My Name Is Asher Lev (1972)

A very thoughtful, sad book about a misunderstood artist. ( )

Asher Lev, artist and painter of the controversial "Brooklyn Crucifixion" looks back on his life growing up as a Hasidic Jew. His father, an important man in their community who travels for the Rebbe, simply cannot understand why his son needed to draw, but even as a young child Asher had a gift. He discusses the experiences leading up to becoming the artist he is, and why an observant Jew would paint a crucifixion.

This is a quiet sort of story, almost a character study, in which I was surprised to find out how much I was invested in the family drama as Asher learns to carve his own path in life and art. I'm sure some references specific to Judaism teaching and thought went over my head, but at its heart it's a universal coming of age story in which a son has to decide whether to be true to himself or fall into line with what his father wants for him. I kept flipping back to the first few paragraphs, which essentially lay out the gist of the story, before Asher explains his family history, his experiences growing up, and ultimately what led to the notorious painting. ( )

I don't really have words for this book yet. It's probably the most important thing I have ever read, being a Jew and an Artist, and a little lost. I don't know if it will affect anyone else like it affected me, this second reading. ( )

I read My Name is Asher Lev when I was just beginning community college. What a wonderful book. The book describes the tension between the Jewish and Christian communities and how a young artist deals with it. ( )

A beautifully written story about the growth and development of an artist and its effect upon his relationships with family and community. I loved it and all of its gripping tension as father and son, husband and wife, mother and son struggle to deal with an extraordinary artistic talent and its impact on their Hasidic faith traditions. ( )