My Name Is Asher Lev

published	2003 by Anchor
first published	1972
binding	Paperback
isbn	1400031044 (isbn13: 9781400031047)
pages	384
description	Asher Lev is a Ladover Hasid who keeps kosher, prays three times a day and believes in the Ribbono Shel Olom, the Master of the Universe. Asher Lev i...more [close] Asher Lev is a Ladover Hasid who keeps kosher, prays three times a day and believes in the Ribbono Shel Olom, the Master of the Universe. Asher Lev is an artist who is compulsively driven to render the world he sees and feels even when it leads him to blasphemy.In this stirring and often visionary novel, Chaim Potok traces Asher’s passage between these two identities, the one consecrated to God, the other subject only to the imagination. Asher Lev grows up in a cloistered Hasidic community in postwar Brooklyn, a world suffused by ritual and revolving around a charismatic Rebbe. But in time his gift threatens to estrange him from that world and the parents he adores. As it follows his struggle, My Name Is Asher Lev becomes a luminous portrait of the artist, by turns heartbreaking and exultant, a modern classic.
date added	12-18-06 edit book

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Daniel added it

12/02/07

The book My Name is Asher Lev is written by Chaim Potok. He was born February 17, 1929 and has written works such as “The Chosen”. The novel is narrated by a young boy named Asher Lev who recalls his stories growing up as a child and his conflict of leaving his Ladover Hasidic community.
The novel has a few weaknesses in it. Very early on in the novel I felt that the climax had already been given away. I was certain Asher Lev would leave part of his community behind in his pursuit of art, ...more The book My Name is Asher Lev is written by Chaim Potok. He was born February 17, 1929 and has written works such as “The Chosen”. The novel is narrated by a young boy named Asher Lev who recalls his stories growing up as a child and his conflict of leaving his Ladover Hasidic community.
The novel has a few weaknesses in it. Very early on in the novel I felt that the climax had already been given away. I was certain Asher Lev would leave part of his community behind in his pursuit of art, yet not abandon it completely. This made the stories describing Asher’s childhood to seem monotonous. In climaxes, the stories are supposed to build up to it and to create suspense and tension. This also should keep the reader hooked. However; because I feel that the climax was given away early, the body of the novel lost my interest and its suspense. I personally would edit the end of the novel. To make up for the climax being given away very early, I would make the ending something that would come as a shock, and be completely the opposite of the image the climax created. This would also make up for the elongated stories in the body of the novel. I believe that the section of the novel where Asher’s mother is depressed is overly drawn out. I feel that I read about her dealing with the loss of her brother was too redundant and excessive. I would end this conflict much earlier than Potok did. I also feel that after Potok ended it, it still dragged on throughout the novel. I don’t think Asher’s mother really got over it; she just moved on and bottled it all up.
I found the conflict Asher Lev experiences his whole life to be very prolonged, yet interesting. The stories of his childhood had magnificent characterization in them. I somewhat expected the great characterization, considering that the main character, Asher, is an artist. The physical and mental description of Asher’s father, mother, and members of his community were very in depth. Some of the characterization was more direct in describing physical traits, but I enjoyed being able to draw a clear mental picture of the characters in my mind. I also enjoyed how Potok didn’t stick to one description of the characters. Potok would give a re-characterization after the person had either physically or mentally changed. An example of this would be when Asher’s mother became depressed over her brother’s death. The book first gave us a description of a young, slim, beautiful woman. This immediately changed into a hung over, depressing character. This was quite an unexpected plot twist. The death of her brother came very early on in the novel, and immediately changed the view of the characters. I believe that this plot twist was perfectly placed, right at the point where you would just start to get used to the image of the characters.

I would say that aside from the novel’s debilities, it was a great novel to read. I believe that someone who enjoys novels about growing up and breaking away from tradition would enjoy this novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and I hope that future readers will as well.

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My Name Is Asher Lev

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