Mere Mortals Book Reviews

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 our channel and grab the book as well, find our amazon link below:https://amzn.to/3yDRyetConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 an extreme situation, where free will plays very little part.Kyrin of the Mere Mortals crew had this to say. "Overall it is gloomy and sad but manages to be very entertaining, even riveting at points. The simple plot and sparse use of characters makes it flow superbly, without the reader needing to backtrack and reconfirm previous passages. The descriptions of old grimy working-class Paris spring into the mind clearly. It prompts questions of unendurable suffering, the acceptability of suicide and how the sub-conscience interacts with morality. A fine read!"Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 poison.Kyrin of the Mere Mortals crew had this to say. "What does one owe the state? Is suicide morally acceptable? Is the soul immortal? These are several questions that arise when one reads of Socrates final days and his rhetorical arguments. He obviously was a man who thought deeply and indeed contained much wisdom. Unfortunately his argumentative and holier than thou personality resulted in making too many enemies and subsequently led to his unfair punishment. A short and quick read but one that requires concentration, perfect for those who love philosophy."Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

“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 Achilles.I summarised the book as follows. "The poem is superbly written and easily understandable to this day. It reveals both the sublime and the ignoble of battle. The honour, glory and heroism is offset by the gore, sorrow and cowardice. The unpredictability and downright erratic nature of the gods can be observed throughout and calls to question why the ancients worshipped such capricious beings? The book is surprisingly fun, considering the brutal scenes within. Creative adjectives that go before each character is a unique style I also hadn't encountered before."Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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 Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

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. Tim uses a great selection of questions that allows each of the individuals in the book to share open and honest insights into their life and how they handle things like "how to say no" and "the best things they have bought under $100". An insightful book, best served as a pick up and read rather than going cover to cover. 8/10.Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

In this video I go over some of my favourite quotes from abridged version of 'The Gulag Archipelago'. These are select snippets that highlight the most important passages of the book where I will then adding my own personal reflections on the quote and why it struck me so deeply. If you are looking for a general overview of the book, please head to the Book Review, which gives a synopsis of the principal themes.I summarised the book as follows. "The Gulag Archipelago is a monumental work and truly exposes one of the worst regimes that humans have ever created. The quotes I picked out struck me for their poignancy and capture the literary style of Solzhenitsyn. Not for the faint of heart, they show how kids were given 10+ year prison sentences, the fear evoked by an arrest and the depravity of the gulag guards."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/3ntvrVOTimeline:(0:00) - Purpose of the video(0:57) - Arrests as a pandemic(2:42) - War heroes as criminals(5:30) - Stalin the jackal(7:20) - Inefficient interrogation(8:53) - You today, me tomorrow(10:51) - The line dividing evil cuts every human heart(12:45) - Hunger strikes are useless(14:41) - No gas for the gas chambers(16:37) - Competing plans(18:22) - Conditions of the corpses(20:24) - Children were not spared(21:38) - Arrests never got easier(22:55) - Blatnye: the theives(24:15) - 10 years in the camps for a child(26:08) - Going over your life with a fine-tooth comb(28:10) - Crocodile tears(30:41) - Growing old overnightConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Nature vs Nurture, which is more influential? This is one of the queries that pop up when reading 'The Call Of The Wild' by Jack London. Probably the most well known of his works, it is very similar to 'White Fang' in many ways. We follow a St Bernard cross Scotch Collie named Buck as he returns to the icy wilderness of Northern Canada. Along his journey he rediscovers his baser, deep rooted instincts.Kyrin of the Mere Mortal crew had this to say. "Sometimes you can read two very similar books and only one of them will move you. This occurred for me with White Fang, leaving me slightly disappointed with Call Of The Wild. They both touch upon similar themes, have similar scenery and characters but something was just lacking. A decent book nevertheless and worth reading if you love dogs and the wilderness."Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

What can be learned from the senseless death of millions and how can we ensure it never happens again? 'The Gulag Archipelago' is a three-volume work that transformed the World's opinion on the USSR and communist ideology. The author, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, spent 8 years in the forced labour camps before being released under the sweeping reforms put in place after Stalin's death. He wrote of his experiences and those of his comrades in the frozen Russia tundra under essentially unliveable conditions. His work has had a recent revival of interest following the popularity of Jordan Peterson and his praise of the book.I read the abridged version of this mammoth work. "This book really hits home the suffering and utter misery that was inflicted upon a whole nation. Solzhenitsyn's words scream out the unimaginable cruelty and unanswered rage through compassionate stories, comedic sarcasm and plain facts. It really is a horrifying book, but is almost a masterpiece of revealing not only the misery we can create as a group, but the suffering we can endure as an individual.""There is a reason why this book had such a profound impact from the moment it was released. It touches upon the bare naked themes of humanities worst and greatest parts. If you desire to catch a glimpse of what Hell looks like (both physically and psychologically), then this will do it. Tough reading, but full of essential knowledge."As always, we hope you enjoy!If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/3ntvrVOTimeline:(0:00) - Solzhenitsyn Quote(0:33) - Synopsis(2:54) - Lack Of Integrity & Responsibility Of Individuals(6:10) - Human Nature Was Tested(10:22) - Personal Observations(14:35) - Summary(16:57) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Affirmation Of My ResponsibilityConnect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation". This is a quote taken from the book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. It is a relatively short book of a simple story; a young shepherd goes on a journey to find his treasure. However the tale is enrapturing and one can't help but be drawn in and identify parts of oneself in Santiago, the Andalusian shepherd. Although it primarily addresses the spiritual/psychological barriers that prevent us from fulfilling our dreams, it also packs in practical wisdom for everyday use.I summarised the book as follows. "I came across this book in a pivotal point in my life, deciding whether to quit my job and fulfil my dream of travelling South America. Reading this book helped cement my decision. Nothing causes more regret and sorrow than cowing with fear away from pursuing a desired goal. A goal that is driven by an internal passion cannot be ignored."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/3911qV0Timeline:(0:00) - Synopsis(2:03) - The Personal Legend(6:18) - Omens & The Soul of The World(11:00) - Personal Observations(15:52) - Summary(17:10) - Pragmatic Takeaway: Add to the Wisdom WorksheetConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show