Review of INTELLIGENCE and SOCIETY

INTELLECTUALS AND SOCIETY

Thomas Sowell

Review by Author Roy Murry

Most of my friends and followers will not purchase this book, but they should if they have an inquisitive mind and willing to pay for it.

I & S is a textbook stylebook about how much of the intelligentsia affected history.

The Intellectual Elite pushed their agendas on society because they believed their ideas were correct, and everyone else was not. Mr. Sowell goes back into USA history and explains the impact of these ideas that confused society, moving it many times in the wrong direction, i.e., the Vietnam war and conflicts prior.

His dissertation explains many intellectual theories, concepts, and thoughts that became groupthink, many of which do not work in our society today. These ideas are throwbacks of another era that did not work then.

Explaining Karl Marx's intellectual elaboration misconceptions vs. Adam Smith's economic theories, Mr. Sowell boils it down to Intellectuals produce ideas, not results as an engineer will. If the engineer messes up, the bridge will fall. However, the intellectual will not pay the price for his errors.

I will leave you with this quote from the introduction of Intellectuals and Society: INTELLIGENCE MINUS JUDGEMENT EQUALS INTELLECT.

There is so much in this book; it is a challenge to write a review of all Mr. Thomas Sowell's ideas.

The read is easy to follow. However, the reader must put on a thinking cap.

I will leave it there for now. My Live-stream video on the subject reveals more. Video at Youtube.com Author Roy Murry (No 'a' in name.)

Purchase: https://amzn.to/2wvQP4N

Review of A VEIL REMOVED

           A VEIL REMOVED
A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel

Review by Author Roy Murry

Henrietta and Howard return from their honeymoon because of the death of Howard's father, the patriarch of a wealthy Clive family. No one believes his death was other than an accident.

"A Veil Removed' is book four in a five-novel series. Therefore, I have no idea how Henrietta and Howard meet. However, the author gives the reader hints as to the two different worlds from which they came.

Elsie, Henrietta's sister, love involvements, schooling, and social life, take center stage to the mystery of Howard's father's death and the mob business that led to it. But, when H and H get down to investigating, the plot thickens.

The 1930s background, and how wealthy people lived then added to the novel's distinct and colorful language brought the characters alive. Boy, life has changed since then.

The writing is fashionable to the time, which gives the reader a laugh once in a while. The story, however, lacks the mystery I usually enjoy - my fault.

I should have started with book one in the series. From the author's description of Henrietta and Howard, in this book, I believe the mysteries they solved in the novels one through four are worthy.

I will buy book one in the series, as should you.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/2UX3fef

Book 1: A Girl Like You https://amzn.to/2JD3ZQu

Review of FROM THIS MOMENT ON

FROM THIS MOMENT

DEBRA CLOPTON

Review by Author Roy Murry

Grant arrives in Windswept Bay. He meets Cali Sinclair, one of the owners of the resort. He is to paint a few murals.

It is a setup neither Grant nor Cali comprehend at the moment they meet. Sparks fly when they enjoy the beauty and sound of the oceanfront resort and journeys around the area so that he can get inspiration for the murals.

Both have psychological baggage to overcome - Cali a broken marriage and Grant the death of friends. It takes a while for each to confide in each other with the gentle pushing of the Sinclair family.

The story is simple - boy meets girl. She is beautiful, and he is gorgeous. And, the environment is conducive for enjoying life.

There are not any significant conflicting moments in this story, just a crescendo of enjoyment with considerate self-evaluations by each. It is their gut-wrenching pasts that brings Grant and Cali together.  

The writing is enjoyable; the characters are few, and the background description is colorful - an excellent read for one sitting.

Review of Rancour

RANCOUR

PETE BRASSETT

Review by Author Roy Murry

The statement 'A gripping murder mystery' is a true one. This story set on the west coast of Scotland was more than intriguing. It keeps the reader wanting more.

The characters Detective Inspector (Retired) James Munro and his prodigy DI Charlie West, a female in charge of solving two murders, combine in their way to get to the facts. He uses methods outside the box, and she follows the system using her guts.

The way the Scottish do things and the banter of the police group, according to Brassett's writing, shows a strong bonding among officers. The predominantly written dialogue is fun to read, like calling a woman, dearly, a "hen.'

The murder investigations seem to be going in the right direction. Then Munro pops in, and West sees them in a new light with a few little nudges from her ex-boss.

A book eight in this series, the plot, the characters, and the style read as a complete individual novel without using background information to update the reader. Therefore, I enjoyed the conversations, people, and a mystery with no clutter.

Brassett nicked it or in the USA language - he nailed it.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/392wkKk

Review of CHILD OF WATER

CHILD OF WATER

Book One of Heirs of Anarchy

G. Lawrence

Review by Author Roy Murry

'It is the continuation of the story that matters, not poor shades left behind,' is thought of Matilda, Lady of the English. The daughter of Henry I, the woman who wages war against men for a throne.

G. Lawrence writes this memoir of the English aged regent in the first person, telling her life's journey in a man's world. The words and thoughts of Matilda do not ring well against male domination in eleven hundred ten.

At age eight, she is married to the Holy Roman Emperor, where her education into regal life begins. Taught in their ways, she excels and learns how to use the power of the throne.

On the way to adulthood, Matilda spouts words of wisdom in colorful and intelligent ways. G. Lawrence writes those words that sing truths that apply today but did not then.

The turmoil’s the Empress lives with she overcomes in the Empire, but there comes a time when she must return to England. Life as a woman begins again until she is heir to the English throne. Or does it?

Matilda's words are musical and will stay with the reader throughout this enjoyable journey of the Lady's life. G. Lawrence has done an excellent job in combining History, Philosophy, and Renaissance of 12th-century norms into a pleasant novel. 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/2U3IRrm

Review of The Dead Game

THE DEAD GAME

SUSANNE LEIST

Review by Author Roy Murry

A whirlwind starts this paranormal cum vampire novel.  A house consumes a family of four, and the reader is left hanging in the thrilling prologue.

Linda moves into the town five years later and sets up shop meeting with what she believes are like-kind individuals, her friends. Among them is a man Todd who is a leader and not what he seems to be.

The group goes to a party at the consuming house, which has a secret history, and all hell breaks out - THE DEAD GAME begins. Who's who - vampire or not becomes the theme when the game starts.

The twist and turns of the novel are fast and thrilling. The list of players is many and range from local non-combatants to international villains - The Dead.

The writing is crisp. The characters are many—however, there is the main underlying attraction between Linda and Todd will lead the reader to the sequel.

I recommend getting both in The Dead Game story and read to the end.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/2v2p8zR

Review of The Carter Street Hangman

The Carter Street Hangman

A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel

ANNE PERRY

Review by Author Roy Murry

A serial killer is garotting young women on Carter street in 1881. When a maid in Charlotte's house dies the same way, Inspector Thomas Pitt comes into her life.

The vicar (pastor) of the local church, whom Charlotte dislikes, comes to the house to preach about sin. The ones sinning, he intimates the women and, of course, the killer.

Man's sin is different from women in those days. Proper women should not be out after dark -very improper in those days.

These and other sins were discussions of the families, vicar, and wife, but mostly between Charlotte and Pitt. Thomas Pitt interviews everyone on Carter Street, looking for the man garotting the women.

The person is difficult to find by the police, five killings in all until Charlotte and Pitt have a conversation that leads to a shocking ending. The sin hits home at the place one would not believe.

It was a good read. However, the hangman writer left me hanging.

Purchase:  https://amzn.to/2T760db