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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

00:07:43

The Little Book of Alpaca Philosophy (Jennifer...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/06/21

'The Little Book of Alpaca Philosophy' by Jennifer McCartney is a simple, easy to read, quirky and short look at philosophy through the eyes of alpacasI hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:30) - Synopsis(4:36) - Themes(5:07) - Observations/TakeawaysConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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00:20:44

Madame Bovary (Gustave Flaubert) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/06/14

If love is such a universal good, then why does it inspire such cruelty?'Madame Bovary' by Gustave Flaubert is a tale of provincial love set in Rouen, France during the 19th century. We are privy to the intimate affairs of Emma Bovary as she seeks to capture the romantic fantasies she believes she deserves. Her blind desire comes at a cost however as she becomes ever more desperate to attain something she cannot.I summarised the book as follows. "Women and love can combine for some tragedy. This

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00:14:14

Homo Deus (Yuval Noah Harari) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/06/07

Get ready to have your mind blown on what you think the future may look like'Homo Deus' by Yuval Noah Harari is a logical exploration of our past, our myths, our constructs, inter-subjectivities and many many other viewpoints to craft what ultimately our future may look like. A deep think, this book might provide some answers but it does just as well to leave you with many more fascinating questions to ponder.An absolutely stunning book, I gave this read a 9/10.I hope you have a fantastic day

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00:10:48

Before I Go To Sleep (S.J Watson) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/31

How trusting would you be?'Before I Go To Sleep' by S.J Watson is a mystery psychological thriller that delves into the questions of memory and the importance of trust. As Christine utilises her journal, she delves deeper and deeper towards the truth and in turn finds out that the origination of her amnesia might not be all it seems to be.A true page-turner, I gave this read a 7/10.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:12) - Synopsis(4:10)

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00:29:01

Are Old Reviews Still Relevant?

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/29

Due to some big books and a slower reading pace I did a couple of reviews of books I had read many years ago.In May 2022 I covered 4 books on this channel. Like I mentioned above, the first two by Cialdini and Kafka I had read 10 years and 3 years ago. The book that I rated the lowest was 'The Idiot' but like most Dostoevsky books there was so many themes to ponder upon that it more than made up for the long length of the novel. I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin

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00:30:48

The Idiot (Fyodor Dostoevsky) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/24

A naïve idiot can be endearing but can also cause a lot of pain to themselves and others.'The Idiot' by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a large fictional story of semi-aristocratic Russians centering around 'The Prince' Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin. After a prolonged illness he begins to enter society and becomes embroiled in a love triangle with two beautiful ladies. The tale takes place over ~6 months, beginning in St Petersburg & culminating in Pavlosk.I summarised the book as follows. "It's distinctly a

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00:23:40

The Trial (Franz Kafka) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/17

Have your sanity in order because it will be put on trial in this mystifying process.'The Trial' by Franz Kafka tells the story of Josef K as he is suddenly accused of a crime and must go through a trial. However it is a bizarre and unclear procedure that leads him further and further down a rabbit hole. The more he tries to prove his innocence of this mysterious accusation the more unsolvable and sinister the situation becomes. I summarised the book as follows. "It's an amazing description of ...

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00:21:35

Influence (Robert Cialdini) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/10

As an expert reviewer I'm telling you that you will love this review, also because all your friends do and also because it's only here for a limited time!'Influence' by Robert Cialdini is an uncovering of the shortcuts we use to make decisions (and how these can be highjacked). He list 6 'weapons of influence' (or 7 depending on your edition) which were derived from studies, training observations and 1st hand experience in sales/marketing. He highlights these with interesting stories, modern and

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00:26:48

The Most Good You Can Do (Peter Singer) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/05/03

Super logical arguments that are convincing but somehow feel like they are missing something.'The Most Good You Can Do' by Peter Singer details the philosophy of effective altruism and how it can be applied. There is a strong slant towards utilitarian ethics with a focus on maximising your individual impact whilst helping others. Specific examples are given of how this can change career paths, deciding on charity recipients and donating body parts. It appeals to rationality through a heavy emphasis

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00:16:49

The Social Leap (William von Hippel) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/04/26

A book that's chockas full of useful info, but that probably only needs to be deeply learnt once.'The Social Leap' by William von Hippel is a basic overview of our evolutionary past to explain how/why we behave and interact with others. In this case 'we' can be families, communities, companies, nations, couples, etc. It's split into 3 parts (past, present and future) with a mix of case studies, his own work as a psychology professor, quotes from famous books and personal anecdotes.I summarised the

