Mere Mortals Book Reviews

As I revisited "Lives of the Stoics" by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman, I discovered a wealth of insights and practical philosophies that deeply resonated with me. From understanding the importance of being a willing participant in life to the power of endurance and self-restraint, the book offers timeless wisdom for personal growth. Each philosopher's life story and teachings provided valuabl...

As I delved into "Lives of the Stoics" by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman, I was taken on a journey through the lives of Stoicism's greatest philosophers. From the foundational teachings of Zeno to the meditations of Marcus Aurelius, this book offers a practical guide to applying Stoic philosophy in everyday life. The chronological structure, detailed biographies, and insightful reflections mad...

We must blah blah the blah in order to blah the blah from blah. 'The Tyranny Of Words' by Stuart Chase is his attempt at furthering the field of semantics to the general public. He takes us through the general theory, how language is used compared to cats or primitive people, areas of human conversation that contain more precise meaning and plenty of examples of unclear language. It's split into 1...

To quote the great philosopher Judge Dredd .... "I am the law". 'The Law' by Frédéric Bastiat is a philosophical treatise that might get confused as political writing due to the subtitle. Bastiat argues that the law should be limited to a narrow subset of protection of natural rights, not to be philanthropic & interfere in people's lives. Mini sections are all throughout with plenty of quotes...

Who is to blame for all the financial turmoil? 'More Money Than God' by Sebastian Mallaby is a history of US hedge funds. It details how they were created, notable people who worked in them and some of the legendary trades that occurred. It also goes over some of the larger financial bubbles (and subsequent crashes) that happened and contributions that hedge funds played in them. Would love to hea...

Be Useful extends beyond mere autobiography to offer a blueprint for practical action and personal success. "Be Useful" is structured around pivotal themes like having a clear vision, the power of persistence, and the importance of community and support networks. Join us as we take a look at the memorable, key takeaways from the book tody! Timeline: (0:00) - Introduction (1:05) - Clear vision (3:0...

Be Useful extends beyond mere autobiography to offer a blueprint for practical action and personal success. "Be Useful" is structured around pivotal themes like having a clear vision, the power of persistence, and the importance of community and support networks. At 260 pages, the book is an engaging read filled with actionable advice, personal anecdotes from Schwarzenegger's multifaceted life as...

Dive into the core lessons extracted from Cameron Hanes's "Endure" in this special edition of Mere Mortals. From embracing the grind to finding strength in suffering, we explore six pivotal takeaways that resonate beyond the realms of ultra-running and bow hunting. Whether it's the power of action over words, the unforeseen teachings of life's dark moments, or the essence of unwavering commitment,...

Join us in this episode of Mere Mortals Book Reviews as we dive into "Endure" by Cameron Haines, with a foreword by Joe Rogan. Discover the unique blend of memoir, motivational manifesto, and a deep dive into the world of bow hunting and ultra-running. Despite its motivational peaks and intriguing insights into Cameron Hanes's life, the book's structure might leave you wanting more coherence. We e...

I explore the themes and insights from the book 'Japanese Death Poems' by Yoel Hoffman. I discussed the spirit of the Japanese people, their ability to embrace opposing ideas, and the complexity and simplicity of reality. I share selected death poems and provides analysis on their meaning. Reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of cherishing each moment. Finally, the delusion...

Japanese Death Poems by Yoel Hoffmann is a compelling anthology that explores the Japanese tradition of Jisei, or death poems. The book provides a deep dive into the cultural and historical significance of these poems, reflecting on the life, death, and impermanence of existence through the lens of Zen Buddhism. It is divided into three main sections: an introduction, death poems by Zen monks, and...

Would you have the fortitude to stick to your principles, even in the face of certain death? 'Sir Gawain And The Green Knight' by an unknown poet is a story from a 14th/15th century manuscript. It tells of Sir Gawain, a knight at Arthur's round table who accepts a challenge from a mysterious & magical being. This requires him to willingly offer up his life whilst first being tempted by the mos...

Let's travel back to the days when people didn't take offense so easily ...... or did they? 'The Innocents Abroad' by Mark Twain is a compendium of his adventures whilst travelling for 5 months across Europe & The Middle East. It is told in his usual humorous style of witty anecdotes and droll sarcastic one-liners. The bulk of it relates to visiting historic landmarks & places of cultural...

