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Mere Mortals Book Reviews

by Kyrin Down & Juan Granados

Hey we are the Mere Mortals and we 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 us on Weekly live episode on Thurs 11am AEST (Thurs 1am UTC+0) plus bonus episodes from my cohost Juan.

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Episodes

  1. We Are Evolving, Just Backwards! | The Time Machine (H.G. Wells) BOOK REVIEW

    Would you rather evolve into an Eloi or a Morlock? In this episode, I dive into H.G. Wells ’The Time Machine', a short but hugely influential classic that may be one of the earliest stories to imagine time travel as a machine-driven journey into the future. I walk through the novel’s framing...

  2. A Clash of Kings Review — Is Bigger Actually Better?

    A bigger world. More perspectives. Nearly 900 pages. But is A Clash of Kings actually better than A Game of Thrones? In this Mere Mortals book review, I share my honest thoughts on George R. R. Martin’s second A Song of Ice and Fire novel—as someone reading the books without having watched the...

  3. Sexual Tension On An Unexpected Journey | The Wayward Bus (John Steinbeck) BOOK REVIEW

    Sure is a lot of hanky panky going on in a sexually repressive time. In this episode, I review John Steinbeck’s The Wayward Bus, a 1947 novel that sits somewhere in his middle period and while not usually counted among his greatest literary achievements is clearly packed with the sort of vivid,...

  4. Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka — My First Kafka Read Was Weird

    My first Franz Kafka read was weird, vivid and surprisingly enjoyable. In this Mere Mortals Book Review, I share my thoughts on Metamorphosis and the other short stories in this Penguin collection. From Gregor Samsa’s transformation to a tense taxi dispute and an unexpected insight about...

  5. Why Murder ... Why Not? | In Cold Blood (Truman Capote) BOOK REVIEW

    The best way to understand apathy is to not understand at all. In this episode, I’m back with a review of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, the 1966 classic that helped define the true crime genre. I unpack the book’s retelling of the brutal Clutter family murders in Kansas, the psychology of Perry...

  6. This Bestseller Made Me Feel Stupider | The Psychology of Stupidity Review

    Can a book about stupidity leave you feeling stupider? The Psychology of Stupidity, edited by Jean-François Marmion, promises explanations from some of the world's smartest people. I finished it wondering how it became a bestseller. In this Mere Mortals Book Review, I explain why the collection...

  7. Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb | Powerful Ideas, Frustrating Read

    Can uncertainty make you stronger and does Antifragile actually show you how? In this Mere Mortals Book Review, Juan explores Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. There are powerful ideas here, but I finished the book with mixed feelings about its practical...

  8. We Want to Slow AI Down. Can It Work?

    Can we slow AI development down while everyone is still trying to win the race? In this episode of Mere Mortals Book Reviews, I'm reviewing an article: “We Must Pace the Frontier” by Dario Amodei. I unpack the proposals for embedded evaluators, coordination between AI companies and international...

  9. I Never Watched Game of Thrones. Then I Read the Book | Book Review

    I never watched Game of Thrones. Then I finally picked up George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones and I get it now. I went into the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire with almost no connection to the TV series. In fact, years ago I made it about four minutes into episode one before turning it...

  10. I Read Elon Musk’s 69 Rules for Success | The Book of Elon Book Review

    I read The Book of Elon by Eric Jorgenson, a collection of Elon Musk’s most useful ideas on purpose, engineering, business, hiring, intensity and problem-solving, presented largely through Musk’s own words. Rather than another Elon Musk biography, this book attempts to distil his operating…

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  11. Homer’s Odyssey: Still Worth Reading Today?

    In this Mere Mortals book review, I talk through The Odyssey by Homer the famous follow-up companion to The Iliad, and one of the great adventure stories of the Western canon. Compared with The Iliad, I found The Odyssey much more readable, more story-driven, and honestly more enjoyable. This is...

  12. The Hairy Ass Of The Art World | Get The Picture (Bianca Bosker) BOOK REVIEW

    Art is hairy, art is context, art is beauty and ..... art is big butts!? In this episode, I dive into 'Get the Picture' by Bianca Bosker, a 2024 book that explores the contemporary art world from the inside. Bosker approaches it through immersive journalism, working as a gallery assistant, art…

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  13. Philosophy Mixed With Business | Zero To One (Peter Thiel) BOOK REVIEW

    Abstract ideas made definite. In this episode of Mere Mortals book reviews, I dive into Peter Thiel’s 'Zero To One' and why its big-picture thinking resonates more than tactical business how‑to. I explore Thiel’s blend of abstract philosophy and concrete startup stories (from PayPal to Palantir)...

