Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Is it worse to die an ignoble death at the hands of your enemy, or those of your 'supposed' friends?'A Farewell To Arms' by Ernest Hemingway is one of the novels that emerged from WWI. It is the main American book as they joined the war relatively late in comparison to many of the other countries. It is a fictional story that tells of the ambulance driver Frederic Henry as he helps on the front line in Italy. He falls in love with a nurse named Catherine Barkley and eventually becomes disillusioned by the whole premise of the war. Stylistically it is notable for the hollow and somewhat clipped narration of events and conversations.I summarised the book as follows. "I found this story to be detached, anti-war and ultimately uneventful. After reading it I came out as apathetic as the Tenente. Stylistically it might have merit for being new but I found the conversations quite off-putting, although the actual story was ok. I feel the were better books from people who spent more time in the war, such as 'All Quiet On The Western Front' or 'Storm of Steel'."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(3:00) - A Noble Death: Possible or not?(5:34) - Apathy: Where does it come from?(7:02) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(8:48) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

There's a right way and a wrong way to create a compilation book ..... this is the right way. 'Bringing Home The Dharma' by Jack Kornfield is a basic introduction to Buddhism and it's core tenets. It is constructed from Jack's writing taken from essays, publications and other books. Within you'll find Zen quotes, personal anecdotes, stories involving his students and practical advice. There is a strong theoretical component focusing on the teachings/truth of the Dharma and a practical component focusing on the many types of meditation.I summarised the book as follows. "This is probably my favourite of the Buddhism books I have read up to now due to it's depth and profundity. There are many concepts so I wouldn't call it a completely beginner book but is still basic enough to grasp. It highlights the core aspects of concentration, awareness and mindfulness while not being dogmatic or one-sided. Most likely I will come back to give this a re-read at some point in the future."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:57) - Dharma: Teachings and truth(6:38) - Meditation: The tool of many purposes(9:22) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(10:50) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' by Shunryu Suzuki is a musing on Zen Buddhism, enlightenment and meditation practice. Suzuki Roshi was a populariser of Zen in America and many regard this as one of the finest books on the topic. The core themes centre on the spiritual attainment of Buddha nature and the philosophy behind the practice of Zazen.I summarised the book as follows. "It's a succinct, simple & simultaneously confusing read. It explains the central essence of Zen without all the tradition or religiosity. There are some practical tips for meditation (Zazen) but is more heavy on the spirituality and grand concept of embodied enlightenment that Zen tries to convey. Personally I felt it became a bit repetitive at times and would also say that this book is NOT for everyone, better to have read it with some grounding in Buddhism or the other eastern religions."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:24) - Buddha Nature: The already attained enlightenment within all(4:43) - Zazen: The practice of non-practice(7:29) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(10:34) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

He who knows does not speak, he who speaks does not know. 'The Essential Chuang Tzu' by Chuang Tzu is a 3rd century BCE collection of fables, teachings and stories predominantly about Tao & Taoism. It is a mix of fiction, fact and mythology that includes historical figures such as Confucius and Lao Tzu. It is known as one of the great works of eastern philosophy that contains the seeds of Zen/Buddhism and explains how enlightenment is actually just 'the way'. I summarised the book as follows. "It's a fun work of philosophy but still requires concentration to find the wisdom. It touches upon a serious topic of spiritual importance but does it through humorous anecdotes and with a playful nature. Of all the spiritual books I've read so far this would be my favourite. I'd recommend it for someone wanting eastern philosophy with less paradox then Zen and less religiosity then Buddhism."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(3:28) - Tao: Accepting what simply 'is'(7:46) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(13:17) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

