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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

00:16:19

Heart Of Darkness (Joseph Conrad) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/08/17

You would have to have a heart of darkness to not feel anything from this tale.'Heart Of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad is a fictional reworking of Conrad's own journey through the Congolese jungle. Marlow (the narrator) is a new captain that must direct his steamboat through the heart of the jungle to relieve agents of the ivory trader. He tells of his meeting with the almost mythical Kurtz, a charismatic madman with high aspirations to become 'great'.I summarised the book as follows. " It packs a

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00:17:35

Mortality (Christopher Hitchens) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/08/13

A topic that effects all of us Mere Mortals.'Mortality' by Christopher Hitchens is brief (& somewhat meandering) reflection on dying. Hitch was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2010 and the disease 'battled him' for a 1.5 years before his death. The book is not focused on death itself, but more the process of dying. This includes his thoughts on being in/out of hospital, deterioration of the body and the public perception/reaction to cancer.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a quick

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00:08:30

Cubs & Other Stories (Mario Vargas Llosa) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/08/10

The adolescent Peruvian coming of age story seems a tad more intense than most others.'Cubs & Other Stories' by Mario Vargas Llosa is a group of 7 fictional (but lifelike) short stories mostly involving young men/boys. The titular story is of a boy who is castrated by a dog and then turns into a wild rebellious teen. All take place in Peru with most of them occurring in the capital of Lima. These were written at the start of Llosa's career and were mostly published independently in newspapers

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00:11:20

Of Mice & Men (John Steinbeck) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/08/06

Lots of mice and lots of men, just what I like in my books!'Of Mice & Men' by John Steinbeck is a short novella about migrant farm workers set in Soledad, California during the early 20th century. Lennie is a mentally disabled 'gentle giant' who accompanies the quick-witted George in their travels. Lennie inadvertently draws in trouble and relies on George to survive. The core themes explore the cruel mercy required to prevent great pain, the rollercoaster ride of hope with dashed dreams &

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00:15:05

The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea (Yukio...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/08/03

A book where I'm certainly glad the ending got cut short!'The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea' by Yukio Mishima is a story of 3 characters with romantic notions that crunch up against reality. Set in post WWII Yokohoma, young Noboru struggles to accept the courtship and impending marriage of his widowed mother Fusako with the stoic sailor Ryuji. The themes delve into the sentimental honour to be gained with glory and finding meaning in life by dampening emotions to embrace

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00:17:11

Gould's Book Of Fish (Richard Flanagan) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/30

An absurd, ridiculous tale of dark humour that might just contain some deeper meaning.'Gould's Book Of Fish' by Richard Flanagan tells the tale of William Buelow Gould, an English convict transported to the penal colony on Sarah's Island and who becomes enamoured with ..... fishes! Whilst it contains elements of real life it is dominated by the fantastical events & insanity of the principal characters.I summarised the book as follows. "I hope Flanagan has as much fun writing this as I did

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00:14:49

My Brilliant Career (Miles Franklin) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/27

Not sure I've read a book full of more dislikeable characters.'My Brilliant Career' by Miles Franklin is set in 1890's rural Australia and recounts the maturation of Sybylla Melvyn from age 16-21. Sybylla's ambition is grandiose and she constantly struggles to deal with her immediate circumstances and believes herself above the indigence of her family. The book is notable for the young age of Franklin upon publication (21 yrs old) and that it has developed into an Aussie classic over the course of

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00:27:16

The Best Australian Books - Aussie Book Month

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/26

Aussie Aussie Aussie! Books Books Books! Want a collection of some of the best Australian books, I got you covered. I read 8 books this month and 5 of these are considered classics while the other 3 are more modern. I had lots of fun diving into the world of Australian literature and found out that we actually have some good authors, both in the past and present. Worth giving them a check out if you're feeling patriotic!As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin

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00:17:09

Requiem With Yellow Butterflies (James Halford) -...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/23

The best way to describe this book is that it's an academic version of the travel memoirs I wouldn't write.'Requiem With Yellow Butterflies' by James Halford is an Aussie book that is non-linear and contains a jumpy back and forth structure. It contains his South American travel memoirs from 2007, analysis of various influential authors and their works plus a present day love story alternating between Brisbane/Mexico City with his Mexican wife. It explores the experiences of travel, the point of

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00:24:32

My Brother Jack (George Johnston) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/20

It's eerie coming across the literary version of yourself, essentially the same person who lived a different life and made different decisions.'My Brother Jack' by George Johnston is a classic Aussie story about family relations, cultural snapshots, responsibility and dashed dreams. It is narrated by David Meredith and is mostly an introspective story but with the constant play of the polarity between himself and his brother Jack. There are many themes contained within but David's shirking of

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00:14:21

Innovation in Australia (Ben Kehoe) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/16

