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Cover of My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim PotokMy Name Is Asher Lev
Classic · Fiction, Classics, Young Adult

My Name Is Asher Lev

by Chaim Potok
1972 · 253 pages · Fiction
74.6Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 6 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Asher Lev is a Hasidic boy in Brooklyn with an overwhelming need to draw and paint the world he knows and the pain he feels. His extraordinary gift puts him at odds with his father and his community, and he must learn to master it without shaming his people or giving up his faith.

Why it's worth reading

It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1972. It's a profound novel about art, religion and the conflict between them.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Chosen by Chaim PotokThe Chosen
The ChosenChaim Potok
Cover of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty SmithA Tree Grows in Brooklyn
A Tree Grows in BrooklynBetty Smith
Cover of Go Tell It on the Mountain by James BaldwinGo Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the MountainJames Baldwin

Good to know

It's quiet and introspective. Its sequel is The Gift of Asher Lev.

By the numbers

74.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers89 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the ten best-selling books of 1972 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Chaim Potok

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Young adult booksTop 25 · 219 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1970sTop 25 · 131 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is My Name Is Asher Lev worth reading?

Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1972. It ranks #842 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is My Name Is Asher Lev about?

Asher Lev is a Hasidic boy in Brooklyn with an overwhelming need to draw and paint the world he knows and the pain he feels. His extraordinary gift puts him at odds with his father and his community, and he must learn to master it without shaming his people or giving up his faith.

How long does it take to read My Name Is Asher Lev?

About 6 hours (253 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after My Name Is Asher Lev?

If you liked it, try The Chosen by Chaim Potok, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith or Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin.