There’s No Such Thing as an Inadequate Man is a psychological thriller that explores how money and power shape a person’s world and the lengths people will go to obtain them. Why was this an important book for you to publish posthumously for the author?

The author (my father) was a keen observer of people’s flaws and foibles as well as their aspirations and dreams. His desire was to shine an uncomfortably bright light on the complex and layered interpersonal relationships within this fictitious family. According to the paperwork that accompanied this story, my father started pitching this out to agents and publishers but had no takers. I wanted this story to be brought out for others to enjoy while also thinking deeply about it.

What morals do you think the author was trying to capture while creating his characters?

That we struggle with our morals every day; that the principles we hold close can be compromised, and what can happen when we fail to uphold them.

What can you tell readers about the author, Irving Schiffer, and his background experiences that led him to write this novel?

If he was inspired by friends or family members, I can’t be sure; I would have been very young when he wrote this. I do know that he read a lot about psychology and philosophy and he was curious about what makes us tick. Also, having grown up in an orphanage in New York City in the 1930s made an indelible impression on him, and he sure got to see a lot of power dynamics there, including corporal punishment and cruelty, as well as the joy of friendship.

Are there more works by Irving Schiffer that you plan to publish? If so, can you give readers an idea of what the next book will be about?

Yes. There are several short stories and essays that I will be releasing in a compilation either later this year (2024) or in early 2025. Not sure of the title yet, but it will be named for one of the stories. They are thrillers and dramas as well as short pieces that are autobiographical in nature.

Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon

A psychological thriller that captures the nuances of power in a world where money determines who has to follow the rules and who doesn’t.

Published posthumously, There’s No Such Thing as an Inadequate Man is the second book by Brooklyn, NY-born Irving Schiffer. The author was a private investigator who was about to turn the industry on its ear right before he died, a magazine writer and editor, an oil painter, a cartoonist, and a songwriter. Find out more about him in his biography, Knowing Irv: The Life and Art of Irving Schiffer.

His first book is A Great Place to Visit: A Political Novel of the 70s (Arlington House, 1972).

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/09/29/layered-interpersonal-relationships/