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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

00:10:18

Learnings From 'The War Of Art' - Steven Pressfield

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

In this bonus episode Juan goes through some of his favourite quotes and learnings from Steven Pressfield's 'The War of Art'. This is supplementary to his main book review, which can be found in the link below. Although it is a relatively short book, there is a bounty of quotes and beautiful language contained within. Juan found that many of these were great for keeping him motivated and on track with his goals related to business and fitness. That's it for today, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) -

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00:11:26

The War Of Art (Steven Pressfield) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Do you find yourself procrastinating and unable to overcome the negative self-talk of why you can't do something great? 'The War Of Art' is a fabulous kick in the pants by Steven Pressfield. In this book he explains his concept of 'Resistance', which is essentially the force that stops one from achieving the internal desire of creating and accomplishing something. It is similar to procrastination but he talks about it in a way that makes it easier to understand and overcome. The book is split into 3

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00:21:46

The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

How much can one man endure while fulfilling his personal obligations to family/society? 'The Age of Innocence' was published in 1920 and one year later Edith Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. Her book is set in the 1870's and follows the personal dramas of high society New York, centring around the love triangle between Newland Archer, his fiancée May Welland and her captivating, enigmatic cousin Ellen Olenska.I summarised the book as follows. "I was somewhat surprised by

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00:07:59

The Fourth Age (Byron Reese) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

“The Fourth Age not only discusses what the rise of A.I. will mean for us, it also forces readers to challenge their preconceptions. And it manages to do all this in a way that is both entertaining and engaging.” —The New York TimesJuan tackles the book The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity by Byron Reese. This book proved to be a great read if you want to think about AI and machines from a primal basis, based on the way we might think of our universe at

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00:27:27

Republic (Plato) - Philosophising

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

In today's bonus episode we have some additional notes taken by Kyrin while reading Plato's 'Republic'. These expand upon some of the deeper themes encountered in the book and there were not covered in the previously released episode of the actual book review. These include: Kyrin's personal opinions on 'justice' and the treatment it received in the dialogues, game theory and how modern knowledge and techniques can be applied to age old questions and the defects in Socrates' arguments as well as

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00:17:43

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

What is the experience of reading English literature in Spanish? 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' is the classic fictional account of carefree youth in the American antebellum south. We follow Tom and his faithful companions through adventures of piracy, playing hooky and finding buried treasure. The book evokes the childlike naivety/innocence that we all once experienced as well as the superstitions and simple mindedness of the people in the American south.Kyrin had this to say of the tale. "I read

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00:16:29

Republic (Plato) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

How does one become a 'Philosopher King'? Plato's 'Republic' is one of the seminal works of philosophy and one that has had a tremendous impact on critical thought and culture. It follows Socrates as he converses with friends and interlocutors on the purpose of defining the nature of 'justice'. As part of his argument, Socrates develops the concept of a perfect 'Republic' led by his Philosopher Kings. Another famous cultural icon to emerge from the book was his allegory of the cave (Plato's Cave), a

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00:20:15

Sons And Lovers (D.H. Lawrence) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

If you enjoy long, boring, tedious, conversation filled books, then look no further. 'Sons And Lovers' is the fictional story of a lower class English family living in the 19th century. It revolves largely around Gertrude Morel's two sons (William & Paul) and their unsatisfying relationships due to their overbearing mother. Her prolonged estrangement from her husband and vicarious living through her sons ultimately ends in a ruinous end for the whole family.I summarised the book as follows. "I

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00:12:42

Dracula (Bram Stoker) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Is there a price for everlasting life? 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker is the origin story of the most famous vampire in literary and movie culture. We follow Dr Van Helsing and other intrepid heroes on their mission to destroy the undead creature after his relocation from Transylvania to London in the pursuit of fresh victims. The story evokes our fear of the unknown and the everyday qualities of normal people who transform into heroes.Kyrin had this to say of his reading experience. "It was great to read

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00:16:34

Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

How would your perspective change in the world of the giants or amongst the little people? 'Gulliver's Travels' is the classic 18th century travel adventure by Jonathan Swift. The book follows Lemuel Gulliver across his four adventures in strange lands amongst strange people. It deals with contrasting perspectives changed by viewpoint, the different types of government and the practicality of misanthropy.Kyrin had this to say of the book. "I found the book to be more enjoyable and thought provoking

