Mere Mortals Book Reviews

How trusting would you be?'Before I Go To Sleep' by S.J Watson is a mystery psychological thriller that delves into the questions of memory and the importance of trust. As Christine utilises her journal, she delves deeper and deeper towards the truth and in turn finds out that the origination of her amnesia might not be all it seems to be.A true page-turner, I gave this read a 7/10.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:12) - Synopsis(4:10) - Themes(6:37) - Takeaways(9:30) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Due to some big books and a slower reading pace I did a couple of reviews of books I had read many years ago.In May 2022 I covered 4 books on this channel. Like I mentioned above, the first two by Cialdini and Kafka I had read 10 years and 3 years ago. The book that I rated the lowest was 'The Idiot' but like most Dostoevsky books there was so many themes to ponder upon that it more than made up for the long length of the novel. I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - A question for you(2:58) - Influence: Robert Cialdini(6:05) - The Trial: Franz Kafka(8:41) - The Most Good You Can Do: Peter Singer(16:27) - The Idiot: Fyodor Dostoevsky(21:12) - Boostagram Lounge(26:33) - June 2022Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

A naïve idiot can be endearing but can also cause a lot of pain to themselves and others.'The Idiot' by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a large fictional story of semi-aristocratic Russians centering around 'The Prince' Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin. After a prolonged illness he begins to enter society and becomes embroiled in a love triangle with two beautiful ladies. The tale takes place over ~6 months, beginning in St Petersburg & culminating in Pavlosk.I summarised the book as follows. "It's distinctly a Dostoevsky book but with some unusual literary techniques thrown in. I found it harder to follow than some of his other classics and didn't contain a standout scene or speech. There are plenty of meaty themes to dig into but be prepared for a long read to allow them to be fleshed out. Overall I enjoyed it, but preferred 'Crime & Punishment' and/or 'The Brothers Karamazov'."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:33) - Synopsis(3:30) - Naivety: Endearing but harmful(20:13) - Observations/Takeaways(26:30) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Have your sanity in order because it will be put on trial in this mystifying process.'The Trial' by Franz Kafka tells the story of Josef K as he is suddenly accused of a crime and must go through a trial. However it is a bizarre and unclear procedure that leads him further and further down a rabbit hole. The more he tries to prove his innocence of this mysterious accusation the more unsolvable and sinister the situation becomes. I summarised the book as follows. "It's an amazing description of .... something. The words Kafka creates is familiar yet not understandable at the same time. I definitely wouldn't read this book if you don't feel you are grounded in reality as it might be a test of your own sanity. A distinct book that will be hard to forget!"I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:34) - Synopsis(3:42) - Kafkaesque: A surreal yet menacing feeling(8:37) - Reason: Escaping the Kafka quandry(17:37) - Observations/Takeaways(20:23) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

As an expert reviewer I'm telling you that you will love this review, also because all your friends do and also because it's only here for a limited time!'Influence' by Robert Cialdini is an uncovering of the shortcuts we use to make decisions (and how these can be highjacked). He list 6 'weapons of influence' (or 7 depending on your edition) which were derived from studies, training observations and 1st hand experience in sales/marketing. He highlights these with interesting stories, modern and historical data, psychological experiments and even reports from readers on how they implemented this knowledge.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a fantastic explanation of modern behaviour and why we can sometime be fooled (or do the fooling). It really showcases why certain tactics of persuasion work with real life examples. If you are willing to introspect on how you are being influenced in every day life (or want to use these tricks to your advantage) it will be an extremely useful and practical read.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:39) - Synopsis(3:22) - Persuasion: The '7 Weapons of Influence'(14:31) - Observations/Takeaways(19:09) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Super logical arguments that are convincing but somehow feel like they are missing something.'The Most Good You Can Do' by Peter Singer details the philosophy of effective altruism and how it can be applied. There is a strong slant towards utilitarian ethics with a focus on maximising your individual impact whilst helping others. Specific examples are given of how this can change career paths, deciding on charity recipients and donating body parts. It appeals to rationality through a heavy emphasis on data and thinking about trade-offs whist making donation decisions.I summarised the book as follows. "It was a bit of a conflicting read. On the one hand it is logical and well argued but I noticed internal thoughts of counter points and a feeling that the arguments lacked something. Nevertheless, it's a good intro for those unaware of the EA movement and will hopefully make you consider the effects of your donations."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:29) - Synopsis(4:39) - Judging Value: Ethics vs Morals(12:00) - Doing: An emphasis on real world results(18:30) - Observations/Takeaways(24:00) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

A book that's chockas full of useful info, but that probably only needs to be deeply learnt once.'The Social Leap' by William von Hippel is a basic overview of our evolutionary past to explain how/why we behave and interact with others. In this case 'we' can be families, communities, companies, nations, couples, etc. It's split into 3 parts (past, present and future) with a mix of case studies, his own work as a psychology professor, quotes from famous books and personal anecdotes.I summarised the book as follows. "The value here isn't in new info but in a solid theme (i.e., how evolution dictates human communication and behaviour) presented in a new way. It helped me to re-examine my own actions and think about hidden influential factors in my own life. I would have rated it higher if this had been my first book about evolution, nevertheless I still enjoyed it a lot."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:52) - Synopsis(4:03) - Evolutionary Basics: Is this essential knowledge?(9:27) - Observations/Takeaways(13:45) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

All in all this wasn't my favourite month of reading, but yet the reading will go on!In April 2022 we covered 5 books on this channel. My favourite of the bunch was 'The Social Leap' which gave me a decent revision of some evolutionary basics. I was also surprised by how underwhelming 'Beowulf' was. I had heard about it a lot over my life up to this point and assumed it was an epic tale that would throw me into a completely new world. However, it was much smaller than I imagined and I really struggled to be amazed by his exploits.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:45) - Medea And Other Plays: Euripides(4:53) - The Social Leap: William Von Hippel(12:46) - Borges On Writing: Jorge Luis Borges(16:44) - Beowulf: Unknown Poet(19:09) - Rogue State: William Blum(20:37) - Boostagram Lounge(24:07) - May 2022Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

We're onto the epics again and it's about time some Germanic was thrown in the mix.'Beowulf' by an unknown poet is a short poem written in Old English and set in Scandinavia (particularly modern day Denmark & Sweden). It tells of 2 battles against monsters (Grendel and Grendel's mother) by the hero Beowulf as he seeks fame and glory. Many years later he has one final fight against a dragon to to defend his land and to acquire the untold riches that it was hoarding.I summarised the book as follows. "Overall I'm slightly let down. I'd heard much about this tale over the years and I expected it to be longer & more absorbing. The only real question it raised for me, is why it is popular in the first place? I'm glad it was short and hope to find other Norse mythology to read through in the future."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:50) - Synopsis(4:31) - Epics: What defines the exalted few?(10:28) - Observations/Takeaways(14:24) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

The subtleties of translation of prose are enigmatic, so I'm glad it's not my job.'Borges On Writing' by Jorge Luis Borges is an edited transcript of a 1971 seminar in which Borges chats with colleagues and students about all things writing. It includes a deconstruction of his own work, his personal writing process and thoughts on translating from Spanish to English.I summarised the book as follows. "This scratched an itch for me. I was intrigued by the decisions of translators and this gave me some insights into the differences between literal versus free translation. It also gives a glimpse into the 'unpredictable' mind of an artist."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:44) - Synopsis(4:32) - Interpretation: The role of the translator(10:18) - Writers: How to be a good one?(15:31) - Observations/Takeaways(17:34) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show