Editing Sholem Aleichem (section)

==Critical reception==
[[File:Sholem Aleichem Statue in Netanya, Israel.JPG|thumb|250px|Sholem Aleichem statue in Netanya, Israel]]
Sholem Aleichem's narratives were notable for the naturalness of his characters' speech and the accuracy of his descriptions of [[shtetl]] life.  Early critics focused on the cheerfulness of the characters, interpreted as a way of coping with adversity. Later critics saw a tragic side in his writing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enotes.com/short-story-criticism/aleichem-sholom|title=Sholom Aleichem Aleichem, Sholom – Essay – eNotes.com|website=eNotes|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> He was often referred to as the "Jewish [[Mark Twain]]" because of the two authors' similar writing styles and use of [[pen name]]s. Both authors wrote for adults and children and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States. When Twain heard of the writer called "the Jewish Mark Twain," he replied, "Please tell him that I am the American Sholem Aleichem."<ref>Levy, Richard S. Antisemitism: a historical encyclopedia of prejudice and persecution, Volume 2. ABC-CLIO 2005 sv Twain; cites Kahn 1985 p 24</ref>