My Name is Asher Lev discussion questions

1) Who is Asher’s “mythic ancestor,” and what do his “visits” to Asher mean in the book? 2) Discuss the significance of the Levs’ living room window and the venetian blinds? Which characters look out the window, and why? In what way does the window become symbolic at the end of the book?
3) What hints does the reader receive regarding the events of Jacob Kahn’s past experiences as a Jewish artist?
4) Does Asher do the right thing or not by portraying his mother in a crucifixion painting? Discuss.
5) Aryeh’s religious beliefs clash with his son’s love of art. Explain why Aryeh reacts the way he does, and how his reaction impacts his relationship with Asher.
6) What role does the Rebbe play in Asher’s life?
7) Discuss the significance of Asher's lengthy stay in Europe.

8) Why does Potok choose to set My Name is Asher Lev in a Hasidic community?
9) Who plays the largest role in Asher's life and development?
10) Compare and contrast the way Asher's parents relate to him.
11) My Name is Asher Lev focuses heavily on the clash between cultures and the coming of age of a boy caught between two opposed traditions. This conflict is further conveyed in the mixed usage of language from both worlds. For example, at the very beginning of the book there is a paragraph beginning, "Often on Shabbos or festivals…." Here, the colloquial Yiddish word, "Shabbos" for the Sabbath is juxtaposed with the English word, "festivals," for the holidays. In Lev's household, the word "festivals would not have been used. This juxtaposition makes clear the change Lev has undergone and the continued cultural conflict in which he is mired. After all, he has forsaken only some, but not all of the Hebrew or Yiddish expressions for English ones.

January 2016: "You" by Caroline Kepnes

For January, Becky has chosen the book "You" by Caroline Kepnes. "Be forewarned - it is both unforgettable and a bit of a freak show," Becky remarked.

Praise for Caroline Kepnes and You:

“Hypnotic and scary.” —Stephen King

“I am RIVETED, AGHAST, AROUSED, you name it. The rare instance when prose and plot are equally delicious.” —Lena Dunham

From debut author Caroline Kepnes comes You, one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of 2014, and a brilliant and terrifying novel for the social media age.

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyper-connected digital age. You is a compulsively readable page-turner that’s being compared to Gone Girl, American Psycho, and Stephen King’s Misery.

Caroline Kepnes

Caroline Kepnes is a native of Cape Cod and the author of many published short stories. She has covered pop culture for Entertainment Weekly, Tiger Beat, E! Online, and Yahoo. She has also written for television shows, including 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Her directorial debut short film, Miles Away, premiered at the Woods Hole Film Festival. Caroline is a Brown University graduate now residing in Los Angeles in the same building that the Hillside Strangler once called home. She spends a lot of time on Cape Cod.

- See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Caroline-Kepnes/464841279#sthash.xrw9Tcyl.dpuf

ABOUT CAROLINE KEPNES

http://www.carolinekepnes.com/

Caroline Kepnes is a native of Cape Cod and the author of many published short stories. She covered pop culture for Entertainment Weekly, Tiger Beat, E! Online, and Yahoo. She has also written for television shows, including 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Her directorial debut short film, Miles Away, premiered at the Woods Hole Film Festival. Her first novel You is in development at Showtime. It was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Award and named a Suspense Magazine Best Book of the Year. Caroline is a Brown University graduate now residing in Los Angeles.