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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.

education self-improvement

All Episodes

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

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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

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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

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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 &

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00:15:02

The Essential Chuang Tzu (Chuang Tzu) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/06/01

He who knows does not speak, he who speaks does not know. 'The Essential Chuang Tzu' by Chuang Tzu is a 3rd century BCE collection of fables, teachings and stories predominantly about Tao & Taoism. It is a mix of fiction, fact and mythology that includes historical figures such as Confucius and Lao Tzu. It is known as one of the great works of eastern philosophy that contains the seeds of Zen/Buddhism and explains how enlightenment is actually just 'the way'. I summarised the book as follows

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00:12:46

Beyond Order (Jordan B. Peterson) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/28

'Beyond Order' by Jordan B. Peterson is the highly anticipated sequel to 12 RULES FOR LIFE (go check out that review as well in our channel), which has sold over 5 million copies around the world. I summarised the book as follows. "Beyond Order calls on us to balance the two fundamental principles of reality - order and chaos - and reveals the profound meaning that can be found on the path that divides them."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan

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00:15:07

The Aeneid (Virgil) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/25

Sharpen your sword & ready your chariot, we're in for an epic adventure! 'The Aeneid' by Virgil is an epic poem that follows Aeneas and his fellow Trojans as they cross 3 continents trying to establish a new home. It contains all that you would expect from this era; seductive princesses, wrathful Gods, strange monsters and grand battles. The main themes that arise from the tale are obligation/dutiful respect and whether fate allows any room for free will.I summarised the book as follows. "This

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00:18:27

Not Born Yesterday (Hugo Mercier) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/21

Would you believe that I'm a shape-shifting lizard who thinks that the Earth is flat? 'Not Born Yesterday' by Hugo Mercier is an argument against the perceived notion that humans are gullible. In the age of fake news, false rumours and conspiracies it is easy to think that we are too credulous. However, Mercier argues that we have developed open vigilance mechanisms which allow us to sort out the incoming communication from other people to let us know who to trust and what to believe.I summarised

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00:33:19

The Noonday Demon (Andrew Solomon) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/18

If you want to know more about depression from a physiological, scientific or personal viewpoint, then look no further. 'The Noonday Demon' by Andrew Solomon is part memoir/part tome centred all around the topic of depression. The book contains 12 chapters and is very thick, clocking in at 445 pages of the main text. It has a lot of objective facts related to suicide, treatment, addiction, poverty and history mixed with subjective stories and notes about breakdowns, sad tales, hope for the future

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00:10:52

Around The Day In Eighty Worlds (Julio Cortázar) -...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/14

There are some works that seem to be more than just a book, but something entirely strange and new. 'Around The Day In Eighty Worlds' by Julio Cortázar is a collection of stories, poetry, observations, history, biography, recommendations and much more. He mostly speaks of art, writing and his personal influences but doesn't try to say anything explicitly. The book itself contains plenty of photos/sketches/drawings and was originally written in Spanish but contains smatterings of French &

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00:14:24

The Grapes Of Wrath (John Steinbeck) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/11

Want a book that can entertain you, tear you up and make you think deeply all at the same time? 'The Grapes Of Wrath' by John Steinbeck is one the classic works of the 20th century. It describes the migration of the fictional Joad family during the Dust Bowl era as they seek a better future in California. Unfortunately their tale is one of woe and suffering. They face intense discrimination, a dearth of jobs and abject poverty in their quest. The underlying rage and frustration seeps out through

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00:10:22

On Writing (Stephen King) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/07

What does one of the most successful writers of all time have to say about perfecting the craft? 'On Writing' by Stephen King is part memoir/part advice of what he has learned from 52 years of living. The memoir focuses mostly upon his early childhood leading up to the publication of his first book 'Carrie', as well as his near death experience in the writing of this book. His advice reflects his humorous personality and contains some very direct tips (keep it short/minimise adverbs/read & write

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00:13:23

Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/05/04

This time around, I got to indulge myself by reading 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson. Treasure Island, originally named The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys, is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "buccaneers, buried gold, pirates and mutiny."If you would like to support our channel and grab the book as well, find our amazon link below:https://amzn.to/3w3utjBAs always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan

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00:09:22

Crome Yellow (Aldous Huxley) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/30

Did you know that the seeds of 'Brave New World' were coming through in the authors head at least a decade before it was published? 'Crome Yellow' by Aldous Huxley is a satirical novel poking fun of the English 'gentry' and their associates. It is set in Crome Manor in the green heart of England and is told from a 3rd person omniscient narrator. The book is silly in its presentation of the eccentric characters but ironically contains some deep themes despite the comical façade.I summarised the book

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00:10:53

The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/27

What is it like to be in a place so dark that you see no possibility of escape? 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath is a semi-autographical novel published in 1963 just before her death by suicide. It tells the tale of *Esther Greenwood (aka Sylvia) and her struggles with mental health that eventually lead to her being institutionalised. Exposed in this book are how depression was treated before the time of readily available antidepressants as well as how expectations (both externally from society and

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00:13:42

False Alarm (Bjorn Lomborg) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/23

Are we headed for imminent extinction due to climate change or is it all just a false alarm? 'False Alarm' by Bjorn Lomborg is a book designed to dampen the fear and hyperbole surrounding the methods of dealing with a changing environment. The book has 5 sections addressing why alarmism is wrong, what the full story says, how NOT to fix the problem, 3-4 simple workable solutions and a final conclusion with notes supporting his interpretation. I summarised the book as follows. "I'm a fan of the call

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00:06:50

Selected Poems (John Keats) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/20

Why is John Keats regarded as one of the finest poets to ever live? 'Selected Poems' by John Keats is a collection of 50 poems written by the English poet. Keats had a pretty rough life as he was an orphan by the age of 15 and himself died at age 25. He is known as a Romanticism poet with the central themes of his poems being around art, beauty, youth, love, mythology and the opposite spectrum of death, sorrow, heartbreak and suffering.I summarised the book as follows. "I surprisingly quite enjoyed

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00:10:08

Ruined City (Nevil Shute) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/16

Is it worth throwing away your good reputation to help those in need? 'Ruined City' by Nevil Shute is a fictional story of a rich banker (Henry Warren) who sets out to save the destitute town of Sharples. The book is set in 1930's England during the Great Depression and is a story of finding purpose when all meaning is lost. The themes of the book reflect upon what happens to people when they experience real hardship as well as how reputation can actually be used as a transactional tool.I summarised

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00:10:34

Meditations On Living, Dying And Loss (Assorted) -...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/13

What do Buddhists believe actually believe what happens when we are reincarnated? 'Meditations On Living, Dying And Loss' by an assorted collection of people including Graham Coleman, Gyurme Dorje, Thupten Jinpa (my man!!!) & the Dalai Lama. It is an examination of some select sections from the larger work of 'The Tibetan Book Of The Dead'. It begins with a bit of history & multiple intros from the editors & Dalai Lama. It's a short book with each section attempting to provide insight on

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00:09:56

Sweet Thursday (John Steinbeck) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/04/09

Looking for a non-serious book by a serious author? 'Sweet Thursday' by John Steinbeck is a fictional story set in Cannery Row, Monterey, California. It contains a humorous set of characters with the main plot to help the Doc from his listless depression. There are prostitutes with elegant table manners, a sneaky Mexican who is a natural lawbreaker, kind hearted buffoons and a skint millionaire. The themes of the book delve into the strange relationships that can be formed between people as well as

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