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00:13:03

The Turn Of The Screw & The Aspern Papers (Henry...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Were the ghosts real or was the Governess crazy? 'The Turn Of The Screw' & 'The Aspern Papers' are two novellas written by the uber-prolific Henry James (seriously, the dude wrote a lot). Both stories deal with a central character losing themselves in their situation, whether it be an uncertain horror transported into everyday reality or a man single-mindedly pursuing what he wants.Kyrin had this to say of the two tales. "I really don't like horror and thrills so these probably weren't the best

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00:18:30

Life On The Mississippi (Mark Twain) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

The most enjoyable book that I have read all year! 'Life On The Mississippi' is a non-conventional book, alternating between memoirs, story telling, historical facts, reminisces of the past and cultural observations. Mark Twain gets the chance to recount his old adventures as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi river in his youth and explore some of the changes that he has seen from before and after the American Civil War and the effects of the Industrial Revolution.I summarised the book as

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00:15:18

The Odyssey (Homer) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

"He smote his breast, and thus reproached his heart. Endure, my heart; far worst has thou endured." If you are looking for an uplifting tale of a man's struggle through life, then look no further. 'The Odyssey' is the second of the epic poems by the Greek author Homer. Kyrin from the Mere Mortals crew has already reviewed the well renowned 'The Iliad' and herein contains his opinions of the journey of Odysseus."The poem brings forth suggestive questions still applicable to a modern context. What is

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00:17:48

Crime And Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Are great men born or made? Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores this question amongst many others in his extraordinary novel 'Crime And Punishment'. Published in 1866 this Russian masterpiece is still considered one of the greatest books ever written. It tells the story of Rodion Raskolnikov and his psychological undoing after committing a horrific crime in an insane intellectual pursuit. Raskolnikov's subsequent subconscious guilt and near descent to insanity is beautifully captured in a book that does not

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00:09:29

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (Haruki...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Following on from the review of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, Juan from the Mere Mortals digs into the learnings that he found through the book.As always, we hope you enjoy!Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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00:04:48

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (Haruki...

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

You really get to know what Mr Murakami talks about when he talks about running. A really wonderful piece of literature which comprises a few short pieces throughout his time in 2005/06 , it goes through the trials and tribulations of preparing for a marathon as he has aged, not doing as well as he would have expected, running distances longer than a marathon, the feelings around that and many more. Tune in for Juan's short take on the book.As always, we hope you enjoy!If you would like to support

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00:16:02

Thérèse Raquin (Émile Zola) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Is there a moral boundary that cannot be crossed, even by those who act unthinkingly? 'Thérèse Raquin' is a simple story with only four main characters. Set in 19th century Paris, it tells of passion, betrayal, murder, deception and ultimately, accountability. Émile Zola wrote the book in a literary style known as 'Naturalistic'. In the preface he expressly states that he was interested in the temperaments of the personas, rather than their characters. By this he explores how humans would behave in

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00:18:36

The Trial And Death Of Socrates (Plato) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Are you willing to put it all on the line and to die for your beliefs? In 'The Trial And Death Of Socrates' we indeed find someone who is willing to do this. This short book is composed from three of the four Socratic Dialogues (Apology/Crito/Phaedo) by the Athenian philosopher, Plato. It mostly takes the form of monologues by Socrates with some short back and forth with his friends. It tells of his trial, reasons for not fleeing, musings on death & the soul before his final suicide by

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00:18:41

The Iliad (Homer) - Book Review

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

“Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter.” This is a wholly Mere Mortal endorsed quote from 'The Iliad'. Written sometime long ago (thought to be 8th century B.C.) by the poet Homer, it is an epic poem of part of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans outside the walled city of Ilium. The main focus of the numerous battles rests with two heroic fighters, the Trojan prince Hector and the demigod

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00:08:47

Tribe of Mentors (Timothy Ferriss) - Book Review Quotes

Mere Mortals Book Reviews ·

2021/02/13

Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, shares his book a Tribe of Mentors, a choose your own adventure type book where you can pick and reach from 130+ of the world's top successes. Hand in hand with the existing book review, the team went through some of the favourite quotes we encountered through this book (note there is a LOT of quotes in this one). Juan divulges why these quotes resonated so well with his Why's through this quote series. Enjoy!Connect with

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