  14. Like Me Please! | How To Win Friends & Influence People (Dale Carnegie) BOOK REVIEW

    I'm begging you PLEASE, I'll be your very best friend. In this episode I review Dale Carnegie’s classic 'How to Win Friends & Influence People' nearly a century on from its publication. I walk through the book’s structure: principles on handling people, making people like you, winning others to...

  15. The Iliad by Homer: Rage, Glory & Why This Ancient Epic Still Hits Hard | Book Review

    Most people approach The Iliad expecting the Trojan Horse. Instead, they find something darker: a story about wounded pride, uncontrollable rage, brutal violence and the moment vengeance finally gives way to pity. In this review, I break down Samuel Butler’s translation of Homer’s epic, the feud...

  16. Thoughts Influence Your Character | As A Man Thinketh (James Allen) BOOK REVIEW

    I was wrong and I admit it .... this is the real OG self help book. Today I dive into James Allen’s 'As a Man Thinketh' (paired in my edition with From Poverty to Power) and it still lands today. It's short, punchy and refreshingly non-woo-woo with clear calls to personal responsibility,...

  17. Gaming In The OASIS | Ready Player One (Ernest Cline) BOOK REVIEW

    What happens if the game really is better than real life? In this episode I dive into 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline and explore whether a virtual paradise can outshine the messy real world. I outline the OASIS, the 80s-saturated Easter egg hunt and the Gunter vs corporate showdown then share...

  18. Life & Death Battles Getting Silly | Dungeon Crawler Carl (Matt Dinniman) BOOK REVIEW

    Are you entering into the dungeon? In this episode of Mere Mortals Book Reviews, I dive into 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman, a fast-paced RPG romp that mixes real-world apocalypse with game-show chaos. I share why this was the perfect palate cleanser after some drier reads, how the…

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  19. Boy Did I Remember This Wrong | Think And Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill) BOOK REVIEW

    The classic self-help book is a bit different than I remember. In Napoleon Hill’s 'Think And Grow Rich' I discover it’s not quite the book I remembered. I walk through what still shines—its optimism, self‑analysis prompts and the motivational push that helped me as a younger bloke to build...

  20. Fossil Fuels To The Rescue | How The World Really Works (Vaclav Smil) BOOK REVIEW

    Just how reliant are we on fossil fuels ..... well it turns out a lot! 'How The World Really Works' by Vaclav Smil showed me just how much we still need petroleum and coal to make plastics, ammonia, concrete and steel. So they're not going away any time soon. If you got value from the podcast...

  21. Coco Chanel: Genius, Myth & The Cost of Reinventing Yourself

    After a short hiatus, I’m back with a paired review of The World According to Coco and The Little Book of Chanel. Truthfully, neither book is extraordinary on its own. But together, they open a far bigger question: what does it cost to reinvent yourself so completely that the myth becomes more...

  22. Can AI Solve Everything by 2035? The Case for Abundance

    In this episode of Mere Mortals, I review Solve Everything: Achieving Abundance by 2035 by Dr Peter H. Diamandis and Dr Alexander D. Wissner-Gross, a bold manifesto arguing that AI could give humanity the capability to solve nearly every major problem within a decade. I break down the article’s...

  23. Dario Amodei’s AI Warning: We’re Closer Than People Realise

    In this episode of Mere Mortals Book Reviews, I break down The Adolescence of Technology by Dario Amodei and why it reads less like a tech article and more like a civilisational warning memo. We explore AI safety, misuse, power, economic disruption, and the frightening speed at which these…

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  24. This Book Predicts the Future (And It’s Terrifying) | Accelerando Book Review

    I don’t even have the physical book… because Accelerando is free online and after reading it, I understand why it’s become a cult recommendation. This is dense, idea-heavy sci-fi that doesn’t hold your hand. It throws you into transhumanism, post-human economics, AI evolution, and…

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  25. The Habits of High Performers | Book Review (James Laughlin)

    Welcome back to the Mere Mortals Book Reviews. Today I’m reviewing Habits of High Performance by James Laughlin, a practical, activity-driven book built around foundational principles like getting radically clear, strengthening belief systems, leading life on purpose, multiplying motivation…

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  26. Tolkien’s Final Battle | The Return of the King Book Review

    Welcome back to another edition of the Mere Mortals Book Reviews — and this time it’s the final instalment of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. (00:00) Welcome back + final instalment setup (00:47) I literally ripped the book in half (and why it fits the story) (02:30) The…

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  27. 17 Lessons from Mastery (Robert Greene) That Actually Change How You Work

    This is the book learnings companion to my Mastery book review: I pulled 17 personal takeaways (from ~70 notes) and unpack what they mean in real life. We go from vocation and apprenticeship, to why “not even enlightenment is enough”, to the prepared mind, the dimensional mind, and why tech...

