reviewed 4 books on the channel. No real standouts to be honest so instead I'll mention why and how I'm going to do things differently. Basically I'm putting in a lot of effort but don't feel like I'm getting much value in return. So I'm going to streamline the process by doing them live, focusing less on creating highly detailed notes/images and by trying to engage more with you, the readers at home. Big thanks to

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00:21:23

Torture Or Freedom? | The Diving-Bell And The...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/09/21

What's it like to lose your own body?'The Diving-Bell And The Butterfly' by Jean-Dominique Bauby is a short memoir describing life with locked-in syndrome. It's a mix of personal recollections before his life altering stroke and daily hospital trivialities afterwards. He focuses on the hardships of being trapped within a mute body but the joy of unlocking his mind.I summarised the book as follows. "A complex series of emotions arise whilst reading. Heartbreak, mirth, horror & fascination all

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00:25:25

Lost Dreams & Lament | Bitter Orange Tree (Jokha...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/09/14

Don't weep for lost dreams, they were never real to begin with.'Bitter Orange Tree' by Jokha Alharthi is a fictional series of recollections told by a young Omani woman about her life, family and relationships. It mostly focuses on her grandmother's tribulations and her own personal grief/regret of her passing away.I summarised the book as follows. "I came in to this blank was pleasantly surprised considering it is outside of my normal genre's of reading. There are some nice cultural insights to

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00:21:00

Watch Your Profanity ... Or Don't | Swearing Is Good...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/09/07

Fucking hell that's a bit shit ya dawg.'Swearing Is Good For You' by Emma Byrne is a popular science book detailing the positive aspects of profanity. It tackles this by somewhat providing the who/what/when/where/why/how using case studies and observations. There is data mixed in with her own humour and research she conducted as a scientist.I summarised the book as follows. "This was just about acceptable for me. I really prefer nuance but this book had what seemed an unnecessary agenda to really

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00:16:49

Journey, Philosophy & Quality | Zen And The Art Of...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/31

Hey Mere Mortalites! Juan here. I've just journeyed through 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,' where road trips meet deep philosophical dives. Let's unravel the adventure, the metaphysics of Quality, and see why this classic might just redefine your understanding of life. Join me as we ride through Pirsig's masterpiece!

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00:14:36

Name Me A Better Author | August 2023 Recap

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/26

Mark Twain is a superb author, who else do you really enjoy?In August 2023 I reviewed 4 books on this channel. Although it wasn't the best of the month I did really enjoy 'Roughing It'. I really just do think Mark Twain knocks it out of the park with his books.Big thanks to Cole McCormick (from the America+ podcast) and Petar for supporting the show. Very much appreciated!I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:35) - Fantastic authors are

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00:24:58

Wild West & Heavenly Hawaii | Roughing It (Mark Twain)

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/24

Let's pack it up and go strike it rich!'Roughing It' by Mark Twain is a collection of rambling anecdotes from his travels as a younger man. It details his travels to the Wild West during the California gold rush, working as a journalist in San Francisco and crossing the Pacific Ocean to reach the Kingdom of Hawaii. There are many funny stories within and is semi-autobiographical but with plenty of fictional inventions as well.I summarised the book as follows. "I'm a huge fan of Mark Twain in general

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00:20:46

Surviving Alone With Only Animals For Company |...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/17

Would you read this to your child?'Island Of The Blue Dolphins' by Scott O'Dell is a fictional children's novel (loosely based on a real story) of a lone girl living on an island. Karana (12) has to fend for herself after being left behind by her tribe. She must use survival skills to weather through storms, feed herself and stay safe from wild dogs and other animals.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a nice and sad story at the same time. Ultimately it's made for kids so personally it didn't

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00:38:22

Online Choice Changed Business Forever | The Long...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/10

If you had all the choice in the world, what would you do?'The Long Tail' by Chris Anderson is an exposition of how greater access to choices of products has altered business practices. Greater value can be unlocked from producers selling to consumers via better aggregation methods such as digitisation and rating systems. This has had huge impacts on music/market places/culture and given rise to massive companies like Amazon, Netflix and Google.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a great

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00:32:02

Why Television Kills Rationality | Amusing Ourselves...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/08/03

Will TV be the death of us?'Amusing Ourselves To Death' by Neil Postman is an argument of why television as a medium lessens rational discourse and ultimately is a bad trade-off for society. The first part focuses on the past, in particular how typography is serious and encourages critical thinking. The second part demonstrates how TV is predominantly about entertainment and is negatively effecting politics, education, religion and advertising.I summarised the book as follows. "I loved this, but

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00:31:20

Appreciating The Style | July 2023 Recap

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/07/29

15 years late but I'm starting to develop some taste!In July 2023 we reviewed 5 books on this channel. My two favourites of this month both have what I would call 'style'. The content within them was interesting but what made them stand out was the way they were written. I used to really suck at understanding this as artsy type things were never intuitive for me. But I think reading a lot of fiction over the last couple of years has made me understand why these unquantifiable factors can make a big

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00:36:08

Is Nuclear The Future? | Energy: A Human History...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/07/27

Technology is going so fast I can't see .... ahhhhhh .....'Energy: A Human History' by Richard Rhodes is a brief flash through 400 years of human technology and history. It begins in the 1600's and shows the transition from wood to coal/steam to oil/gas and to nuclear (and beyond). It is comprised of stories and told via the numerous inventions of innovators across the centries.I summarised the book as follows. "It's thick & lengthy but it doesn't feel like a tome. The overall theme felt

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00:24:42

Partying With The Bulls In Pamplona | Fiesta: The Sun...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/07/20

Partying hard and losing friends!'Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises' by Ernest Hemingway is a roman-à-clef depicting 1920's life in Europe after WW1. It is told from the point of view of Jake Barnes an American expat living in France. He joins his friends for a week long party in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls but it all turns into a drunken fiasco.I summarised the book as follows. "Hemingway's style is as unique as he was. It can kind of seem unrealistic due to the amount of partying, alcohol

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00:23:44

Alienation & Liberation | No Longer Human (Osamu Dazai)

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2023/07/13

Appreciate what you have, we're not all born the same.'No Longer Human' by Osamu Dazai is a series of notebooks depicting the short life of a troubled Japanese boy, set in Tokyo after WW1. Ōba Yōzō is born different to everyone else and has a feeling of alienation and estrangement from society. He tries to mask this via acting, expression through art and ultimately self destruction. It is strongly autobiographical and follows many of the events that occurred in Dazai's life.I summarised the book as

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