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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
"My Name is Asher Lev" is a book that, when read, resembles something akin to canoeing in an unfamiliar environment. You take your time, admire the gorgeous scenery, the imagery, the simplistic beauty of a world foreign to you slowly becoming tangible. You paddle against the current, feel the strain in your muscles, but you press on because you are unwilling to let go of this new world you've entered into.
It's this wonderment that continues to drive you when the current suddenly grows fierce, and you can no longer steer or control your humble canoe against the growing intensity of the water. You might be thrown off-course, left in even stranger surroundings, tired, emotionally drained, and desperate for a break, but you cannot put down your paddle. Not yet. And then you get that break, that vital reprieve to catch your breath, but it is brief, for the rapids - and the intense emotions that come with them - are waiting just ahead, eager to pick up where you left off.
Chaim Potok has written a book that is so good it hurt to read. It's methodically paced, brutally honest, and thundering in its restraint. It lures you in with beautiful, simple, and meticulous writing; endears you to characters so raw and real you almost forget they're fictional; and then assaults you with emotions that you were neither expecting nor prepared for. It's a story of religion, of family, of art, of anger, of childhood, and of the wild, insurmountable passions that drive us. It's phenomenal and affecting in just about every way. Please read it.
It's this wonderment that continues to drive you when the current suddenly grows fierce, and you can no longer steer or control your humble canoe against the growing intensity of the water. You might be thrown off-course, left in even stranger surroundings, tired, emotionally drained, and desperate for a break, but you cannot put down your paddle. Not yet. And then you get that break, that vital reprieve to catch your breath, but it is brief, for the rapids - and the intense emotions that come with them - are waiting just ahead, eager to pick up where you left off.
Chaim Potok has written a book that is so good it hurt to read. It's methodically paced, brutally honest, and thundering in its restraint. It lures you in with beautiful, simple, and meticulous writing; endears you to characters so raw and real you almost forget they're fictional; and then assaults you with emotions that you were neither expecting nor prepared for. It's a story of religion, of family, of art, of anger, of childhood, and of the wild, insurmountable passions that drive us. It's phenomenal and affecting in just about every way. Please read it.
I don't know what to say about this book to show it justice. It is one of the best books I have read in a long time, perhaps one of the best I have ever read. It is incredible and Chaim Potok is brilliant. He is one of my top few favorite authors. His books resonate with me in a way that few books do - especially his prevailing theme of trying to find personal balance between religious tradition and the world. His books are not for everyone, but if you want to read beautiful, slowly-unfolding novels with depth and thought-provoking themes, then give Potok a try. The ending of this particular book is one of the most powerful I have ever read. Asher Lev is a character I will not be forgetting.
I loved this book. Although I went through it in chunks all summer, I was always engrossed while reading. It follows Asher Lev from when he was 8 years old all the way until he is a college graduate as he pursues his dream of being an artist, which is truly all he cares about. But his gift stirs trouble in his family and community because he is an orthodox Jew and others believe that the gift comes from "the Other Side". While I wouldn't call the language Potok uses "pretty", it has its own rhythm and way of conveying emotions that helps us understand what Asher is going through. Parts of this book might be hard to understand for people unfamiliar with the orthodox Jewish culture, because even though I'm Jewish it was confusing for me at times. Asher's story doesn't have a fairy-tale happy ending, but his journey, along with Potok's writing style, is riveting, hard-edged, and doesn't hide anything. Even though it's a work of fiction, to me it felt so pure and true.
This was fairly interesting, especially given my low expectations for school books. Commentary on use of symbols outside their context. Read for INAF237.
It started as the most wonderful book, but lost momentum and steam somewhere in the middle. By the end it seemed repetitive and I wanted to hit the main character a little too much.
That being said, it is a wonderful story and illustrates the haredi lifestyle.
That being said, it is a wonderful story and illustrates the haredi lifestyle.
Read this for school. Very thought provoking, very well written, but not my style of book. The story was very frustrating for me to read because I did not agree with a lot of the opinions set forth. I didn't relate to it very well because there were many references to Judaism that I did not understand. However, it was a very interesting read.
Beautiful and haunting; an absorbing struggle. Potok captures the power and terrible force that is any act of Creation. This book is both a meditation on artistic process and a Jacobean wrestling over the nature of God and the world.
Asher Lev is an art prodigy and Hasidic Jew growing up in post WWII Brooklyn. He prays 3 times a day, his family is extremely devout, and his father is an important emissary to the Rebbe. Asher has an insatiable need to draw. He is incredibly gifted. It causes strain and deep rifts between himself and his parents who cannot decide if his gift is one from god or from something darker. The plot moves slowly but deliberately. It's written through the eyes of an artist so descriptions are colorful and vibrant, but conversations are blunt. His relationship with his parents is tumultuous and tense. It is heartbreaking to see Asher's mother caught between her son and her husband. The ending is raw and powerful. Unforgettable.
Excellent book by the author of one of my favorite books of all time, The Chosen. Similar themes in this one, including tension between religious orthodoxy and a professional identity that strongly contrasts with that orthodoxy. As a Mormon psychologist, it jived with me. I loved how driven the characters were, motivated by strong passions that are often misunderstood. A beautiful novel with overtones of suffering and tragic misunderstandings in relationships.
I read this book in high school and it's stayed one of my favorites ever since. We could all learn a little from Asher Lev. If you enjoy this book, try the sequel -- [b:The Gift of Asher Lev|11502|The Gift of Asher Lev|Chaim Potok|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327897993l/11502._SY75_.jpg|940793].