Mere Mortals Book Reviews

A topic that effects all of us Mere Mortals.'Mortality' by Christopher Hitchens is brief (& somewhat meandering) reflection on dying. Hitch was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2010 and the disease 'battled him' for a 1.5 years before his death. The book is not focused on death itself, but more the process of dying. This includes his thoughts on being in/out of hospital, deterioration of the body and the public perception/reaction to cancer.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a quick farewell to those of us that remain. Christopher seemed like a crazy, cool guy who did what he loved. What it shows is a small snapshot of the horrors that cancer bring to all. A reminder that we all indeed are simply Mere Mortals."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/3ykTUhVTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:37) - Synopsis(3:34) - Mortality: The state of being susceptible to death(11:27) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(16:06) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

The adolescent Peruvian coming of age story seems a tad more intense than most others.'Cubs & Other Stories' by Mario Vargas Llosa is a group of 7 fictional (but lifelike) short stories mostly involving young men/boys. The titular story is of a boy who is castrated by a dog and then turns into a wild rebellious teen. All take place in Peru with most of them occurring in the capital of Lima. These were written at the start of Llosa's career and were mostly published independently in newspapers before being compiled.I summarised the book as follows. "My thoughts on books that are 'collections' has not altered in the slightest. Due to the quantity of slang this was a difficult read in Spanish and I'm not sure the English version would have been any more interesting. It wasn't bad but there was nothing within that stood out (maybe due to the young age of the author)."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/2WxQHP0Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:33) - Synopsis(2:48) - Young Men: Risk takers due to differing values(5:49) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(7:26) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Lots of mice and lots of men, just what I like in my books!'Of Mice & Men' by John Steinbeck is a short novella about migrant farm workers set in Soledad, California during the early 20th century. Lennie is a mentally disabled 'gentle giant' who accompanies the quick-witted George in their travels. Lennie inadvertently draws in trouble and relies on George to survive. The core themes explore the cruel mercy required to prevent great pain, the rollercoaster ride of hope with dashed dreams & the different types of loneliness.I summarised the book as follows. "This is a quick taste of what to expect in Steinbeck's masterpiece 'The Grapes of Wrath'. It got deep into the heart of each character with minimal words. Will probably leave you a bit sad afterwards and thankful that your life is not like that of those in the book. Short, sharp and stinging."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/3mAgKjcTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:30) - Synopsis(2:12) - Cruel Mercy: Causing pain to prevent greater pain(6:29) - Dashed Dreams: Life has no mercy(8:39) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(10:28) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

A book where I'm certainly glad the ending got cut short!'The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea' by Yukio Mishima is a story of 3 characters with romantic notions that crunch up against reality. Set in post WWII Yokohoma, young Noboru struggles to accept the courtship and impending marriage of his widowed mother Fusako with the stoic sailor Ryuji. The themes delve into the sentimental honour to be gained with glory and finding meaning in life by dampening emotions to embrace destruction/emptiness.I summarised the book as follows. "All 3 have an idealised emotional perspective of the world which seems to come crashing down, for better and worse. I liked the 3 pronged storyline & gained some insight into Japanese culture. I myself wasn't too put off by the disturbing scene with the kitten, but this isn't for the squeamish."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/38o0xFKTimeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:27) - Synopsis(4:01) - Glory: Honour gained by notable achievements(7:24) - Inhuman: Finding meaning through destruction & emptiness(10:18) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(13:27) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

