Mere Mortals Book Reviews

The fun side of rather questionable behaviour.

'Reminiscences Of A Stock Operator' by Edwin Lefevre is a fictional 1st person account of a Wall St trader in the early 1900's, but largely based on the real life operator of Jesse Lauriston Livermore. He describes his early life trading in bucket shops before moving into more high leverage trading and ultimately market manipulation. Within you'll find amusing stories of trading hijinks...

In this Mere Mortals Learnings episode, I unpack the raw insights from Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday. This book, focused on the Stoic virtue of justice, might not be his most thrilling but it’s undoubtedly the one that digs the deepest. From power and personal responsibility to kindness and selfishness, these lessons challenge you to live with purpose and integrity, especially when no one is watching.

00:00 – Intro: What Th...

We're back from travelling, wiser & thankfully not sad about it.

In this special episode we are covering 3 books of essays/philosophical investigations by written by 3 authors in the 20th century. The books themselves are 'What Does It All Mean?' by Thomas Nagel, 'What Is Man & Other Essays' by Mark Twain & 'The Foundation Pit' by Andrey Platonov. All 3 books question meaning and have a tendency towards indulging in nihi...

In this Mere Mortals book review, I tackle Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday, the third in his Stoic Virtue series. It’s a slower, deeper, more reflective book centred on justice, the virtue that’s hardest to sell and hardest to live by. I share why this wasn’t my favourite read, but why it might be the most meaningful one for the long game of life.

00:00 – Intro & Context on the Stoic Virtue Series 
00:30 – Book Stats...

A 14-year-old is thrust into the shadow world of espionage, where every move is a fight to survive—and grow up fast.

My book review on an oldie but a goodie, Stormbreaker by Anthony Horrowitz

(00:00) – You're Never Too Young to Die
(00:47) – First Encounter at 14
(02:15) – Spy Fantasy Meets Realism
(03:38) – Plot Recap & Absurd Action
(05:41) – Philosophy: Adapt to Survive
(07:18) – Final Reflections

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In this episode, I explore the concrete takeaways from The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett. These aren’t abstract ideals—they're raw, lived-in lessons. From why your mind and body are your first foundation, to how meaningful questions shape behaviour, this reflection dives deep into the book’s most impactful ideas and challenges conventional wisdom around leadership, communication, and culture.

(00:00) - Introduction to Learnings
(...

In this Mere Mortals book review, we dive into The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett—an energetic, story-driven guide to business and life. This isn’t your typical theory-heavy read; it’s a tactical, quote-filled journey through 33 digestible laws forged from real experience. From mastering your skill set to navigating reputation and network, this book distils lessons from one of the most influential digital entrepreneurs of our ti...

The best example of human madness is found across the ages.

'Extraordinary Popular Delusions & The Madness Of Crowds' by Charles Mackay is a mammoth examination of the most ridiculous crazes across history, whether they be funny, bad or horrendous. Charles details some of the more well known financial bubbles (South Sea, Mississippi, Tulip Mania) but also catalogues well known alchemists/magnetisers & mob activities (The Cru...

Why don't I read recently published books?

Today is a special episode where I am going over how I find new books, ways I actively try to avoid wasting my time & some little tricks & tips to get the most out of your reading.

Would love to hear your feedback and appreciate any support you wish to give :)

Timeline:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:11) Finding New Books
(00:14:05) Pre-Filtering
(00:23:20) Tips/Tricks
(00:34:09) Value 4 Value
(00...

What was I reviewing again?

'A Primer For Forgetting' by Lewis Hyde is a collection of intimate thoughts, stories, poems, mythological tales & quips. The primary theme is around forgetting & how this can be beneficial for an individual or groups, particularly when it relates to trauma. It's split into 4 parts (that he calls notebooks) about myth, self, nation & creation.

If you got value from the podcast please provide su...

Boy are cockroaches gross!

'Metamorphosis & Other Stories' by Franz Kafka is a collection of prose poems, short stories, sketches, allegories, and novelettes.  The longest is of Gregor Samsa, the travelling salesman who wakes up in his bed as a cockroach. You'll find others about conflict on a ship, dealing with annoying people on the street, etc. All are told in the surreal style he is known for, along with his dry humour.

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I'm jacking into cyberspace for some pain and pleasure.

'Neuromancer' by William Gibson is a sci-fi classic that was right at the beginning of the cyberpunk genre. We follow Case in a futuristic techno world where he is hired to hack into a wealthy family's lair. He is part of a motley crew each with their own specialty, hired by an AI to free itself from it's restrictions. Think of Japan, robots, drugs, implants, space, fashion, te...

We've got it all wrong, there's no good guys & bad guys .... they're all bad!

'Peter Pan' by J.M. Barrie is a classic story of a child who never grows up. Peter lives in Neverland, a mystical island where pirates, Indians and wild beasts roam. He commands a gang of Lost Boys and takes them on adventures along with Wendy, Tinkerbell, John & Michael.

If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you b...

Strategies to accept your suffering & heal yourself with compassion.

'Radical Acceptance' by Tara Brach is a guide of various meditation & framing practices to recognise the root cause of emotional distress. These are derived from Buddhist principles and serve to help accept the current pain & suffering. There are 13 chapters that begin with a story followed by an explanation of the intent before a final guided meditatio...

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

'The Tao Of Pooh & The Te Of Piglet' by Benjamin Hoff is a light read interpreting Taoism through the lens of A. A. Milne's 'Winnie The Pooh' characters. Core concepts such as The Way & Wu Wei are explored and why certain characters embody various aspects of the religion. It's told via the author interacting with the characters & recount...

What happens inside the head when you learn a 2nd language?

'The Bilingual Brain' by Albert Costa is a quick summary of academic research on bilingual vs monolingual speakers. He looks at effects that knowing a 2nd language can have on the physical wiring as well as behavioural differences. So things like response times, vocab limits, gray matter density, etc. In the 5 chapters he goes over studies and you'll see some graphs & b...

In this episode, we delve into key insights from Robert Greene's The 48 Laws of Power, highlighting powerful lessons on navigating relationships, mastering influence, and understanding human psychology. From the importance of knowing the rules—even if you choose not to follow them—to mastering strategic silence and spotting concealed intentions, these learnings reveal profound truths about influence, communication, and power dynami...

Isn't it common sense to go wild & fight!!!

'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine is a small pamphlet distributed just before the start of the American Revolution. In it he makes arguments for why they should break away from English governance to become their own independent country and not a colony. These focus on religious views of kings, the illegitimacy of hereditary rule & why England does not have America's best interests at ...

Power is an elusive force, but Robert Greene distills it into 48 strategic laws that have stood the test of time. In this review, I break down the core themes, structure, and key takeaways from The 48 Laws of Power—a book that is equally revered and feared.

This isn't just another self-help book; it's a deep dive into historical power dynamics, manipulation, and strategy. From Machiavelli to Napoleon, Greene extracts lessons from hi...