Waiting for the Messiah

Praise for Sheldon Greene and his works:

Read what critics have said about Sheldon Greene's Lost and Found (Random House), which introduced readers to Mendel Traig. “Greene is a born storyteller…” —Los Angeles Times (Critic’s Commendation)

"Immensely entertaining" —Dallas Morning News-Sunday

"...sensitive, deeply felt, intuitively wise...telling us universal truths of fabulous implication... climax of rich human delight..." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Delightful...This soothing, humorous story will appeal to a wide variety of readers..." —Library Journal

"Greene's novel is a beautifully written account of the lives of artists caught up in turbulent times." —Booklist on Burnt Umber

“… a Revolutionary War Gone with the Wind …a wonderful story…” —Teri Davis, Bestsellers World, on Pursuit of Happiness

“A page-turner with emotional depth.” —Kirkus Discoveries Reviews on Prodigal Sons

"The Seed Apple is written with a delightful mix of modernity, ancient history, and lore. Sheldon Greene’s careful writing leads to a work strong both as speculative fiction and for its stories of daily life. This is an entirely fantastic tale that is as much about the nuances of relationships as it is about the mysterious family at its center, whose genealogy reaches back to King Solomon."—Constance Augusta Zaber

"I have loved each of Sheldon Greene’s books from his first, Lost and Found, to his latest, The Seed Apple. I’m not a writer, so I’m afraid this review will not do justice to my strong experience reading it, nor convey adequately my recommendation that you read it too.

I was deeply moved by this book’s evolving dramatic story. I felt like I got to know the characters well, understood, respected and cared about them, warts and all.

Since I enjoyed reading each page so much, I had to slow myself down and be patient in learning what would happen next. I enjoyed the dialogue, the symbolism, the metaphors, the references to the characters’ cultural backgrounds and the jokes. I considered taking notes on evocative sentences on many pages, but I didn’t want to slow down and interrupt the flow and experience of reading smoothly…..but I did often re-read them. The author's sensibility to what really matters in life spoke to me.

Beyond his story-telling talent, Sheldon Greene impresses me in other ways. Each of his books is very different as to when and where the stories take place. The Pursuit of Happiness takes place in the Caribbean during the Revolutionary War, and another, After the Parch, in 2075 California, as a close-knit community of people struggle to survive in an era of fascist corporate power. The diversity of themes, contexts, and cultures is startling. It is clear that Sheldon Greene has a wide breadth of knowledge and must do lots of research for his stories.

Perhaps most enjoyable, moving and impressive to me is the ability Sheldon Greene has to describe his characters' emotions, intimate musings and ways of thinking about their relationships. Several of the characters in The Seed Apple possess and demonstrate fine-tuned sensitivity to many kinds of relationships and situations. In current psychological lingo, Mr. Greene demonstrates high “emotional intelligence”….the ability to discern and describe one’s own and others’ emotional states, to empathize with others and flexibly consider how to respond in relationships and challenging situations. His characters and their lives become real. The depth of humanity in this and his other books will touch you deeply and remain with you." —P. Bloom

"The prose is felicitous, deft yet unpretentious. Greene is a born storyteller." —Los Angeles Times Book Review

"...general but profound human truths as well as specific but universal lessons...The book goes down like vintage wine; it requires self-discipline to savor each chapter. Lost and Found is a beautiful work beautifully done. " —Indianapolis News

"...unconventional, warmly satisfying... Greene is a witty, astute commentator on the contemporary Jewish scene, but his observations on the need for moral values, compassion, charity, understanding should afford insight and inspiration to readers of all religious persuasions." —Publisher's Weekly

"immensely entertaining" —Dallas Morning News-Sunday

"...sensitive, deeply felt, intuitively wise...telling us universal truths of fabulous implication... climax of rich human delight..." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

"It belongs on the same bookshelf with the Spoon River Anthology and with Mark Twain's stories about growing up along the Mississippi." —Hadassah Magazine

"Delightful...This soothing, humorous story will appeal to a wide variety of readers..." —Library Journal

"Excellent" —KYW News Radio, Philadelphia

"Forget the big names and read this modest treasure by a...California lawyer who writes wickedly well. It is highly readable, amusing and poignant by turns, sharp and fresh in its perceptions, at ease with the mundane and the magical, kind-hearted and high minded... Lost and Found is a ringing affirmation of life in the right here and right now..." —Monterey Sunday Peninsula Herald (Calif.)

"Lovers of Sholom Aleichem and Isaac singer be alerted; an American-born writer named Sheldon Greene is carrying on the great Jewish-American tradition with great force, wit, and clarity." —KFAC Radio, Los Angeles

Read more at sheldongreene.com

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