Mere Mortals Book Reviews

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

The lady in this story takes the idiom of 'cutting off one's nose to spite one's face' to a whole nother level.'Medea And Other Plays' by Euripides are a collection of 4 complete and translated plays from the Athenian playwright. They are written in the style they were to be performed, so include prompts for the actors and descriptions of what would be happening on the stage. They are relatively simple stories and show the self-destructive effect of revenge and female courage in tough situations.I summarised the book as follows. "This is nice way to learn more about Greek mythology. The characters were way more relatable than the typical heroes and definitely are worthy of the 'drama' title. There was family infighting, arrogant despots, regicide, displays of great sacrifice, traumatic love and nearly even incest! A unique format to learn more about how theatre was performed more than 2000 years ago."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:42) - Synopsis(4:28) - Revenge: Behaviour that makes little sense(10:56) - Female Courage: How did Greek women display it?(14:19) - 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

The Mere Mortals review 'Rogue State' by William Blum.Testing america by the same standards that get used to judge other countries. The facts are layed out in this book, but perhaps not in the most consumable and unbiased way.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:30) - Synopsis(6:00) - TakeawaysConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

A book about crazy people (who are actually pretty sane) saved this month from being a mediocre washout.In March we covered 4 books on this channel. It was a mix of social commentary, fictional realism, complex narrative and a biography. The standout for me was 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey, a book about a mental hospital with a tyrannical nurse. I loved the concept of the 'Combine' and thought the author did a fantastic job in creating some unique and memorable characters.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Value For Value(3:30) - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest: Ken Kesey(11:17) - Dubliners: James Joyce(13:18) - The Green House: Mario Vargas Llosa(15:19) - Steve Jobs: Walter Isaacson(16:54) - Boostagram Lounge(21:59) - YT Comments(24:46) - April 2022(26:46) - More V4VConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

For a bunch of people in a mental hospital there is a whole lot of decent sense making going on.'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey is an exploration of social stigma, overbearing control and fighting for the defenceless. The overbearing power of The Combine matched with the machinery of the institution forms a force that seeks to bring order by squashing all before it. Taking place in a mental hospital, it's narrated by one of the patients (The Chief) as he watches the slick newcomer (Randall McMurphy) as he battles the personification of these processes (Nurse Ratched). I summarised the book as follows. "It's a rather bleak story overall but this hits afterwards as during the reading it's mostly amusing. What I really enjoyed were the solid characters that popped out for their uniqueness. It's a great book but I wouldn't put it in my best of all time as many people seem to do. Although I found the themes fascinating it didn't hit as hard as I think it may have during the different era of when it was published." I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:34) - Synopsis(4:02) - The Combine: Squashing everyone down to size ...... until it can't.(11:08) - Institutions: What happens if 'order' goes too far?(15:59) - Observations/Takeaways(20:31) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

There is a reason most writers stick to the standard narrative & chronological format .... and that's because it can be confusing as fuck without it!'The Green House' by Mario Vargas Llosa is an experimental novel set in the Piura region of northern Peru. It follows 12 characters of roughly equal importance as they deal with interweaving relationships, the rubber trade, Christianity amongst tribal people and the mythical brothel known as The Green House. The stories are set at different places and times over a 40 year period, hence the experimental nature of the book.I summarised the book as follows. "This was mostly just confusing a read. I really struggled to understand the plot and part of this was my fault. It's an experimental book so reading in my non-native language (Spanish) was not a fantastic idea and only reading little bits and pieces over a long time didn't help. That being said I did give it enough chances to grab me with something interesting but nothing really stood out."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:38) - Synopsis(2:23) - Narrative: What is a story?(6:24) - Observations/Takeaways(8:03) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Delve into the intricate legacy of Steve Jobs and the dual nature of his genius and flaws. Discover how his innovative spirit sparked the creation of brands we know today, and the rivalry with Bill Gates that shaped the tech landscape. The discussion also sheds light on Jobs' personal struggles and ambitions, offering lessons on empathy and perseverance. This insightful review captures the essence of a visionary whose impact continues to resonate.

If you want to change your stereotypical impression of the Irish & Dublin .... then don't read this book.'Dubliners' by James Joyce is a collection of 15 short stories published as his first book. They are mostly a description of middle class Irish life with every story being set somewhere in Dublin. It covers a variety of character ages, lives, settings and situations. One theme that isn't crucial to the plot of any individual story but appears constantly is alcohol and overconsumption.I summarised the book as follows. "I found this rather bland overall. There was nothing that excited me nor that jumped out as intriguing. This could have been 15 stories from any city anywhere in the world and it would have been the same. Life is life and it appears that an Irish Dubliners life is just as mundane as any when diving into the day to day machinations."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:41) - Synopsis(2:42) - The Irish Stereotype: Does anything set it apart?(6:41) - Observations/Takeaways(10:32) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show