Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Begone you engrams, let me be the Thetan I was born to be!'Going Clear' by Lawrence Wright is an exposé mixed with the history of Scientology. The first half begins with a bio on the mythical/enigmatic L. Ron Hubbard and his life. The second half is of modern Scientology & its influential figures (such as David Miscavige, Tom Cruise and Paul Haggis). The book explores the beliefs, controversies, internal disputes as well as asking what is a religion? I summarised the book as follows. "I felt it was a fair take on the history and religion of Scientology. It presented both sides of the story and looked into some of the more 'out there' and just plain false assertions of Hubbard and the behaviour of the Sea Org & its leaders. An engaging read considering I don't care much for the topic of religion."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:36) - Synopsis(3:10) - Belief: Faith, fact, fiction or science(8:23) - The Church: What defines a religion?(12:20) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(14:50) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

One of those rare books that appeals to adults & kids alike.'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a surprisingly complex story to convey a simple message. It is a combination of two tales that are intertwined together. One is of an adult aviator who has forgotten how to see the world through the eyes of a child. The other is of an interstellar boy who easily sees the foolishness of adults, but also must learn about relationships and love.I summarised the book as follows. "It's definitely worth of the 'classic' moniker. It has planes, planets in outer space, a bunch of weirdos and a cool fox (what more does one need)! It's a nice reminder to find some childlike naivety and view the world through a new pair of eyes. A very solid book."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:27) - Synopsis(3:25) - Childlike Innocence: The pleasure & pain of youth(7:02) - Life Lessons: Let's add some adult complexity(11:08) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(12:50) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'Everyone Has A Plan Until Sh!t Hits The Fan' by Tofe Evans looks at the journey from dispair & depression through to success, a focused mind and personal resilience.I summarised the book as follows. "A quaint and straight to the point book written by Tofe. The quintessential self-help book written by someone who just wants to ensure it is read by someone and helps them out to the utmost. Splices his troubles as a young man, getting out of drug addictions and using running as the tool to harden his mind."I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/2WsFZZGTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:56) - Synopsis(6:05) - Themes(11:20) - Personal ObservationsConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

An unwavering spirit maybe isn't such a great thing after all.'Candide' by Voltaire is a funny satire on the philosophical idea/theory of Optimism, which was popular during the French Enlightenment. It is a roving adventure of the ever hopeful Candide as he learns about the harshness of the world while chasing his love Cunégonde and spreading the philosophy of Dr Pangloss. His travels take him across Europe, South America & the Middle East with numerous mishaps and encounters with embittered souls along the way.I summarised the book as follows. "It's an absolutely biting attack on the idea that 'all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds'. The humour is fantastic and it can be read lightly as an engaging story containing memorable characters. It can also make you think deeply about ethics and philosophy if you choose to do so. Quite similar in style to Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift."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/2UMfxd9Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:25) - Synopsis(2:53) - Optimism: Insisting all is good when it really isn't(6:05) - Pessimism: Joy in the worst of all possible worlds(8:20) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(12:05) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'Shoe Dog' by Phil Knight details the journey of Nike's humble beginnings, from the Blue Ribbon Sports, through battling the Fed's, getting thrown out by banks.. the story does not hold back.I summarised the book as follows. "I really enjoyed reading this book, the way that Phil wrote the book himself and allowed the story to shine was excellent"I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Mere Mortals out!If you would like to support the team and enjoyed this review, you can grab a copy using the following link! https://amzn.to/3yEXXWrTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:54) - Synopsis(4:30) - Themes (10:05) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(13:40) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Bit of a different episode for you today, I'm outdoors! And indeed I'm giving a recap of the 7 books I read (and 1 x book review from Juan) that was posted in August 2021. The standout really was Catch-22, can't rave about this book highly enough. It will make you laugh and still has plenty of room to bring up some darker themes related to war and the absurdity of politics/bureaucracy. Highly recommended!!I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:21) - Catch-22(1:23) - Heart of Darkness(3:08) - Of Mice & Men(5:04) - The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea(6:33) - Breakfast At Tiffany's(8:44) - Mortality(11:50) - The Cubs & Other Stories(13:35) - The Art of Resilience(14:49) - What's coming up next month?Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

You only have yourself to blame if you get burnt by girls like this.'Breakfast At Tiffany's' by Truman Capote is set in the middle of WWII in glamorous New York City. An unnamed narrator meets Holly Golightly, a young & pretty socialite who lives in his apartment building. Over the course of a year he becomes fascinated with her enigmatic lifestyle and her charisma. The book contains no real plot line and is more of a look at life in the 1940's and of why Holly is such a fascinating individual.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a simple story of a carefree socialite who doesn't learn any lesson in particular. Holly certainly leaves an impression whether it be bad or good. I thought the 'untameable wild animal' analogy used in the books was quite a suitable way to describe her. I'd really like to meet someone like her in person but think that the real life experience might not be as fun as it appears in writing."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/2Wpg5qgTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:35) - Synopsis(3:37) - Female Charisma: Beautifully enigmatic with feminine wiles(8:14) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(11:56) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Easily the funniest book I've ever read!'Catch-22' by Joseph Heller is fictional novel set on a US air force base on an island off Northern Italy during WWII. It follows Yossarian whilst he tries to avoid flying missions as everyone is out to kill him. He is joined by a collection of other wacky characters as they all show their peculiar idiosyncrasies. The book highlights the absurdity of army politics, the waste that is generated by bureaucracy and the mundanity of war (with brief flashes of intensity).I summarised the book as follows. "To say this is funny is an understatement. It is absolutely hilarious although it does contain disturbing/gory scenes, as it is after all about war. Catch-22 has become mainstay of the English language due to the absolute perfection of Heller in creating situation of paradox that can't be resolved. One of the best books I've ever read!"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/3zmGbIHTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:11) - Catch-22: The funny side of paradox(6:58) - The Wastage Of War: Ridiculous, futile bureaucracy in action(11:41) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(15:17) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

"What can we learn from the individual who swam around Great Britain"'The Art of Resilience' by Ross Edgely walks through the strategies for an unbreakable mind and body - right up the Mere Mortals alley!In summary "Simply written, it ties together Ross's learnings while swimming around Great Britain and brings together information that he has sourced through a lot of his travels as well tribulations. The learning summaries at the end of each chapter where nice, but after a while i found myself not reading them. It showed a lot of emotional points as well. Overall solid".I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!If you would like to support the channel, you can grab yourself a copy of the book here! https://amzn.to/2UT3DyoTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:40) - Synopsis(4:35) - Themes(10:50) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(16:30) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

You would have to have a heart of darkness to not feel anything from this tale.'Heart Of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad is a fictional reworking of Conrad's own journey through the Congolese jungle. Marlow (the narrator) is a new captain that must direct his steamboat through the heart of the jungle to relieve agents of the ivory trader. He tells of his meeting with the almost mythical Kurtz, a charismatic madman with high aspirations to become 'great'.I summarised the book as follows. " It packs a punch for something so small. The pace is slow which adds to the heavy atmosphere of malaise & dark oppression. I found myself fearing what Marlow would find as he progresses deeper into the heart of the jungle. Kurtz as a character also made an impression, despite his brief actual appearance. Definitely want to read more from Conrad in the future."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/3jqFs3TTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(3:50) - Darkness: The horror of the ivory trade(8:23) - Madness: Losing the 'heart' of your ideals(11:54) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(15:09) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show