Mere Mortals Book Reviews

A Bahian trance reflecting the best & worse of Brazilian childhood.

'Capitães Da Areia' by Jorge Amado ('Captains Of The Sands' in English) is a coming of age story set in a 1930's Brazilian beach town. We follow a group orphaned adolescents who live without care under a pier. They know the streets better than anyone and are a menace to the city authorities. Under the leadership of their chief Pedro Bala we see them grow from young teenagers into young men through a haze of good & bad experiences.

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(2:21) - Themes/Questions

(17:20) - Author & Extras

(21:35) - Summary

(23:54) - Value 4 Value

(25:44) - Join Live!

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Who is to blame if the leader can never be wrong?

'Tragedy Without Consequences' by Frank Dikötter is a historical book looking at the famine that was caused during China's 'Great Leap Forward'. It showcases the period from 1958-62 and why a series of decisions stemming from Chairman Mao resulted in the death of 30-45 million people. A reoccurring theme was being out of touch with reality, whether it be untested agricultural reforms, distorted data collection or continual lies bouncing from top to bottom. A truly sad period of history.

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(2:18) - Themes/Questions

(28:36) - Author & Extras

(32:21) - Summary

(35:06) - Value 4 Value

(38:03) - Join Live!

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Praise be to the philosophers for the hard sciences!

'The Problems Of Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell is his attempt at explaining basic philosophy as well as giving a brief history of philosophical thought. He starts with questions about reality before expanding out with more and more questions. He covers the writings of some famous philosophers (Descartes, Kant, Hume, etc.,) and gives his own thoughts on why they were right or wrong.

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(1:49) - Themes/Questions

(13:18) - Author & Extras

(17:09) - Summary

(21:59) - Value 4 Value

(23:32) - Join Live!

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Mr. Sandman, bring me some freedom.

'The Woman In The Dunes' by Kobo Abe is a rather simple story of a Japanese man who becomes trapped in the sand dunes. He is led into a large hole where a woman lives and is forced to help her keep sand from encroaching onto the nearby village. We witness his escape attempts and gradual process of getting accustomed to his new environment. It's told from his POV with snippets of external newspaper clippings.

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(2:00) - Themes/Questions

(13:34) - Author & Extras

(16:32) - Summary

(18:02) - Value 4 Value

(21:05) - Join Live!

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Welcome back to Mere Mortals book reviews! Today, we dive into the timeless wisdom of Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations." I'll share key learnings from the Penguin Classics edition. Join me as we explore profound Stoic insights that are just as relevant today as they were in ancient Rome. Don't miss out on these gems!

(00:00) - Introduction and Overview

(00:24) - Highlighting Key Learnings

(01:04) - The Importance of Not Putting Things Off

(02:18) - Embracing Present Tasks with Determination

(03:48) - Urgency in Becoming Good

(04:54) - Judging Events by Your Own Terms

(06:14) - Welcoming Death as Part of Nature

(07:12) - Reflecting on the Loss Through Death

(08:04) - Final Thoughts and Viewer Engagement

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Welcome back to Mere Mortals book reviews! Today, we're diving into Stoicism from the top with Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations." I'll share my thoughts and some interesting insights from the Penguin Classics edition. If you're new to Stoicism or curious about the Roman Emperor's personal reflections, this one's for you!

(00:00) - Introduction and Overview

(00:33) - Context and Historical Background

(01:44) - The Purpose of "Meditations"

(02:29) - Marcus Aurelius' Commitment to Stoicism

(03:26) - Structure of the Penguin Classics Edition

(04:51) - Notes and Annotations in the Book

(05:35) - Personal Reflections and Journaling

(07:03) - Timeless Wisdom and Relevance

(08:31) - Marcus Aurelius' Writing Style

(10:01) - Private Journal and Unique Perspective

(11:17) - Reading Recommendations and Final Thoughts

(12:30) - Closing Remarks and Viewer Engagement

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In this learnings episode, I delve deeper into the lessons and philosophical insights from 'The Little Prince,' sharing my experience of reading it in French. Join me for a thoughtful exploration of this timeless classic.

Timeline:

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Reading Experience

02:00 - Key Learnings

03:00 - Reflections and Advice

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In this review, I delve into the enchanting world of 'The Little Prince,' uncovering its profound lessons wrapped in a whimsical, childlike narrative. Join me as I explore its timeless themes and delightful illustrations.

Timeline:

00:00 - Introduction

01:00 - Plot Summary

02:00 - Themes and Insights

03:00 - Personal Reflections

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Philosophy that is actually fun to read & contemplate!

'Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals' by Robert M. Pirsig is a sequel to his very popular 'Zen & The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance'. We follow Phaedrus this time sailing to New York and Florida. He meets an interesting lady called Lila who joins him on his adventure but causes him trouble. He's an intellectual philosopher and she's an emotional wild cat. It expands upon the metaphysics of quality and provides examples of his differentiation between Dynamic & Static Quality.

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(3:25) - Themes/Questions

(16:57) - Author & Extras

(23:33) - Summary

(26:37) - Value 4 Value

(28:14) - Join Live!

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Future predictions that have NOT come true ..... kind of.

'The Iron Heel' by Jack London is a dystopian novel with a heavy political undertone (maybe even overtone) that wrongly might be called science fiction. Starts in 1900 America and told from the point of view of Avis who is seduced from her privileged upper class world by Ernest Everhard and his socialist philosophy. Increasing tensions occur between the dying middle/lower class and the capitalistic upper class, which results in revolution and an underground war. The Iron Heel oligarchs vs the Revolutionary socialists. 

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Timeline:

(0:00) - Intro

(3:49) - Themes/Questions

(11:22) - Author & Extras

(18:38) - Summary

(22:03) - Value 4 Value

(23:01) - Join Live!

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