Mere Mortals Book Reviews

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 fair staffer, studio helper, museum guard and briefly as an artist herself. What I found most compelling was how the book uses those experiences to wrestle with the big questions: what counts as art, whether art is about beauty or context and how much of the industry is driven by genuine appreciation versus status, money and insider games. I talk through the parts of the book that felt especially grotesque to me — the pretension, the coded language, the collector ego, and the sense that access and reputation often matter more than the work itself.Thankfully, the book also shows a far more meaningful side of art. I discuss the sections that felt uplifting and enlightening, especially Bosker’s time with artists, collectors and museum guards who engage deeply with artworks and encourage slow, personal looking rather than outsourced interpretation. That side of the book helped me understand why art still matters and why people are drawn to it so powerfully. Overall, I came away feeling that the art world isn’t inherently broken so much as structurally lopsided, with highly passionate creators often vulnerable to exploitation. I really enjoyed Bosker’s writing, admired the depth of her reporting and would recommend to give it a read. If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline: (00:00:00) Intro(00:02:10) Bianca Bosker's immersive tour of the art world(00:04:45) The pretence, power and status games of art(00:08:51) Shock art and the question of what counts as art(00:13:07) A more meaningful and uplifting side of art(00:16:16) Is the art world inherently broken?(00:21:20) Bianca Bosker's journalism(00:25:02) Final Verdict(00:27:20) Short hiatus and podcast closing notes  Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFqTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

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 this over a couple of months and felt the weight, the world-building, and the payoff.Spoilers ahead: Gandalf’s return, the march to war, Frodo/Sam/Gollum through the marshes, and that spider. If you value integrity, patience and quiet courage, this one hits deep. If you’ve read it, tell me your favourite moment (Helm’s Deep or Shelob?). If you haven’t: persevere — the last hundred pages cook.Chapters00:00 – Intro & why this book now00:26 – Edition & context (movies vs book)00:56 – Darker tone; two storylines01:23 – Reading over 2–3 months; dense lore02:34 – Detail overload: when it works/doesn’t04:35 – Book split: company/Helm’s Deep vs Frodo/Sam05:56 – Helm’s Deep: thrill + I wanted more06:29 – Frodo/Sam/Gollum: the slow march07:35 – The drag before the payoff08:16 – “Shelob’s Lair”: can’t-put-down stretch09:40 – Sam takes the Ring; cliffhanger10:00 – “Pain is a teacher” & Frodo’s burden11:44 – Sam’s unsung heroism12:40 – Who should read; how to read it13:37 – Verdict: “savage, beautiful middle movement”Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFqTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

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; they’re forged.”00:25 What this book is (context + where it fits)01:40 Non-spoiler thoughts, tone, pacing, payoff03:20 Themes, the 14-year-old crucible, mirror principle04:45 Accessibility, fans vs newcomers05:20 Spoilers start, key backstory beats that matter07:10 Series connections you’ll actually feel08:15 Who should read this (and in what order)08:55 Final verdict & rating09:20 What I’m reviewing next + CTAConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFqTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

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 biodomes to fake cops, forced travel and a crocodile interrogation in Kenya, this one moves.Highlights we cover:The McCain playbook: create chaos, cash in on sympathyThe school sequence & realism check (fun, if implausible)Nuclear-plant scare, dam finale, and why the collateral “cost” is part of the messageBig idea: Urgency is non-negotiable—how to build it into your day without burning out00:00 – Cold Open: “New villain, new frontier” hook00:25 – Meet Desmond McCain & the First Aid façade01:00 – Scotland opener: party, near-drowning, immediate stakes01:42 – GM lab & biodome chase (the white-line injury)02:20 – School sequence & “could that really happen?”02:55 – Kidnapped by fake police → drugged transit → Kenya03:35 – Crocodile pit interrogation: the plan revealed04:20 – Indian intel ally, nuclear-plant scare, jets & fields05:05 – The dam decision & collateral damage question05:40 – The philosophy: Urgency is non-negotiable (applied)07:00 – Verdict: who should read Crocodile Tears (and why)Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcast Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Xs9DjsurFqTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast