Mere Mortals Book Reviews

I'm jacking into cyberspace for some pain and pleasure.'Neuromancer' by William Gibson is a sci-fi classic that was right at the beginning of the cyberpunk genre. We follow Case in a futuristic techno world where he is hired to hack into a wealthy family's lair. He is part of a motley crew each with their own specialty, hired by an AI to free itself from it's restrictions. Think of Japan, robots, drugs, implants, space, fashion, tech, culture, violence and sex to get a good idea of the new world.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:03:02) Themes/Questions(00:17:30) Author & Extras(00:23:05) Summary(00:25:42) Value 4 Value(00:26:07) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

We've got it all wrong, there's no good guys & bad guys .... they're all bad!'Peter Pan' by J.M. Barrie is a classic story of a child who never grows up. Peter lives in Neverland, a mystical island where pirates, Indians and wild beasts roam. He commands a gang of Lost Boys and takes them on adventures along with Wendy, Tinkerbell, John & Michael.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:58) Themes/Questions(00:12:44) Author & Extras(00:18:50) Summary(00:21:51) Value 4 Value(00:22:43) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

A lively look at Buddhist-rooted meditation techniques for meeting emotional pain with compassion. The review unpacks the RAIN method and links it to practices like loving-kindness and body scans. Cautions about overdoing compassion and pitfalls of endless self-investigation get attention. Personal stories and practical applications round out the conversation.

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.'The Tao Of Pooh & The Te Of Piglet' by Benjamin Hoff is a light read interpreting Taoism through the lens of A. A. Milne's 'Winnie The Pooh' characters. Core concepts such as The Way & Wu Wei are explored and why certain characters embody various aspects of the religion. It's told via the author interacting with the characters & recounting passages both from the original Pooh stories but also the 3 main Taoist teachers.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:35) Themes/Questions(00:18:56) Author & Extras(00:25:06) Summary(00:27:20) Value 4 Value(00:29:00) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

What happens inside the head when you learn a 2nd language?'The Bilingual Brain' by Albert Costa is a quick summary of academic research on bilingual vs monolingual speakers. He looks at effects that knowing a 2nd language can have on the physical wiring as well as behavioural differences. So things like response times, vocab limits, gray matter density, etc. In the 5 chapters he goes over studies and you'll see some graphs & brain cross sections.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:12) Themes/Questions(00:20:56) Author & Extras(00:23:10) Summary(00:25:51) Value 4 Value(00:27:14) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

A brisk tour of tactical social moves and influence strategies drawn from a famous power manual. Short lessons cover concealing intentions, saying less, and making yourself indispensable. They contrast strategic absence with the dangers of isolation and stress bold timing, controlling choices, and staying flexible in conflicts and relationships.

Isn't it common sense to go wild & fight!!!'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine is a small pamphlet distributed just before the start of the American Revolution. In it he makes arguments for why they should break away from English governance to become their own independent country and not a colony. These focus on religious views of kings, the illegitimacy of hereditary rule & why England does not have America's best interests at heart.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:23) Themes/Questions(00:13:02) Author & Extras(00:19:51) Summary(00:22:44) Value 4 Value(00:23:53) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

A lively tour of historical power-play, from Machiavelli to Napoleon. Quick takes on the book’s structure, red-text imagery, and memorable parables. A spirited look at controversial, Machiavellian laws and their ethical tension. Suggestions for using the text as a tool for awareness and a short list of similar reads.

Out of interest, what price do you put on your time?'The Price Of Time' by Edward Chancellor is a look at interest rates across history and what effects they have had on human behaviour & therefore economic activity. His central argument is that the current rates of interest seen in modern times are too low and have led to distorted & unproductive outcomes. It consists of 3 parts split into 18 chapters with a small series of charts and photographic plates. If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:52) Themes/Questions(00:18:52) Author & Extras(00:23:20) Summary(00:25:52) Value 4 Value(00:28:18) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

Everybody is out for money ... politicians just want yours as well.'The Gilded Age' by Mark Twain & Charles Dudley Warner is a fictional tale of the money, speculation & intrigue of American politics. It has two main branches of the story that intersect. The first is about a cast of small town people who seek out the riches of Washington (Laura, Washington & Col. Eschol Sellers). The second is of two well off young gentlemen who initially seek their fortune in the country before returning to the real action in DC (Harry & Philip). It showcases the influence that politicians have and how they abuse it for their own profit.If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:03:19) Themes/Questions(00:28:42) Author & Extras(00:33:09) Summary(00:37:26) Value 4 Value(00:38:18) Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast