“The author’s sharply etched characters and smart, observant prose shrewdly capture the ways people think and talk about religious and philosophical issues”
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The Reluctant Healer
by Andrew Himmel
The compelling portrait of a young attorney torn between mounting evidence of his spiritual healing ability and his life-long skepticism of alternative views.
2020 Gold Medalist, Independent Publisher Book Awards (“IPPY”)
2020 Winner, National Indie Excellence Awards (New Age Fiction)
2020 Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Inspirational Fiction)
2020 Finalist, Da Vinci Eye Award (Eric Hoffer Foundation)
2019 Winner, International Book Awards (General Fiction and Inspirational Fiction)
2019 Winner, New York City Big Book Award (General Fiction)
Named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018
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About the Book
2020 Gold Medalist, Independent Publisher Book Awards (“IPPY”)
2020 Winner, National Indie Excellence Awards (New Age Fiction)
2020 Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Inspirational Fiction)
2020 Finalist, Da Vinci Eye Award (Eric Hoffer Foundation)
2019 Winner, International Book Awards (General Fiction and Inspirational Fiction)
2019 Winner, New York City Big Book Award (General Fiction)
Named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018
Between Doubt and Belief
The Reluctant Healer tells the story of a young attorney who is torn between mounting evidence that he has the spiritual ability to heal others and his life-long skepticism of alternative views. Will Alexander is cautious and conventional. But when he meets Erica, a beautiful, intense energy healer, he becomes troubled not only by her unorthodox endeavors but also by the limitations of his own existence. Amidst this turmoil, Will is startled to discover that he may possess metaphysical gifts of healing that confront the narrow doctrines of his regulated life.
The Reluctant Healer paints a portrait of a reasonable man who traces a path between skepticism and belief. Flawed, funny and agnostic, Will distrusts much of the alternative world, even as he struggles internally with phenomena that challenge both his sense of self and his orderly perspective. Will’s love for Erica, the exposure to her world, and his newfound powers place his life in a state of uncertainty, teetering between disruption and liberation.
Praise
Named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018
“Himmel’s entertaining novel is on one level a fine comedy of ideological manners. . . . The author’s sharply etched characters and smart, observant prose shrewdly capture the ways people think and talk about religious and philosophical issues . . . A vivid evocation of the conflict between reason and spirituality.”
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Andrew Himmel’s original debut novel is told with a fresh writing style, an eccentric approach to his subjects and characters, and a dry, wry wit . . .”
The New Book Review
“…engrossing… The plot is hands-down five stars–deftly and richly written… compelling and clever for the twists it takes toward the end… Andrew Himmel has the makings of a great novelist and The Reluctant Healer should be just the beginning.”
Colorado Book Review
“…completely original, compelling, and fresh.”
The BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly
“The Reluctant Healer is a gripping journey into the future of healing, in which the best of contemporary medicine is made even better by incorporating the powers of consciousness on behalf of healing. This extraordinary book is essentially a glimpse into the future of healing, in which science and spirituality join hands. And besides, it’s a beautifully crafted, exciting read!”
“The Reluctant Healer is one of the most intriguing books I have read in a long time. The author has a gift for writing a novel that keeps the reader immersed in the story, page by page. I could not put it down. Truly, a significant book for our time.”
“The Reluctant Healer tells an enthralling, deeply personal and honestly raw account of a transformational journey of inner discovery that reveals, however reluctant we may be, that we all have innate healing abilities.”
Dr. Jude Currivan, Cosmologist, author of The Cosmic Hologram, recipient of the 2017 Silver Nautilus Award for science and cosmology
About the Author
Andrew Himmel practices law in New York City and is a founding partner of Himmel & Bernstein, LLP, located in the Flatiron District. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Himmel worked in book publishing for The Dial Press, Harper & Row and William Morrow. While at William Morrow, Mr. Himmel worked for the veteran editor Harvey Ginsberg, whose writers included Saul Bellow and John Irving. Mr. Himmel lives in Manhattan with his wife, the universal energy healer Michele LaGamba-Himmel. Their daughter, Nicole, is a writer, who also lives in Manhattan.
