x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

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.

education self-improvement

All Episodes

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

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

en-au

00:13:48

The Story Of A Shipwrecked Sailor (Gabriel García...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/15

What goes through your head when you experience the deepest isolation possible?'The Story Of A Shipwrecked Sailor' by Gabriel García Márquez is a small book and really the title says it all. It's a true story that occurred when Gabo was a journalist in Bogotá and got the chance to interview Luis Alejandro Velasco. He was the sole survivor of a shipwreck and endured 10 days adrift at sea without having any food to eat or water to drink. Some of the themes from the book are about isolation from all

en-au

00:10:02

A Farewell To Arms (Ernest Hemingway) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/11

Is it worse to die an ignoble death at the hands of your enemy, or those of your 'supposed' friends?'A Farewell To Arms' by Ernest Hemingway is one of the novels that emerged from WWI. It is the main American book as they joined the war relatively late in comparison to many of the other countries. It is a fictional story that tells of the ambulance driver Frederic Henry as he helps on the front line in Italy. He falls in love with a nurse named Catherine Barkley and eventually becomes disillusioned

en-au

00:12:08

Bringing Home The Dharma (Jack Kornfield) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/08

There's a right way and a wrong way to create a compilation book ..... this is the right way. 'Bringing Home The Dharma' by Jack Kornfield is a basic introduction to Buddhism and it's core tenets. It is constructed from Jack's writing taken from essays, publications and other books. Within you'll find Zen quotes, personal anecdotes, stories involving his students and practical advice. There is a strong theoretical component focusing on the teachings/truth of the Dharma and a practical component

en-au

00:12:41

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Shunryu Suzuki) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/04

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' by Shunryu Suzuki is a musing on Zen Buddhism, enlightenment and meditation practice. Suzuki Roshi was a populariser of Zen in America and many regard this as one of the finest books on the topic. The core themes centre on the spiritual attainment of Buddha nature and the philosophy behind the practice of Zazen.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a succinct, simple &

en-au

384 results

Similar Podcasts

Science Talk

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

五分钟心理学

柠檬心理

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Veterinary Clinical Podcasts

The Royal Veterinary College