  28. Mastery isn't talent, it's a process | Mastery Book Review

    Mastery is not a gift handed to the “talented", it’s a ruthless process: time, patience, humility, apprenticeship, and the emotional control to not quit when it gets boring. In this review, I break down Greene’s core ideas, why social intelligence matters as much as skill, and how intuition gets...

  29. How to Collect Art: The Brutal Truth About Galleries, Power & Pricing

    Ever looked at the art world and thought: how does any of this actually work? I read How to Collect Art (2024) by Magnus Resch to figure out whether a normal person can buy a single great piece… and whether art is actually a good investment. Resch approaches the art market like an economist…

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  30. Mere Mortals - How to review books

    A short snippet on the way we do things behind the scenes as the new year approaches and a concerted effort in our book reviews rises. Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods...

  31. The most unique book in the Alex Rider series | Secret Weapon Book Review

    In this Mere Mortals book review, I dive into Secret Weapon, the 12th entry in the Alex Rider series, but not a traditional one. Instead of a full-scale mission, Horowitz delivers seven short, fast-paced stories set early in Alex’s spy career. It’s action-packed, easy to consume, and offers small...

  32. Helm’s Deep to Shelob | Book Review The Two Towers

    A raw, no-fluff review of The Two Towers — the darker, tighter middle act of LOTR. I cover the split structure, why Book III feels punchier (Helm’s Deep, Ents), why Book IV slows to a crawl before the Shelob crescendo, and how pain trains the will through Frodo’s burden and Sam’s rise. I read…

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  33. Action-Packed Throwback with a Soft Spot | Book Review Never Say Die

    Alex Rider returns in Never Say Die — a fast, zany, throwback instalment that swaps grit for velocity. I break down what works (pace, scale, that classic Rider ingenuity), what doesn’t (the Jack twist), and the one big philosophy that matters: leadership is action, not announcement. What you’ll...

  34. Not a sequel, but a reckoning | Book Review Russian Roulette

    Horowitz turns the camera away from Alex and into the fire that forged Yassen. Set around the Stormbreaker timeline, this darker companion novel binds the series together with grit, symmetry and consequence. It’s not for first-timers, it’s a reward for the faithful. 00:00 “Assassins aren’t born;...

  35. When the book finally draws blood | Scorpia Rising Book Review

    Alex Rider stops being bulletproof. In Scorpia Rising, Anthony Horowitz cashes in every IOU the series has dodged: real stakes, identity games, and a gut-punch that actually lands. Today I break down why this is the first truly adult entry in the YA spy saga and what it teaches about cost…

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  36. Urgency Is Non-Negotiable | Crocodile Tears Book Review

    A new villain and a new frontier. Crocodile Tears throws Alex Rider into the jaws—literally. We open in Scotland, meet philanthropist-on-paper Desmond McCain of the First Aid charity, and quickly discover a disaster-profit scheme that weaponises tragedy for donations. From GM-food labs and…

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  37. Enemy Within: Alex Rider’s Darkest Test | Snakehead Book Review

    “The enemy isn’t out there. It is within.” That line sets the tone for Snakehead, the seventh Alex Rider novel: darker, sharper, and closer to the bone. We open in Australia (very on-brand for me), surge into Bangkok, and tangle with human-trafficking rings and a bomb plot on the water. Along the...

  38. When a Teenage Spy Goes to Space | Ark Angel Book Review

    Into space we go! Ark Angel takes Alex Rider higher, literally, as he stumbles from a hospital bed into a conspiracy that leads straight into orbit. Anthony Horowitz throws his young spy into billionaire plots, CIA entanglements, and finally, a space station showdown that decides the fate of...

  39. Alex Rider’s Identity Crisis | Scorpia Book Review

    Scorpia isn’t just another Alex Rider adventure, it’s the book where everything shifts. Darker, grittier, and more morally complex, this is where Alex discovers the terrifying legacy of his father, the manipulative power of Scorpia, and the harsh truth that both MI6 and his enemies will use him…

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  40. Careful what you wish for: Eagle Strike Book Review

    In this review, we dive into Eagle Strike, the fourth Alex Rider book by Anthony Horowitz. Alex finds himself on his own against the billionaire villain Damian Cray, with MI6 refusing to back him. Packed with action, foreshadowing of Scorpia, and a surprising philosophical twist, this book marks...

