Feinstein explores power, family, and the cost of ambition, drawing on a first-hand, insider perspective from his decades in business and civic leadership
Author and former financial services executive Wayne Feinstein today launched his debut novel, Turning, a character-driven story examining ambition, legacy, grief, and the emotional consequences of power. Set in New York City’s high-stakes real estate world, the novel follows Joe Fredericks, a larger-than-life developer forced to confront the personal damage left behind after decades spent building an empire at the expense of family and integrity.
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Turning by Wayne Feinstein (Greenleaf Book Group)
In Turning, Fredericks learns that his estranged son is dying and refuses to see him, triggering a painful reckoning with the choices and values that have defined Fredericks’ life. Drawing on Feinstein’s decades in business leadership, including his tenure as senior vice president at Capital Group, the novel offers an insider’s perspective on power, deal-making, and the psychology of high-achieving leaders, while exploring universal themes of redemption, loss, and second chances. The story is also informed by Feinstein’s own experience losing his son to cancer years ago, lending the novel additional emotional depth and authenticity. Publishers Weekly says, “Feinstein pens a moving debut that explores parenthood, family dynamics after divorce, and the arduous work of balancing career success with family life.”
Following a successful career that also included serving as CEO of several Jewish service organizations, Feinstein turned to fiction to examine themes that transcended business itself. Turning marks the arrival of a thoughtful new literary voice exploring the intersection of power and humanity at a moment when questions around leadership, accountability, and personal integrity resonate deeply across American culture.
“Turning grew out of my interest in the personal cost of ambition and the question of whether people can truly change after a lifetime of difficult choices,” Feinstein said. “Having spent much of my career in leadership roles, I wanted to explore the emotional blind spots that often accompany power and success. Writing this novel also became a way to reflect on grief, family, and the possibility of reconciliation, even in the most fractured relationships.”
Turning is available to order today, June 9, 2026, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, or Porchlight.
Praise for Turning
“Feinstein doesn’t gloss over Joe’s significant faults, and the result is a character who’s hard to like but compelling to follow—one whose reckoning with past mistakes feels earned.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Uncomfortable yet poignant, and starting with a gut-punch, Turning by Wayne Feinstein is an emotionally resonant example of contemporary fiction. … The pace is easy-going and matches the concise writing style well, making the novel both a believable tale and a warning to those who forget that riches mean little when your own family despises you.” – Readers’ Favorite
“Feinstein’s quietly astonishing testament to the redemptive power of personal reckoning is both timeless and timely. He simultaneously illuminates the deep courage it requires to change our lives and the simple truth that the most profound change always comes from within. A gorgeous, open-hearted novel that lingers long after the final page is read.” – Elizabeth Percer, author of All Stories Are Love Stories and An Uncommon Education
“In Wayne Feinstein’s absorbing debut novel, a powerful New York developer revisits the ruins of his life, searching for forgiveness from those he’s betrayed – and from himself – in a story of family, loss, and late redemption. Turning traces the emotional cost of success and the fragile possibilities of reconciliation.” – Linda Kass, owner of Gramercy Books and author of Tasa’s Song, A Ritchie Boy, and Bessie
“Turning hooked me from the very first pages. A gripping story that is a powerful reminder of the liberating power of reflection, the eternal possibility of redemption, and that it’s never too late to write a new chapter in your life.” – Andy Greenfield, founder, Greenfield Everyday Heroes Foundation
“From tragedy to reconciliation, this is a lifetime change in Wayne Feinstein‘s most enjoyable and readable book. Feinstein captures many different worlds: college, real estate, philanthropy, and, finally, fulfillment.” – Rabbi Brian Lurie
CONNECT WITH WAYNE: To schedule an interview or to receive a digital or hard copy of Turning, contact Bonnie Rice at Elevate Communications, brice@elevatecom.com.
About Wayne Feinstein
Born in Albany, New York, Wayne Feinstein grew up in Columbus, Ohio. A graduate of Colgate University, he earned graduate degrees in Jewish Studies at Hebrew Union College and certificates in social work and financial planning at UC Berkeley. He enjoyed two successful careers, first in Jewish community service, including eighteen years as the CEO of three large Jewish Federations in Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. In 2001, Wayne changed careers and became a financial adviser for Capital Group Companies in the Private Wealth group, from which he retired after nearly nineteen years at the end of 2019. In retirement, Wayne has dedicated himself to writing a blog on Substack, “I Try to Get This Off My Chest,” and writing fiction, and has written three novels and a growing number of short stories. Turning is his first novel to be published.
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