Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Is it possible to choose only the best books to read?In May 2023 we reviewed 4 books on this channel. Love is such a weird word. It seems to mean so many things that I personally find it almost useless. And part of this is due to 'love' stories that seem to me nothing but flighty fancies and lust (looking at you Thomas Hardy). But there are others like 'The Debacle' which I feel actually do showcase what 'real love' is. Super subjective opinion there, but hey, that's basically what love is haha.Big sad puppy on the boostagrams, I'm going to have to change some things up.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Live and raring(0:36) - The Debacle: Émile Zola(5:26) - The Second Curve: Charles Handy(9:44) - Far From The Madding Crowd: Thomas Hardy(12:28) - Life Force: Tony Robbins(15:48) - Boostagram Lounge & housekeeping(19:38) - Coming In June 2023(21:51) - V4V: Feedback & MMConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

In reality war is horrible, in fiction .... it's also horrible.'The Debacle' by Émile Zola is a historical cum realistic fiction (also known as naturalism) set during 1870-1 of the Franco-Prussian war. It follows Jean/Maurice, two French soldiers and Maurice's civilian sister as they endure the privations of war and the suffering caused in the aftermath.I summarised the book as follows. "A heartbreakingly vivid story that hurts to get through. Thankfully it doesn't have the endless feel of something like 'The Gulag Archipelago' but the pain & needless agony still has a lingering sensation. Zola is a powerful writer and offers a compelling case against war merely by showcasing it's realities."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:33) - Warfare: Senseless & horrifying(11:33) - Love: Intense feeling of kinship(18:46) - Observations/Takeaways(24:13) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

Enthusiasms taken too far!'Far From The Madding Crowd' by Thomas Hardy is a small & simple tale of love, betrayal, anger and heartbreak. It's set in Wessex during Victorian England in the farmland countryside. The young, beautiful Bathsheba is courted by 3 suitors: mild-mannered shepherd Gabriel, distinguished farmer Boldwood and dashing sergeant Troy.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a bare bones tale that probably strays into too much simplicity. I found it hard to connect with any character other than Gabriel and even then not deeply so. It's not a great love story and is probably better suited for kids. Personally I would recommend his other famous work 'Tess Of The d'Urbervilles' rather than this one."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:27) - Synopsis(2:06) - Zeal: Love for the impatient & indecisive(5:24) - The Madding Crowd: Who can you listen to?(10:52) - Observations/Takeaways(13:21) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

We live in a society .... so let's fix it!'The Second Curve' by Charles Handy is a collection of 16 essays reflecting on societal changes & predicting potential innovations of the future. It has a technology/management focus but is also broad and ties in with human wellbeing. There are a smattering of anecdotes & facts that help to reinforce his personal opinions and thoughts.I summarised the book as follows. "A typical problem with books of essays is continuity, but these were all crafted for this work. The topics are scattered but he shows clear & consistent thinking throughout. Really is more for provoking thoughts/discussion rather than solving actual societal problems. Perfect for people who prefer shorter form and I'd personally say was good but not mind shattering."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:28) - Synopsis(2:48) - Innovation: Get started before the decline(10:56) - Justified Outrage: Fun but dangerous(17:41) - Observations/Takeaways(22:10) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

A short summary this month on Life Force by Tony Robbins and partners. A great, big, thick book that had a lot of promise pre-reading it, but afterwards left me thinking that the sell was slightly better than the product.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

All men are enemies, all animals are comrades.'Animal Farm' by George Orwell is an allegorical satire criticising the USSR regime & Joseph Stalin. A group of talking animals led by the pigs revolt against the human farmers. They attempt to create a paradise called Animal Farm through their ideology of Animalism but this has disastrous consequences for the general animal society.I summarised the book as follows. "If I was a writer this would want to make me give up. It's so tight with it's words and it feel like every sentence has a purpose. If you study deeper this book can give you an education on 30 different things. Orwell was an observer of people, of systems and of truth. One of the only 'political' books I care about, can't rave enough about this!"I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(2:16) - Communism: Great in principle, terrible in practice(7:46) - Ideologies: The problem is the humans(15:38) - Observations/Takeaways(19:52) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

Is it possible to choose only the best books to read?In April 2023 we reviewed 5 books on this channel. For some crazy reason both Juan and I just read bangers this month. It could be somewhat predicted as I revisited two authors who are probably in my top 10 writers. Juan was also reading to prepare himself for his baby girl so was also focused intently on trying to get good information.A big thanks to Alwin from Conshax for supporting. Go check out their service for stats & boostagrams.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - They're all good!(1:44) - Animal Farm: George Orwell(5:12) - A Confederacy Of Dunces: JK Toole(7:35) - Cannery Row: John Steinbeck(10:53) - Up The Duff: Kaz Cooke(12:50) - Dad's Guide To Pregnancy: Justin Coulson(15:06) - Boostagram Lounge(19:08) - Coming up for May 2023(21:41) - V4V: Feedback please!Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

Kaz Cooke's "Up the Duff" is an informative and humorous guide to pregnancy, covering everything from conception to childbirth and beyond.With its relatable anecdotes and practical advice, I highly recommend reading it alongside your partner.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.'A Confederacy Of Dunces' by John Kennedy Toole is a picaresque novel of a fat delusional man named Ignatius J. Reilly. He is a bombastic rogue living in a corrupt world and is forced to get a job by his domineering mother. His interactions with other zany characters progressively decline and become more and more outlandish.I summarised the book as follows. "Only a dunce would NOT find this funny. I only covered a couple of the anecdotes of the wonderful mishaps of Ignatius as they are numerous. Certainly is the type of person who is more fun in print than in real life. It lacks the deep cutting drive of something like Catch-22 but if you want a laugh I'd recommend this"I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:31) - Synopsis(2:30) - Social Misfit: Someone that fits badly(7:49) - Delusion: A protection against life(14:36) - Observations/Takeaways(17:34) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show

Who else can create such vivid imagery?'Cannery Row' by John Steinbeck is a short novel of carefree life set during the 1930's in Monterey, California. A set of eclectic characters go about their everyday lives, showcasing their peculiar personalities along the way. There is no real plot as the story is broken into smaller vignettes that combine to form a semi-coherent narrative.I summarised the book as follows. "A beautiful meandering story with no purpose but with plenty of meaning. I normally struggle creating visual imagery in my head yet I could see this world/era/time period so clearly. Many laugh out loud moments and many sad moments as well. Steinbeck is a great writer and also highly recommend reading his other books."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:03) - Nostalgia: Sentimental yearning for the past(7:21) - Nonconformist: Individuals who are unconventional(14:46) - Observations/Takeaways(18:44) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastSupport the show