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jo_siah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
netflix_and_lil's review
3.0
Whenever people asked what I was reading this week and I told them about Mortals, it always led to an interesting conversation. People in my life needed very little permission to talk about death. This book wants people to have these discussions; to throw away the western veil of secrecy surrounding death and as someone who believed that my own mortality didn't frighten me as much as losing the people I love, this book made me consider that trying to outlive death is innate.
A lot of this book is a compilation of various studies, history and case studies that all revolve around this idea of death being the ultimate influence on our lives, society, beliefs and accomplishments, and god damn if I didn't kind of believe that by the end. However, I didn't love every chapter of this book; some just felt more thought out than others, with more defined conclusions and evidence, while others wrapped up quite abruptly and without really linking the elements of the chapter together. There were some extremely strong opinionated remarks made, and while I like a strong author voice in non-fiction they were often stated as fact. It was generally judgemental of anyone doing anything to prevent aging and extending life, and while I think there was a great point made on how capitalism exploits this human fear of being mortal, it puts a big emphasis on people only being able to be truely happy through nihilism, which just isn't for everyone. Mortals puts forward some great philosophical questions, and compiles some fascinating data, and while I felt it sometimes veers off into tangents, I believe it made its point. I don't necessarily fear death, but obscurity? Terrifying.
A lot of this book is a compilation of various studies, history and case studies that all revolve around this idea of death being the ultimate influence on our lives, society, beliefs and accomplishments, and god damn if I didn't kind of believe that by the end. However, I didn't love every chapter of this book; some just felt more thought out than others, with more defined conclusions and evidence, while others wrapped up quite abruptly and without really linking the elements of the chapter together. There were some extremely strong opinionated remarks made, and while I like a strong author voice in non-fiction they were often stated as fact. It was generally judgemental of anyone doing anything to prevent aging and extending life, and while I think there was a great point made on how capitalism exploits this human fear of being mortal, it puts a big emphasis on people only being able to be truely happy through nihilism, which just isn't for everyone. Mortals puts forward some great philosophical questions, and compiles some fascinating data, and while I felt it sometimes veers off into tangents, I believe it made its point. I don't necessarily fear death, but obscurity? Terrifying.
kathrynnnnnn's review
5.0
I liked it. I liked the psychology experiments, I like the anthropology, I like the COVID pandemic examples and contextulisation. I liked being introduced to the death positivity movement and wish to host a death dinner (invitations pending).
ashe_13's review
2.0
Condescending and pretentious, cherry-picked studies with dubious methodologies used to support an emotive hypothesis. Limited and Eurocentric in its view.
brassbooks's review
2.0
Okay it started with potential.
But if you want to read books on the topic death and how society copes with it, read any of Caitlin Doughty. These ‘authors’ take enough of her content and reword it for their book. They might give her credit, but at least her books are entertaining and easy to read. This was a drag.
But if you want to read books on the topic death and how society copes with it, read any of Caitlin Doughty. These ‘authors’ take enough of her content and reword it for their book. They might give her credit, but at least her books are entertaining and easy to read. This was a drag.
leemac027's review
3.0
There are many compelling arguments put forward in this book about why humans seek immortality, or at least have a need to be remembered after their death for a few generations. Humans tend to have a fear of death and this is a subject that sadly gets swept under the carpet until it is way too late.
Religion provides comfort for many as there is the promise of life after death. Cryogenics can provide comfort for those with deep pockets that wish to be frozen after their demise in the hope that science will eventually find a way to bring them back.
The authors also talk about authors and other artists creating works to give themselves immortality. I am not sure if I agree that immortality was the artist's driving force to create their work as many of them die prior to gaining any fame, plus the creative urge is something that drives you to follow your passion in that artform - so perhaps a long bow to draw.
Some of the research cited at times contradicts what the authors are trying to prove - that the fear of death can, even subconsciously, drive humans to act in ways that are more cruel or divisive. I think the jury is still out on this one.
A very interesting read that will provide the basis for a lot of passionate debate between those who believe in an afterlife and those who do not.
Religion provides comfort for many as there is the promise of life after death. Cryogenics can provide comfort for those with deep pockets that wish to be frozen after their demise in the hope that science will eventually find a way to bring them back.
The authors also talk about authors and other artists creating works to give themselves immortality. I am not sure if I agree that immortality was the artist's driving force to create their work as many of them die prior to gaining any fame, plus the creative urge is something that drives you to follow your passion in that artform - so perhaps a long bow to draw.
Some of the research cited at times contradicts what the authors are trying to prove - that the fear of death can, even subconsciously, drive humans to act in ways that are more cruel or divisive. I think the jury is still out on this one.
A very interesting read that will provide the basis for a lot of passionate debate between those who believe in an afterlife and those who do not.
jessbic's review against another edition
This was interesting,, but just too long? Maybe that’s just a non-fiction thing but I don’t think this book needed to be so massive. At times it just felt like an info-dump. I did like the Australian perspective on things and the psych experiments referenced though.