'Beyond Order' by Jordan B. Peterson is the highly anticipated sequel to 12 RULES FOR LIFE (go check out that review as well in our channel), which has sold over 5 million copies around the world. I summarised the book as follows. "Beyond Order calls on us to balance the two fundamental principles of reality - order and chaos ­- and reveals the profound meaning that can be found on the path that divides them."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Juan out!Timeline:(0:00) - Introduction(2:58) - Synopsis(4:40) - Key Themes(6:30) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(11:09) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Sharpen your sword & ready your chariot, we're in for an epic adventure! 'The Aeneid' by Virgil is an epic poem that follows Aeneas and his fellow Trojans as they cross 3 continents trying to establish a new home. It contains all that you would expect from this era; seductive princesses, wrathful Gods, strange monsters and grand battles. The main themes that arise from the tale are obligation/dutiful respect and whether fate allows any room for free will.I summarised the book as follows. "This poem is the best of both worlds. The first half contains a seafaring adventure similar to The Odyssey and the second half is of warring armies reminiscent of The Iliad. Perfect for anybody who loves mythology and actually will impart useful knowledge of history &/or geography. Easily my favourite of these three epics due to the character of Aeneas and the two part split."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(5:15) - Pietas: Obligation & dutiful respect(7:41) - Fate: Is there any room for free will?(10:37) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(13:09) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Would you believe that I'm a shape-shifting lizard who thinks that the Earth is flat? 'Not Born Yesterday' by Hugo Mercier is an argument against the perceived notion that humans are gullible. In the age of fake news, false rumours and conspiracies it is easy to think that we are too credulous. However, Mercier argues that we have developed open vigilance mechanisms which allow us to sort out the incoming communication from other people to let us know who to trust and what to believe.I summarised the book as follows. "It's definitely an 'intellectual' book that requires a lot of prior knowledge of evolutionary science, game theory and behavioural economics. It brought up some original ideas but there may be some dubious studies that were used to support his thesis. The general argument makes sense to me and there are a couple of useful takeaways but it won't revolutionise my thinking."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(2:54) - Open Vigilance Mechanisms: Accepting the beneficial, rejecting the harmful(9:07) - Trust & Belief: Who to trust & what to believe?(13:54) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(16:59) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

If you want to know more about depression from a physiological, scientific or personal viewpoint, then look no further. 'The Noonday Demon' by Andrew Solomon is part memoir/part tome centred all around the topic of depression. The book contains 12 chapters and is very thick, clocking in at 445 pages of the main text. It has a lot of objective facts related to suicide, treatment, addiction, poverty and history mixed with subjective stories and notes about breakdowns, sad tales, hope for the future and the causes/evolution as seen through the lens of history.I summarised the book as follows. "This is a moving and dense read. It is sort of like the Wikipedia article (in terms of summarising the science) but dives much deeper and with a subjective narrative included. It will give you all the information about depression and you'll probably come away well informed but uncertain about the topic as a whole due to its complexity. Worth reading for the stories even if the science parts become outdated in the future."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(8:10) - Objective Facts(19:25) - Subjective Stories & Notes(27:15) - Personal Observations/Takeaways(30:49) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

There are some works that seem to be more than just a book, but something entirely strange and new. 'Around The Day In Eighty Worlds' by Julio Cortázar is a collection of stories, poetry, observations, history, biography, recommendations and much more. He mostly speaks of art, writing and his personal influences but doesn't try to say anything explicitly. The book itself contains plenty of photos/sketches/drawings and was originally written in Spanish but contains smatterings of French & English.I summarised the book as follows. "It's strange, it's weird and it's not for me. I read this book in the original Spanish version and had difficulty in understanding due to not only the amount of Argentinian slang but also the rapid changes between stories and languages. To really appreciate the book I believe the reader will need to have an extensive knowledge of jazz, France and foreign authors as Cortázar brings up these topics constantly. Was a useful book and I personally didn't enjoy it but have hopes that I will enjoy some of his other works such as 'Rayuela'."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(1:46) - Who is Julio Cortázar?(3:04) - Art & Style: Playthings of a cronopio(6:23) - Personal Observations(8:38) - Summary(10:06) - RayuelaConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show

Want a book that can entertain you, tear you up and make you think deeply all at the same time? 'The Grapes Of Wrath' by John Steinbeck is one the classic works of the 20th century. It describes the migration of the fictional Joad family during the Dust Bowl era as they seek a better future in California. Unfortunately their tale is one of woe and suffering. They face intense discrimination, a dearth of jobs and abject poverty in their quest. The underlying rage and frustration seeps out through this book, which won the Pulitzer Prize and was a primary reason for the Steinbeck's winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature.I summarised the book as follows. "This book really hits home hard. It is entertaining, emotive and impactful all in one fell swoop. Steinbeck creates complex characters that aren't tropes within this huge historical context of mass migration and movement of time, space and lives. Truly deserving of high praise and was duly recognised during its own time and even to this day. Superb in every way."As always, I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & Synopsis(3:37) - Poverty & Suffering: The linked chains of despair(7:47) - Discrimination: Unjustified distinctions on 'whatever'(10:15) - Personal Observations(13:08) - SummaryConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show