Mere Mortals Book Reviews

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 to use more rationality and to proceed with moderate action in non-emergency situations. I found the book compelling and easy to understand, much more so than 'Cool It' by the same author. He was reasonable in his presentation of science/facts and wasn't focused on attacking the 'other side' of the debate, simply just trying to make the world a better place."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:56) - Alarmism: Fear makes us do stupid things(4:51) - Climate Change: Effective and ineffective solutions(10:14) - Personal Observations(12:23) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 these poems as I always struggled with poetry during high school. It is everything one would imagine from a Romantic poet, high grandiose states of exaltation followed by abject misery and depression. I wasn't particularly swept away with emotion myself but did gain a greater appreciation for the art of poetry. Would definitely recommend others to read them poems out loud and to read them in multiple sittings to get the full ambience of the mood."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(1:21) - Style(3:07) - Personal Observations(4:44) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 the book as follows. "It's an uplifting story about one man becoming a hero. The era it describes is dark, dreary and quite sad, but the narration of the main character is rather unemotional (fitting in with his general disposition). I felt the whole story was a bit bland and was sort of like the fantasy of an unimaginative banker. Overall, I probably won't remember this book in 10 years time as nothing really made it pop."As always, we hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Introduction(0:10) - Synopsis(2:16) - The Great Depression: Real hard times(4:33) - Reputation: Opinions that are context dependent(6:48) - Personal Observations(8:03) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 the Buddhist philosophy of reincarnation and how to deal with the death of loved ones.I summarised the book as follows. "I found this eminently forgettable as a whole. Most of the prefaces were useful but on their own the passages of text are unclear and vague. There was a lot of repetition and I think it might require the whole framework of the religion (chants, clothing, incense, culture, buildings, etc.,) to really make sense."As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(3:12) - The Big Picture: Why Buddhism is true(4:12) - The Small Details: Why Buddhism (probably) isn't true(7:24) - Personal Observations(8:28) - Summary(9:35) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Prepare myself for some potentially boring readingConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 manipulating someone in the attempt to help them.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a fun, zany tale of caring but foolish oddballs. It had me laughing throughout at the absolute mayhem of their schemes. The only downside is that I could have easily handled another 50 pages in the middle of the book. The ending as well was a bit 'meh', and only wish it could have been a bit more climactic. It is similar to the enjoyment I got while reading 'Cat's Cradle' by Kurt Vonnegut."As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(1:48) - Relationships: Improbable and shouldn't work, but they do(3:40) - Manipulation: Control/influence in a skilful manner(6:12) - Personal Observations(8:04) - Summary(9:13) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Life is too short not to read funny booksConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

What is your purpose/cause/belief & are you starting with your WHY? 'Start With Why' by Simon Sinek is a book about leadership/business but it can be used by an individual to help better themselves and bring more clarity to their own life. He explains the difference between successful, long-standing, impactful companies/organisations in a qualitative way. The main themes of the book are his introduction to the Golden Circle of WHY/HOW/WHAT and ensuring that these are implemented in the correct order.I summarised the book as follows. "It initially comes across as the generic 'inspiring' self-help book, but I became more absorbed into his philosophy the longer I read on. It could be a fluke I felt this way or it could be a demonstration of Simon's own WHY in action. It can be a tad confusing with all the WHY's, HOW's & WHAT's but I found it tremendously insightful. I quite enjoyed it but am going to give it a while longer to sink in to see if I am still as impressed with it once the initial motivational kick has worn off."I hope you are having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world, Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(2:15) - The Golden Circle: WHY, HOW & WHAT(5:45) - Emphasis: Starting with what is important(8:07) - Personal Observations(9:43) - Summary(11:39) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Implement the Golden Circle into my lifeConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Remember to pet a cat that is meaningful while skateboarding with your shoulders back straight, did I get that right? '12 Rules For Life' by Jordan B. Peterson is an eclectic mix of his personal anecdotes as well as the accounts of his academic work. It's a little bit of self-help but also has a strong emphasis on the stories and archetypes that are found in mythology. The book is split up into 12 chapters of his 'rules', which were originally based upon a post he made on Quora.If you would like to support our podcast and grab the book as well the following link will serve you well: https://amzn.to/3xrlNoKAs always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(3:15) - The Rules(11:15) - Takeaways(16:05) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Stop telling lies(17:40) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Have you read any Mexican literature lately and would you be surprised if it is about death? 'The Death Of Artemio Cruz' by Carlos Fuentes is the most notable work of the author during the Latin American Boom period. It is an interweaving of Artemio's deathbed and flashback scenes from his long life in Mexico and abroad. These include his multiple personas as a corrupt politician, lieutenant, lover, orphan, sugar daddy and father. The themes of the book examine the ignominy of a slow death and judging if someone is their present, past or future.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a toss and tumble book that is all over the place, but in a calculated and precise form. It contains the heart of Mexico in its core, particularly that of death, rebellion and corruption. I personally struggled to connect with Artemio or really anyone in his close circle, I found them all a bit shallow and repulsive. Reading the book in Spanish was more difficult than I expected due to the Chilango (Mexican slang) and the quick switching back and forth between the present and past."As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(2:11) - Death: An inglorious decay(5:02) - The Soul: Who is Artemio Cruz?(8:00) - Personal Observations(10:02) - Summary(12:21) - Pragmatic Takeaway: More thoughts on judging and criticisingConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Reflecting on his time as an animal activist, Henry Spira wanted his epitaph to read "he pushed the peanut forward". 'Ethics Into Action' by Peter Singer is a biography of the life of Henry Spira. Spira lived from 1927-1998 and played a large part in the animal liberation movement that erupted towards the end of the 20th century. He achieved some significant changes through his activism; helping to stop cruel fertility experimentation on cats, cosmetic testing on rabbits and unnecessary pain/death of farm animals. The main themes of the book explore how to identify an ethical problem that can be fixed and then go about enacting the solution in reality.I summarised the book as follows. "Henry Spira is probably one of the only people I have come across in calling someone an unsung hero. This book lays open the hard work of a remarkable man who made a huge difference to the lives of many animals. It's not a book for sorting our your ethics but once already establish, how you can implement them into action. I would definitely recommend it to all activists who actually want to make a change in the world, rather than just 'raise awareness'." As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(2:54) - The Problem: A mix of ethics & reality(4:54) - Action: Will it work?(9:12) - Personal Observations(13:02) - Summary(14:54) - Pragmatic Takeaway: The small individual steps count. Do more!Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Did you know of the drug use of methamphetamines and cocaine in the Nazi regime? 'Blitzed' by Norman Ohler (a novelist turned semi-historian & back again) argues that drug use was rampant in the German military of the 1940's as well as in the highest command (amongst Hitler and his direct subordinates). Ohler interprets historical events by focusing on the personal physician of Hitler, a man named Dr Theodor Morell, and his administration of opiates and meth to the Führer from 1941-1945.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a super book that obviously contains a large amount of research. It might have been slightly sensational but as a whole paints a fair picture of the drug use that was happening during the Nazi regime. It adds a whole other perspective about the Wehrmacht and the state of Adolf Hitler during his final years. I would recommend to read some drier history books first to get a grasp of the 100% historical facts before reading this book as it does take some liberties and dramatizations of certain scenes."As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(2:29) - Meth: One hell of a drug(5:50) - Interpreting History: The unwinnable battle(8:30) - Personal Observations(10:49) - Summary(12:47) - Pragmatic Takeaway: I'm going to try Meth!Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show