'Innovation in Australia' by Ben Kehoe explores big questions which ultimately land us with a view that we really need a better vision for our future. Can business leaders can play a bigger role? In Innovation in Australia: Creating Prosperity for Future Generations, Ben Kehoe discusses how Australian businesses can improve their rates of collaboration, commercialising our innovative Australian ideas here, rather than shipping them offshore, and how this can increase the prosperity of our nation.If

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00:10:45

Picnic At Hanging Rock (Joan Lindsay) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/13

So have you solved the mystery of what actually happened at Hanging Rock?'Picnic At Hanging Rock' by Joan Lindsay is a fictional mystery that actually occurs at a real place. We follow the ladies from an Australian boarding school as their ideal day takes a tragic turn for the worse. The book is notable for it's rapid character switching and detailed descriptions of the scenery and unfolding events.I summarised the book as follows. "I was slightly hesitant at first but this book surprised me. It

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00:12:04

True History Of The Kelly Gang (Peter Carey) - Book...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/09

Whilst reading this 'true' history I couldn't tell whether I was confused, annoyed, entertained or disappointed.'True History Of The Kelly Gang' by Peter Carey is a fictional retelling of the famous bushman's life from beginning til end. It's a 1st person narrative told from Ned Kelly's point of view using the medium of letters addressed to his fictional daughter. It tells of his troubled childhood, apprenticeship under Harry Power, the police corruption & circumstances that drove him to a life

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00:10:39

Poems Of The Bush (Banjo Paterson) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/06

It's harder to get more Aussie than the poet who created Australia's unofficial 2nd anthem.'Poems Of The Bush' by Banjo Paterson is a picturesque book that combines his descriptive poetry with the colourful plates of Aussie artists. As the name implies, these are 23 of his over 160+ poems that are centred on the Australian outback and its rugged beauty. Two of his most notable works are not included (Waltzing Matilda/The Man From Snowy River) but it does include classics such as Clancy Of The

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00:19:03

We Of The Never Never & The Little Black Princess...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/07/02

What was Aussie bush life like back over 100 years ago?'We Of The Never Never & The Little Black Princess' by Jeannie Gunn are 2 separate stories (combined into 1 book) of her recollections living in the remote bush at the Elsey Cattle Station in the Northern Territory. The first story is of her maturation into a dependable missus and the characteristics of the people living in the outback. The second story is of Bett-Bett, an aboriginal girl who lives on the homestead for a short period where

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00:14:35

Lost Horizon (James Hilton) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/29

Have you ever wondered why you have heard of the mythical place of Shangri-La?'Lost Horizon' by James Hilton is a utopian (although arguably dystopian) fictional adventure of 4 Westerners captured and held against their will. They remain in limbo in the Lamasery of Shangri-La high up in the unexplored mountaintops of Tibet. Although on the surface it seems to be an almost ideal existence there is a suspicious secret that adds a dark side to the tale. There are many themes to explore in the book

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00:32:02

What I Read In June | Book Recap

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/28

Hey yo Mere Mortalites! I'm creating a new series that's an overview of all the books I published a book review of in the previous month. I'm also including some dishonourable mentions (books I started reading but subsequently dropped) and extra notes that I didn't include in the actual book reviews. A list of the books I read can be found in the timestamps below.As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro to the new recap(3:14) - Lost

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00:16:59

Tao Te Ching (Lao Tzu) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/25

How much difference can there be from two translations of the same work?'Tao Te Ching' by Lao Tzu is the most influential and well known of the Taoist texts. Traditionally it was thought to be written by a single man named Lao Tzu, although modern day scholars believe it was more likely an amalgamation from multiple sources. It contains 81 verses of varying length and is primarily musings/sayings for contemplation and philosophical purposes. There are multiple translations of this work and your

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00:12:11

The Old Man And The Sea (Ernest Hemingway) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/22

"If a man was ever capable of making sweet love to the sea, this is the romantic story he would write."'The Old Man And The Sea' by Ernest Hemingway is a quite short novella of an old man (Santiago) and his relationship to the sea. Set in the Gulf of Mexico, it tells of his pitched battle with the biggest catch of his life and his eventual tainted victory. The book explores the way that humans connect with nature and why respect plays an important part in wisdom and old age.I summarised the book as

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00:09:35

River Out Of Eden (Richard Dawkins) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/18

"Never were so many facts explained by so few assumptions."'River Out Of Eden' by Richard Dawkins is a simplified explanation of Darwinian evolutionary theory. It contains 5 sections, all of which provide arguments for why natural selection is true and debunking those of creationists. These arguments are based on the science of DNA (ATCG base pairs), experiments/studies on animals (why bees dance for example), theories about replication/mutation and the utility function that results in a 50/50

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