An absurd, ridiculous tale of dark humour that might just contain some deeper meaning.'Gould's Book Of Fish' by Richard Flanagan tells the tale of William Buelow Gould, an English convict transported to the penal colony on Sarah's Island and who becomes enamoured with ..... fishes! Whilst it contains elements of real life it is dominated by the fantastical events & insanity of the principal characters.I summarised the book as follows. "I hope Flanagan has as much fun writing this as I did reading it. It's a mad tale narrated by a loony convict. So many good points with the unique fish chapters, absurd humour & entertaining characters. The only downside is that I'm disinterested in art/fishes/penal colonial history so the backdrop wasn't my favourite. I do think this book could be amazing for other people though."As always, 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/3sXxjHiTimeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(4:00) - Insanity: A reasonable method for sense making(9:13) - Fiction: A vehicle for imparting meaning (rather than truth)(12:53) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(14:39) - Summary(15:30) - Aussie SlangConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Not sure I've read a book full of more dislikeable characters.'My Brilliant Career' by Miles Franklin is set in 1890's rural Australia and recounts the maturation of Sybylla Melvyn from age 16-21. Sybylla's ambition is grandiose and she constantly struggles to deal with her immediate circumstances and believes herself above the indigence of her family. The book is notable for the young age of Franklin upon publication (21 yrs old) and that it has developed into an Aussie classic over the course of 120+ years.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a feminist text from a different time, a capsule into the past. I found Sybylla to be a total brat and conceited/entitled beyond belief. Although most of my observations were critical of the character's personalities I did appreciate the descriptions of the bush, real life qualities of the people & the general glimpse into old rural Australia.As always, 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/3sUyJ5bTimeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(3:31) - Ambition: The desire for distinction(7:04) - Adversity: Enduring the tragedy of the times(10:06) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(12:26) - Summary(13:22) - Aussie SlangConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Aussie Aussie Aussie! Books Books Books! Want a collection of some of the best Australian books, I got you covered. I read 8 books this month and 5 of these are considered classics while the other 3 are more modern. I had lots of fun diving into the world of Australian literature and found out that we actually have some good authors, both in the past and present. Worth giving them a check out if you're feeling patriotic!As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Introduction(0:55) - My Brother Jack - George Johnston(3:05) - Picnic At Hanging Rock - Joan Lindsay(8:00) - We Of The Never Never & The Little Black Princess - Jeannie Gunn(10:18) - Gould's Book Of Fish - Richard Flanagan(12:09) - My Brilliant Career - Miles Franklin(14:12) - Requiem With Yellow Butterflies - James Halford(16:15) - Poems Of The Bush - Banjo Paterson(18:20) - True History Of The Kelly Gang - Peter Carey(21:12) - Other Aussie Books I Didn't Get To(23:40) - Aussie Slang(25:20) - The Mere Mortals Podcast Has More Book Related Ideas(26:23) - What's Coming Up For AugustConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

The best way to describe this book is that it's an academic version of the travel memoirs I wouldn't write.'Requiem With Yellow Butterflies' by James Halford is an Aussie book that is non-linear and contains a jumpy back and forth structure. It contains his South American travel memoirs from 2007, analysis of various influential authors and their works plus a present day love story alternating between Brisbane/Mexico City with his Mexican wife. It explores the experiences of travel, the point of literature and the complexities of personal relationships.I summarised the book as follows. "It's not my type of structure but was saved by the cool topics. I am fascinated with travel, South America, books and languages all of which were prominent throughout. Unfortunately, I struggled to really enjoy it due to the compilation style and was just too jumpy for me."As always, 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/3sZfEyWTimeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:30) - Travel: Why do we do it?(6:53) - Analysing Books: Why do we do it?(10:55) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(15:03) - Summary(16:04) - Aussie SlangConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

It's eerie coming across the literary version of yourself, essentially the same person who lived a different life and made different decisions.'My Brother Jack' by George Johnston is a classic Aussie story about family relations, cultural snapshots, responsibility and dashed dreams. It is narrated by David Meredith and is mostly an introspective story but with the constant play of the polarity between himself and his brother Jack. There are many themes contained within but David's shirking of responsibility and Jack's portrayal as the classic Aussie bloke really jump out.I summarised the book as follows. "It him home hard and was maybe even too close to home. I saw so much of my innate personality in David, basically an alternate Kyrin living an alternate life (& I didn't like what I saw eeeep). It reveals the cultural feeling in the air between the two world wars and the ending left me reeling. A fantastic book that is very close to being in my top 10!"As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(4:21) - Shirking: An avoidance of duty &/or responsibility(9:59) - Old Mate: What makes an Aussie man?(15:33) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(21:12) - Summary(22:16) - Aussie SlangConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'Innovation in Australia' by Ben Kehoe explores big questions which ultimately land us with a view that we really need a better vision for our future. Can business leaders can play a bigger role? In Innovation in Australia: Creating Prosperity for Future Generations, Ben Kehoe discusses how Australian businesses can improve their rates of collaboration, commercialising our innovative Australian ideas here, rather than shipping them offshore, and how this can increase the prosperity of our nation.If you would like to support the channel and grab the book, find the following handy link! https://amzn.to/3hw8ZbbAs always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Mere Mortals out! Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:30) - Summary(5:00) - Themes(9:40) - Moon Shotshttps://innovationinaustralia.com.au/Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show