Mere Mortals Book Reviews
Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados

Overview
Episodes

Details

Hey I'm Kyrin and I review books of all genres/styles but with an emphasis on those that have stood the test of time (the 'classics' if you will). Join me as I cover the basic synopsis before diving into the themes, ideas and learnings we can take away from the fascinating realm of literature. Weekly live episode on Thurs 11am AEST (Thurs 1am UTC+0) plus bonus episodes from my cohost Juan every now and then.

Recent Episodes

Does Australia Deserve It's Prosperity? | The Lucky Country (Donald Horne) BOOK REVIEW
FEB 19, 2025
Does Australia Deserve It's Prosperity? | The Lucky Country (Donald Horne) BOOK REVIEW
<p>Unjustified negativity has funny ways of rebounding right back at you.<br /><br />'The Lucky Country' by Donald Horne is a a subjective snapshot of Australian life in the 1960's. Donald creates a depiction of the average person, our way of life, relation to other countries (especially Asia) and the political landscape. He is rather scathing when taken as a whole but seems relatively balanced when talking about minutiae topics.<br /><br />If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!<br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:02:03) Themes/Questions<br />(00:19:01) Author &amp; Extras<br />(00:22:46) Summary<br />(00:24:37) Value 4 Value<br />(00:25:20) Join Live!</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />Boostagram: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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27 MIN
Change Your Lousy Business | Blue Ocean Strategy (W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne) BOOK REVIEW
FEB 12, 2025
Change Your Lousy Business | Blue Ocean Strategy (W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne) BOOK REVIEW
<p>Surprisingly, if you appeal to tired &amp; worn out people it might just reflect in your own work.<br /><br />'Blue Ocean Strategy' by W. Chan Kim &amp; Renée Mauborgne is a business strategy book promoting the idea of moving away from a contested core business to less competitive greener pastures. Highlights several companies that have done this and why they were successful. Plenty of graphs, charts &amp; lists contained within 11 chapters &amp; 3 appendices.<br /><br />Huge thanks to Lyceum for the support this week, much appreciated!<br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:02:26) Themes/Questions<br />(00:12:38) Author &amp; Extras<br />(00:20:41) Summary<br />(00:22:57) Value 4 Value<br />(00:25:33) Join Live!</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />Boostagram: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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26 MIN
Fighting Anarchy With Chaos | The Man Who Was Thursday (G.K. Chesterton) BOOK REVIEW
FEB 5, 2025
Fighting Anarchy With Chaos | The Man Who Was Thursday (G.K. Chesterton) BOOK REVIEW
<p>To save the world you must be first willing to burn it.<br /><br />'The Man Who Was Thursday' by G.K. Chesterton is a short fictional novel of a policeman who joins a 7 person high ranking cabal of anarchists to stop their evil ideology. He begins to learn that their are allies amongst the enemies &amp; enlists their help to take down the behemoth ringleader Sunday. It's set in 1900's England and has a rather bizarre 'absurdist' style but with a levity you wouldn't find in other similar books.<br /><br />If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!<br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:01:58) Themes/Questions<br />(00:14:51) Author &amp; Extras<br />(00:22:35) Summary<br />(00:25:46) Value 4 Value<br />(00:28:10) Join Live!</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />Boostagram: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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29 MIN
The Art Of Translation | My Analysis Of Two Books Side By Side
JAN 29, 2025
The Art Of Translation | My Analysis Of Two Books Side By Side
<p>How much meaning is lost when you are reading a translation?<br /><br />Today is a special episode where I am going over my findings from reading 'O Alquimista' in the original Portuguese and it's English translation side by side. I found that although the grammar prompt some differences the biggest effect was stylistic choices by the translator. This includes minor things like cutting out words/sentences to larger alterations such as removing potentially 'racist' remarks. <br /><br />Would love to hear your feedback and appreciate any support you wish to give :)<br /><br />The Alchemist Book Review: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o40-BJkfLE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o40-BJkfLE</a><br /><br />Tao Te Ching Book Review: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thoq-1gwZLo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thoq-1gwZLo</a><br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:02:01) Direct Observations<br />(00:17:31) Indirect Observations<br />(00:27:34) Summary<br />(00:30:17) Value 4 Value<br />(00:31:55) Join Live!</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />Boostagram: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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33 MIN
An Arduous Battle Against Cancer | The Emperor Of All Maladies (Siddhartha Mukherjee) BOOK REVIEW
JAN 22, 2025
An Arduous Battle Against Cancer | The Emperor Of All Maladies (Siddhartha Mukherjee) BOOK REVIEW
<p>No easy wins and only tough decisions.<br /><br />'The Emperor Of All Maladies' by Siddhartha Mukherjee is a dense history of cancer throughout the centuries but particularly the 20th. Details breakthroughs in prevention, cure, chemotherapy, surgery, genetics and knowledge/understanding. Told from an American POV so largely uses stats from there whilst also showing how it is a global problem. Has a personal touch of his interactions with patients, scientists who discovered the next step forward and notable activists pushing for change (hence the 'biography').<br /><br />If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!<br /><br />Timeline:<br />(00:00:00) Intro<br />(00:02:52) Themes/Questions<br />(00:26:31) Author &amp; Extras<br />(00:30:14) Summary<br />(00:33:25) Value 4 Value<br />(00:34:43) Join Live!</p> <p><br /><br />Connect with Mere Mortals:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/meremortalspods" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/meremortalspods</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/</a><br />TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts</a><br /><br />Value 4 Value Support:<br />Boostagram: <a href="https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support" target="_blank">https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/support</a><br />Paypal: <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast</a></p>
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36 MIN