Mere Mortals Book Reviews

Kyrin Down & Juan Granados
  • 4.7 (12)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

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.

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

    6D AGO

    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 please provide support back in any way you best see fit!  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    22 min

  2. APR 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 powerful than the person? In this review, I explore Coco Chanel’s brutal beginnings, her obsession with uniqueness, the creation of Chanel No. 5 and the little black dress, the moral ambiguity of her wartime years, and the deeper tension beneath it all — greatness, ego, loneliness, and whether success is worth the price. Timestamps 00:00 – Back After the Hiatus 00:25 – The Two Chanel Books I Read 01:05 – Why This Review Is About Perspective, Not Just Facts 02:11 – Honest Verdict: Are These Books Actually Worth Reading? 02:54 – Coco Chanel’s Harsh Origins 04:09 – She Didn’t Just Build a Brand, She Built a Myth 07:06 – Where the Name “Coco” Came From 08:23 – Self-Creation, Status and the Modern Social Media Parallel 10:30 – Chanel No. 5 and the Simplicity of Genius 12:41 – The Little Black Dress and Designing for Movement 13:57 – The Better Chanel Biographies to Read 14:50 – Was Coco Chanel a Nazi? 18:02 – The Quotes That Reveal Her Character 23:19 – The Final Question: Was Greatness Worth the Solitude? 25:16 – Closing Thoughts Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    26 min

  3. MAR 24

    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 moonshot vision, the idea of directing intelligence with precision, and the hard truth that culture, government, and human inertia may still trap us in the muddle. 00:00 Intro 00:49 The promise of abundance by 2035 01:10 Who are Peter Diamandis and Alexander Wissner-Gross? 01:53 Was this article written with AI? 02:30 How the article is structured 04:06 The core thesis: solving everything through intelligence 05:15 The real world vs the dream world 05:59 “Shape the charge” — directing AI where it matters 07:20 The moonshots that could unlock abundance 09:33 Why benchmarks should reward outcomes, not hours 11:40 What abundance actually means 12:19 The biggest weakness: culture, government, and the muddle 14:33 Is this realistic or just optimism? 15:15 Why the article is still worth reading 16:49 Final reflections 17:10 Subscribe and what’s next Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    18 min

  4. MAR 10

    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 systems are advancing. The core tension is brutal: if this technology keeps accelerating without real guardrails, humanity may not get a second chance to correct the course. https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology (00:00) – Welcome Back to Mere Mortals (00:39) – Why I’m Reviewing More Long-Form Articles (01:09) – Who Is Dario Amodei and Why He Matters (01:37) – What The Adolescence of Technology Is Really About (02:08) – The Five Big AI Risks in the Article (03:04) – The “Country of Geniuses” Thought Experiment (04:18) – The Two Extreme Narratives About AI (06:00) – Why Dario’s Position Makes This Different (07:21) – This Is Happening in Years, Not Decades (08:08) – Anthropic, Government Pressure and Ethical Boundaries (09:50) – Safety vs Speed in the AI Arms Race (10:21) – Why Governance and Guardrails Matter (11:31) – AI, Power Seizure and Geopolitical Risk (12:33) – The Meaning Behind “The Adolescence of Technology” (13:00) – Work, Meaning and the Coming Economic Upheaval (14:02) – What Happens If We Fail to Slow Down (15:16) – Who This Article Is For (15:58) – Final Reflections and Why It Hit So Hard Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    17 min

  5. FEB 17

    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 singularity-level futures… and expects you to keep up. You’ll get: uploaded “lobsters” humans splitting into multiple versions of themselves “alien” civilisations that look suspiciously like corporate structures and a final twist involving a cat… that reframes the entire story I didn’t understand everything. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. (00:00) No book in my hand… here’s why (00:40) It’s free online (and why that matters) (01:10) Charles Stross: the “idea-dense” writer (01:50) Warning: this book fights back (02:20) The concepts you need before reading (03:15) The structure: 3 generations, huge time jumps (05:10) Uploaded lobsters & the early weirdness (05:40) “Aliens”… or evolved corporations? (06:20) Dyson/Matrioshka-scale engineering madness (07:40) People splitting into copies of themselves (08:35) My honest verdict: hard, but worth it (09:00) Final takeaway: what this book is really saying Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    9 min

  6. JAN 27

    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, doing the work, focusing priorities, and taking no shortcuts. (00:00) — Welcome + What We’re Reviewing (00:23) — Who is James Laughlin? (Author background) (01:51) — What the Book Covers (Core sections) (02:50) — The Structure: Short Chapters + Practical Activities (03:29) — QR Codes + Guided Exercises (How it’s meant to be used) (05:05) — My Experience: Entertaining, but Surface-Level (07:02) — Example Principle: Purpose + ‘When your why is clear…’ (10:25) — Comparison: Atomic Habits vs This Book (11:08) — Final Verdict: Easy Read, Not a Re-read Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    12 min

  7. JAN 20

    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 split storylines: battles vs Frodo & Sam (03:51) Sam as the real hero (stronger in the book) (04:32) Book vs movie: the extra Shire material (06:52) Writing mastery: descriptions that put you there (07:11) Suffering, sacrifice, and carrying Frodo (08:11) Appendices: deep lore (and why I skipped them) (10:29) Why Tolkien is considered one of the greatest Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    11 min

  8. JAN 13

    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 (especially AI) is collapsing the walls between fields. (00:00) Book learnings (and why you should watch the review first) (00:19) Pen-in-hand reading + 70 notes → 17 key lessons (01:23) Lesson 1: “Mind under the lights of the world” (focus beats distraction) (02:32) Lesson 2: Vocation — the well-employed life (03:55) Lesson 3: “Seed/uniqueness” — and my pushback (life can change you) (05:14) Lesson 4: Ask “how did you get there?” (the invisible chrysalis years) (06:26) Lesson 5: Value over money in apprenticeship (Accenture crucible) (07:30) Lesson 6: Trust the process (and don’t mentally quit) (08:12) Lesson 7: Not even enlightenment is enough — pushed to the abyss (09:52) Lesson 8: The “seven deadly realities” + social intelligence undertow (10:14) Lesson 9: The mask vs authenticity (effective… until it breaks) (10:51) Lesson 10: Dimensional mind — creating instead of consuming (11:35) Lesson 11: Serendipity, but with a prepared mind (Pasteur) (12:48) Lesson 12: Think away from the obvious (out-of-the-box production) (13:43) Lesson 13: Manufacture pressure (Edison / Elon-style) (14:33) Lesson 14: Prolonged immersion → creative abstraction (the real crux) (14:57) Lesson 15: Fuse intuition + rationality (higher-level intuition) (15:44) Lesson 16: Mastery equation: time + intense focus + self-awareness (16:25) Lesson 17: Tech/AI connecting fields — become part of it (17:36) Wrap: key favourites + what hit hardest Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReU Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast  Connect with Mere Mortals: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFq Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcasts Value 4 Value Support: Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/support Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

    18 min
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4.7
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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.

Information

  • Creator
    Kyrin Down & Juan Granados
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    395
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Mere Mortals Book Reviews
  • Show Website
    Mere Mortals Book Reviews

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