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00:26:15

Leaping Into Mythology & The Struggles Of Translation

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/04/24

All in all this wasn't my favourite month of reading, but yet the reading will go on!In April 2022 we covered 5 books on this channel. My favourite of the bunch was 'The Social Leap' which gave me a decent revision of some evolutionary basics. I was also surprised by how underwhelming 'Beowulf' was. I had heard about it a lot over my life up to this point and assumed it was an epic tale that would throw me into a completely new world. However, it was much smaller than I imagined and I really

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00:17:02

Beowulf (Unknown Poet) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/04/19

We're onto the epics again and it's about time some Germanic was thrown in the mix.'Beowulf' by an unknown poet is a short poem written in Old English and set in Scandinavia (particularly modern day Denmark & Sweden). It tells of 2 battles against monsters (Grendel and Grendel's mother) by the hero Beowulf as he seeks fame and glory. Many years later he has one final fight against a dragon to to defend his land and to acquire the untold riches that it was hoarding.I summarised the book as

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00:20:21

Borges On Writing (Jorge Luis Borges) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/04/12

The subtleties of translation of prose are enigmatic, so I'm glad it's not my job.'Borges On Writing' by Jorge Luis Borges is an edited transcript of a 1971 seminar in which Borges chats with colleagues and students about all things writing. It includes a deconstruction of his own work, his personal writing process and thoughts on translating from Spanish to English.I summarised the book as follows. "This scratched an itch for me. I was intrigued by the decisions of translators and this gave me some

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00:20:30

Medea And Other Plays (Euripides) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/04/05

The lady in this story takes the idiom of 'cutting off one's nose to spite one's face' to a whole nother level.'Medea And Other Plays' by Euripides are a collection of 4 complete and translated plays from the Athenian playwright. They are written in the style they were to be performed, so include prompts for the actors and descriptions of what would be happening on the stage. They are relatively simple stories and show the self-destructive effect of revenge and female courage in tough situations.I

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00:15:21

Rogue State (William Blum) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/29

The Mere Mortals review 'Rogue State' by William Blum.Testing america by the same standards that get used to judge other countries. The facts are layed out in this book, but perhaps not in the most consumable and unbiased way.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:30) - Synopsis(6:00) - TakeawaysConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram:

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00:27:34

Madness Saves The Day For This Month!

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/27

A book about crazy people (who are actually pretty sane) saved this month from being a mediocre washout.In March we covered 4 books on this channel. It was a mix of social commentary, fictional realism, complex narrative and a biography. The standout for me was 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey, a book about a mental hospital with a tyrannical nurse. I loved the concept of the 'Combine' and thought the author did a fantastic job in creating some unique and memorable characters.I hope

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00:24:00

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey) - Book...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/22

For a bunch of people in a mental hospital there is a whole lot of decent sense making going on.'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey is an exploration of social stigma, overbearing control and fighting for the defenceless. The overbearing power of The Combine matched with the machinery of the institution forms a force that seeks to bring order by squashing all before it. Taking place in a mental hospital, it's narrated by one of the patients (The Chief) as he watches the slick newcomer

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00:10:02

The Green House (Mario Vargas Llosa) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/15

There is a reason most writers stick to the standard narrative & chronological format .... and that's because it can be confusing as fuck without it!'The Green House' by Mario Vargas Llosa is an experimental novel set in the Piura region of northern Peru. It follows 12 characters of roughly equal importance as they deal with interweaving relationships, the rubber trade, Christianity amongst tribal people and the mythical brothel known as The Green House. The stories are set at different places

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00:15:25

Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/08

'Steve Jobs' by Walter Isaacson is a thick but well informed book into who Steve was, how many of the big brands we know today began and glimpses into stories from many perspectives.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:25) - Synopsis(4:45) - Themes(12:10) - TakeawaysConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the

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00:13:16

Dubliners (James Joyce) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2022/03/01

If you want to change your stereotypical impression of the Irish & Dublin .... then don't read this book.'Dubliners' by James Joyce is a collection of 15 short stories published as his first book. They are mostly a description of middle class Irish life with every story being set somewhere in Dublin. It covers a variety of character ages, lives, settings and situations. One theme that isn't crucial to the plot of any individual story but appears constantly is alcohol and overconsumption.I

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