  41. Debunking Quacks & Biased Media | Bad Science (Ben Goldacre) BOOK REVIEW

    There will always be someone selling BS, but you can learn how to spot it. 'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre is an expose of sorts showcasing instances of media (individuals & as a whole) distorting statistics & scientific data. He explains the various errors they commit while examining the various...

  42. What It Takes To Lead | Lee Kuan Yew (Allison & Blackwill) BOOK REVIEW

    The future of Asia is interesting but even more so is the man who created it! 'Lee Kuan Yew' by Allison & Blackwill is a compiled selection of speeches & quotes from Lee Kuan Yew bundled together to come across as a single interview. The focus is on his opinions over the years on what he imagines...

  43. Worldbuilding on Steroids: Fellowship of the Ring, Book Review

    Tolkien doesn’t write chapters; he builds civilisations. The Fellowship of the Ring is a slow, deliberate march through languages, histories and the lived feel of time, a marathon of meaning more than a sprint of action. I respect the scope, loved the journey, but prefer punchier reads. (00:00)...

  44. Semiconductors Shape The World | Chip War (Chris Miller) BOOK REVIEW

    A world changing industry that kind of happened by coincidence. 'Chip War' by Chris Miller is a detailed history of the semiconductor industry from its origins in the 1950's to the present day. Important individuals/companies rise and fall as it goes from a new emerging technology created by...

  45. Strength Without Noise: Lessons from Skeleton Key’s Villain

    In this Mere Mortals book review, we revisit Skeleton Key, the third Alex Rider novel, blending teenage espionage with lessons on stoicism, discipline, and composure. Beyond the action-packed spy drama, I explore how the book’s villain, the General, embodies a powerful, minimalistic strength that...

  46. Historians Attempting Poetry | The Lessons Of History (Will & Ariel Durant) BOOK REVIEW

    Not only is history written by the victors, but it's altered by the academics! 'The Lessons Of History' by Will & Ariel Durant is a small book that attempts to sum-up the history of humanity across several categories of human activity. They use examples from ancient civilisations but also add…

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  47. Who's Going To Man The Boats? | Lords Of The Sea (John R. Hale) BOOK REVIEW

    Move aside Sparta, there's a new power in town! 'Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy' by John R. Hale is a historical book that recounts the period from 483-322 BC of Ancient Greece and in particular the navy armada of Athens. We witness the rise and...

  48. Cloned to Conform: Point Blanc and the Death of Individuality

    In this Mere Mortals book review, we dive into Point Blanc by Anthony Horowitz, a fast-paced youth fiction novel that sparks deeper questions about cloning, perfectionism and identity. Using the wild plot as a springboard, the episode unpacks modern obsessions with filtered personas and asks…

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  49. Good Man, Corrupt Businessman | The Wizard Of Wall Street & His Wealth (Trumbull White) BOOK REVIEW

    Be wary of association with the Wizard Of Wall St .... unless you are family or friends! 'The Wizard Of Wall Street & His Wealth' by Trumbull White is a biography detailing the life of Jay Gould, at one point one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. It starts from his childhood and shows…

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  50. The Hobbit Review: Why This Classic Still Hits Hard in 2025

    In this episode, we dive into The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the timeless tale that launched the modern fantasy genre. You'll hear why Bilbo Baggins’ unlikely hero’s journey still resonates today, what Tolkien nailed in his storytelling, and how this short adventure carries deep philosophical…

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Hey we are the Mere Mortals and we 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 us on Weekly live episode on Thurs 11am AEST (Thurs 1am UTC+0) plus bonus episodes from my cohost Juan.

HOSTED BY

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Mere Mortals Book Reviews have?

Mere Mortals Book Reviews currently has 413 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Mere Mortals Book Reviews about?

Hey we are the Mere Mortals and we 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 us on Weekly live episode on Thurs 11am AEST (Thurs 1am UTC+0) plus bonus episodes from my cohost Juan.

How often does Mere Mortals Book Reviews release new episodes?

Mere Mortals Book Reviews publishes regularly with 413 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

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You can listen to Mere Mortals Book Reviews on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Mere Mortals Book Reviews?

Mere Mortals Book Reviews is created and hosted by Kyrin Down & Juan Granados.
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