Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Have you thought about what kind of games you've been playing, if not then maybe you should?'Finite And Infinite Games' by James P. Carse is somewhat of a philosophy that divides human actions and interactions into two types of games. The finite game is bounded, has fixed rules, is serious and theatrical. The infinite game on the other hand has no end, with constantly changing rules/players and has a more casual feeling.I summarised the book as follows. "This is the type of philosophy I can actually enjoy. Carse's general distinction of finite & infinite seemed to make a lot of intuitive sense to me. There were certainly some strange parts of the book but these only minorly subtracted from my overall impression. This is not a book for everybody but has had an impact on me and questioning what games I'm playing in."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:05) - Finite vs Infinite: What game are you playing?(12:26) - Genius & Poiesis: Diving nature and creation(20:57) - Observations/Takeaways(23:33) - 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 had a huge impact at its inception is still gaining cultural relevance 2 decades later.'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson depicts a dystopian USA where technology is way more advanced but life is significantly more dangerous. Hiro Protagonist and YT have to save the world from a biological-cum-digital virus that is enslaving people. Notable for it's futuristic ideas that are appearing in real life (such as VR and the Metaverse), the book also dives deeply into linguistics and the core characteristics of language.I summarised the book as follows. "If you like Sci-Fi & dystopian tales this is a solid read. I wanted to read it for its cultural relevance but was pleasantly surprised by the linguistics information and whether language is universalistic or relativistic. In many ways it's a rather simple story with one dimensional characters but I found this a great casing for the cooler futuristic technology and ideas about how language/communication operates.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:40) - Synopsis(4:23) - The Metaverse: Better than reality?(10:46) - Language: The core of communication(18:04) - Observations/Takeaways(23:05) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Is Sisyphus trapped in an eternal torment, or is he perhaps the most fulfilled man in history?'The Myth Of Sisyphus' by Albert Camus are multiple essays diving into the philosophy of the absurd. There are 4 main parts that examine whether suicide is a good idea, the thoughts/actions of an absurd man, artists who have created absurd fictional characters and why Sisyphus is the embodiment of the absurd. It also includes some other poetical works, namely of his love for Algiers and its landscape.I summarised the book as follows. "I loved the potential of the initial premise but felt it fell a little flat. It's very poetic and I felt this detracted from the investigations into the morality of suicide. It's useful if you want some philosophy, to know about Absurdism or to enjoy the way that language can be formulated in different ways.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:57) - Absurdism: Accepting the paradox of life(8:32) - Suicide: The only serious question(13:27) - Observations/Takeaways(17:45) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Well you can't accuse me of sticking to only one type of book, I was all over shop this month.For January 2022 I tackled Leviathan and man that was booooooorrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnnggggg. I much more enjoyed Lolita (which was less controversial than I thought it would be) and Nathaniel's Nutmeg (detailing the crazy adventurers and merchants in the 1500's). A big thanks to Petar & Oscar Merry for helping to support the show, bloody legends!I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Yes yes welcome(0:27) - Lolita: Vladimir Nabokov(3:23) - Nathaniel's Nutmeg: Giles Milton(6:23) - Leviathan: Thomas Hobbes(9:31) - Twelve And A Half: Gary Vaynerchuk(11:03) - Boostagram Lounge(20:27) - What's Coming Up For Feb 2022?Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

A seminal work that many people like to quote (including me), but probably haven't read (not me now).'Leviathan' by Thomas Hobbes is a treatise on human nature/government/religion and how they all mingle. His basic argument is that human emotions & our individual rights lead to war. Therefore we need a government to contain this violence. The book is very detailed and contains lots of definitions and formal explanations of his thoughts.I summarised the book as follows. "It's split into 4 separate sections but I could really only read the first 2. I'm not going to lie, I found it a slog & rather unenjoyable. There are snippets of interesting passages but it's a book on politics & government, subjects that are rather unappealing to me. It fixed a misconception I had about Hobbes's general outlook but it was a high price to pay.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:34) - Synopsis(4:43) - Commonwealths: Why we need political communities for the common good(12:22) - Observations/Takeaways(22:01) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

The real spice wars don't turn out so well for the little guy, but there is just as much death/mayhem.'Nathaniel's Nutmeg' by Giles Milton is a narrative history of the spice trade in the early 1500's to mid 1600's. It reveals the shipping rivalry that occurred between England & The Dutch over the highly valuable spices of nutmeg, pepper and cloves. It's told through individual adventurers with their ships and of their route, tropical diseases, warfare, politics and living conditions.I summarised the book as follows. "A nice overview of a wild time on the high seas. Lot's of compelling adventures & most of it based off documented history. I liked the addition of maps & drawings to give some geographical and visual representation to the tales. There's actually surprisingly little about Nathaniel Courthope but plenty of learning about the Dutch East India Trading Company and the quirks of history."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:36) - Synopsis(4:08) - Death & Disease: The price of adventure(9:52) - Staggering Wealth: The Dutch East India Company(14:37) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(17:38) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Delusion, obsession and dubious ethical choices swirl around in the head of this unreliable narrator.'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov details the disturbed account of Humbert Humbert's (the narrator) fantasy with the young Dolores Haze (Lolita). Humbert lusts after 'nymphets' and begins a semi-consensual sexual relationship with the underage Lolita. However the relationship is perhaps not all it seems as the delirium and bizarre behaviour of Humbert become more apparent.I summarised the book as follows. "Don't be fooled by the general controversy surrounding the book, I found it be rather mild. It barely hints at a consensual relationship and overall is rather condemning of Humbert's actions. It's cleverly written as your initial impressions of Humbert and Lolita will likely change as the twisted narration becomes hazier. The prose, plot line and style are all fantastic."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:00) - Synopsis(6:03) - Nymphets: Sex meets controversy(12:30) - Obsession: The breeding ground for delusion(18:59) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(27:13) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'Twelve and a Half' by Gary Vaynerchuck (aka Gary Vee) focuses on the 12 emotional traits that are the crucial ingredients to successful interactions, on and off the business landscape. The half includes an emotion which Gary himself is building up, kind candor, and the book is split up into three parts: Decription of each emotion, examples and excercises to build up your skills in each emotion.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:55) - Synopsis(7:13) - Themes (10:50) - Personal Observations/TakeawaysConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'The Art of Learning' by Josh Waitzkin might be better detailed as the Art of Mastering. I summarised the book as follows. "Broken up into the fundamentals and the progress from chess master to push hands champion, Josh does a phenomenal job of sharing his life lessons with us"I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:30) - Synopsis(6:14) - Themes(12:54) - Takeaways & SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Unfortunately there were no real standout books for this month.For December 2021 I have been reading some slightly thinner works and took a break from the philosophy to find some fun ones that wouldn't test my brain too much. And whilst I did enjoy all of these, none of them stood out as something I would remember strongly and be likely to bring up in everyday conversation. I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:47) - The Portrait Of A Lady: Henry James(4:51) - Peril At End House: Agatha Christie(7:38) - Don't Tell Mum I Work On The Rigs: Paul Carter(9:49) - The Art Of Learning: Josh Waitzkin(13:52) - A sneak peak of Jan 2022(15:01) - V4VConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show