My Name is Asher Lev

The title character of Chaim Potok’s My Name is Asher Lev is a Hasidic Jew who possesses an amazing artistic talent. The book’s central tension involves the conflict between Asher’s artistic drive and the devout religious traditions he grows up with. Potok pulls you into the world of mid-20th century Hasidic Brooklyn through his portrayal of someone who has difficulty follows the standards of that society. Though Asher’s characterization as a young boy seemed a little contrived, before long you get pulled into his struggle to reconcile his artistic genius with his ultra-orthodox beliefs.

The Man Behind the Microchip

Leslie Berlin’s The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley, as a biography and a business book, isn’t the kind of book I normally read. Still, as a software developer in Silicon Valley, it was interesting to gain some historical background, from the perspective of a seminal figure in the area. Noyce was of the inventors of the integrated circuit and a founder of Intel. He possessed a charismatic, adventuresome, larger-than-life personality and had a massive influence on the high-tech industry. The book is well-written and an easy read, with a reasonable balance of the biography, technology, and business aspects. Berlin studies recent scientific and technological history and she’s written an impressive account of Noyce’s life.

The Wimp Factor

The first part of psychologist’s Stephen Ducat The Wimp Factor: Gender Gaps, Holy Wars, and the Politics of Anxious Masculinity was so-so. He started off with some psychological foundations. Many American men feel compelled to prove their masculinity, since much of popular society looks down on guys who are effeminate, weak, or homosexual. That idea is credible, but some of Ducat’s more psychological ponderings are dubious. The second chapter examined views towards masculinity in 19th century American, a moderately interesting topic.

Things picked up in the remainder of the book, when Ducat analyzed how masculinity concerns affected recent Presidential politics. George H. W. Bush struggled to overcome the perception of being a wimp, which many voters view and the media view as a fatal flaw in a Presidential candidate. In 1988, Republican strategists managed to mitigate the “Wimp Factor”, aided by Michael Dukakis’s utter lack of machismo. While The Gulf War made Bush appear more masculine for a short time, it wasn’t enough for him to win the 1992 election.

The following chapter examines the nation’s reaction to Hillary Clinton, which Ducat connects with male fears of female sexuality, female power, and castration. Ducat’s analysis of the popular opinion of Hillary was very interesting. The next chapter, about Bill Clinton, divided his Presidency into two phases: before and after Monica Lewinsky. Before Monica he was viewed as a weak man dominated by his wife, while the revelations of infidelity made him appear as more of a macho guy.

The rest of the book investigates the mental association of liberalism with being effeminate and conservative beliefs with masculinity. These associations gave rise to the gender gap in voting patterns and views towards social programs, war, and other policy issues. The 9/11 attacks and the administration of George W. Bush made masculinity even more of an issue. Overall, The Wimp Factor gives you a lot to think about, if you don't mind the author’s liberal beliefs.

A History of the Modern Middle East

William Cleveland’s A History of the Modern Middle East is an excellent narrative history. Though it starts with the rise of Islam, two thirds of the 550-page book cover the period after World War I. It presents a clear account of the formation and subsequent events of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and other nearby nations. It concentrates on the politics, power struggles, and wars, while neglecting social and cultural developments. Except for a discussion of the aftermath of the first US-Iraq Gulf War, Cleveland doesn’t spend much time on the human suffering arising from the wars and from government repression. Overall, the book provides a valuable context for understanding current events in the Middle East.