Righteous anger can be useful .... if applied to the right people. 'A Room Of One's Own' by Virginia Woolf is an essay critiquing woman's literature and female authors. Her core argument is that the lack of financial means, privacy and strict social norms has resulted in the inability for females to write great books. And that it is not due inherent feminine weakness or lack of genius. She also em...

Can you think yourself to death? 'Confessions Of A Mask' by Yukio Mishima follows a young rather frail boy called Kochan in the 1920-40's period in Tokyo set against the backdrop of WW2. We see his homosexual desires for another boy Omi emerge as well as a morbid fascination with blood, death and love. He tries to force himself to fall in love with a girl called Sonoko but struggles to combine thi...

Manners, decorum, morals, tact, niceties, propriety. Doesn't this all sound fun! 'A Room With A View' by E. M. Forster is the tale of a young woman who is constrained by the conventions of her time. Lucy Honeychurch lives in 1900's England and meets the strange George Emerson whilst travelling to Italy. After a brief but intense contact she returns home and becomes engaged to the uptight Cecil Vys...

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 'Death Of A Salesman' by Arthur Miller is a play that showcases the tragic life of a simple man with delusions of grandeur. Willy Loman is nearing the end of his days as a travelling salesman and the return of his son Biff pushes his instability into overdrive. Through a series of flashbacks we see how the whole family is sufferin...

Drop the dishes and let's get JACKED!!! 'Picnic In The Storm' by Yukiko Motoya is a series of 11 short stories of everyday life in Japan, but with a twist. So inside you'll find stories about a housewife getting jacked, a cat that won't stop peeing everywhere and couples that keep merging into one entity. They were kind of fun although I found them more random than anything else. Hope you apprecia...

Fret your silly head not, you won't leave this book discontented. 'The Winter Of Our Discontent' by John Steinbeck takes place in the fictional New Baytown where Ethan Hawley has become dissatisfied with his life. The lingering legacy of his family is in stark contrast to the life of grocery store clerk trying to support his family. He decides to change his circumstances but must act ruthlessly to...

A hidden gem of war time literature! 'The Moon Is Down' by John Steinbeck is a short simple tale written to encourage passive resistance. A small town in an unnamed country is taken over by an invading force. The townsfolk unhappy with this situation turn the tables by creating a hostile atmosphere that makes it a living hell for the aggressors. The backstory behind the impact of this book is actu...

How much has the digital revolution changed the publishing industry? 'Book Wars' by John B. Thompson is an overview of how the internet and digitisation of books changed the publishing industry. It mostly covers the 2005-2018 period when Ebooks started gain popularity and momentum. It goes into extreme depth so be prepared to read through a lot of history, which makes it a comprehensive book. I qu...

Forgive me please, I'm about to turn into a hater. In today's episode I'm going over a couple of books that I disliked. The main point of this is to showcase my thinking on the types of things I won't read or dislike to read. Not going to lie, this wasn't my greatest episode ever. I was tired, sick and all my normal settings got disturbed before the live stream. Truly helped me be the greatest hat...

Politics, violence & propaganda; what an awful mix. 'Manufacturing Consent' by Edward S. Herman & Noam Chomsky explains the propaganda model of communications, which explains why mass media shows an overall biased view. They describe the 5 mechanisms that lead to heavy filtering of information before going over examples from the Vietnam War to Latin America politics. It's a book that made...

Juan's back for a review. Join us on Mere Mortals for a renewed and deeper exploration of David Goggins' renowned book, 'Can't Hurt Me.' This revisit uncovers fresh insights and perspectives on Goggins' journey of mental toughness and self-transformation. Dive into our discussion about overcoming life's toughest challenges and the power of pushing beyond limits. Timeline: (0:00) - Intro (2:10) - A...

Sometimes punishments just can't make up for the crime. 'Darkness At Noon' by Arthur Koestler is a taste of a political prisoner's experience during the Moscow Trials. Rubashov is a high ranking party member that has been thrown in jail and accused of crimes against the Revolution. It follows his detention over a several week period as he is tortured and comes to realise the terrible things he has...