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The Red Tent

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First of all let me say that I absolutely loved The Red Tent. It's based on a character, Dinah, who is mentioned in passing in the old testament. Diamant has created a wonderful story about the women of biblical times, our fore-mothers Rebecca, Sarah, Rachel, and Leah, from Dinah's point of view.

You do not have to be familiar with the bible to enjoy this novel, although if you are, you'll certainly recognize stories and characters. It's about the strength of women, their roles in a male dominated religious society, and their all important relationships.

Although I was eager to read this book, I didn't expect it to have such an impact on me, nor did I expect to love it as much as I did. Highly recommended.

If you have a strong interest in the feminine side of Judiasm, or just feminism in general, this book is for you. This was the kind of book that I could not put down. I began it on the plane and read it straight through. It is definately on my top ten list. The author takes a small story from the Hebrew Bible and expands it into a novel from the women's point of view. The story includes characters such as Rebekah, Rachel, Leah. Some more conservative readers might find portions of the book blasphemous (especially the implied Asherah worship), but I think the book accurately reflects the practice of the times. A most compelling read!

But not this one. I read this in two gulps and could hardly tear myself away from it. Being pregnant, some of the birth scenes were a little intense for me but this is one of the best books I've ever read. I despair of ever writing such amazing characters!

While this book is beautifully written and presents a unique persona-point-of-view, it does not fit into the category of Christian Fiction by definition. Most Christian fiction presents a person in situations that lead him into a more intimate relationship of God and Christ. While this book portrays interesting facts about cultural practices of societies in Biblical times, it does not do as I described above. It also greatly deviates from the Biblical descriptions of Jacob and his family. Rebecca was not a pagan prophetess and Joseph was not a petty man full of himself and his power while a vizier of Egypt. I don't believe this book should be listed under the category of Christian fiction. It is misleading.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! Technically, it's the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah. The story is based on the old Testament, but it's fictionalized, told from Dinah's perspective. It's a fascinating story about families, love, and life, and it's completely relevant to the present as well. I can't describe how much I enjoyed reading this book, and how I hated to reach the end!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it in two days as I was fascinated by this culture of "the red tent". This story is earthy and sensual, as I'm sure it was intended to be. And it truly celebrates women as lifebearers and healers and mothers rather than workaholics who have no more ambition that getting paid the same to do a man's job. In a time where women disdain being mothers or they choose to work instead of raise their children and run their home in a healthy way, this book is an inspiring detour into the old world.

The story, however much it deviates from the true Biblical account, (and I'll get to that in a minute), captivated me. The Bible uplifts women and gives them a higher place in its story that any other literature of its time, but not much is said about Dinah because her story is not the primary reason that Moses recounts the tale of Jacob and his sons.

And here is where I have a little beef with Diamant. Her bio says she's written plenty of books on Judaism, but you'd never know she was Jewish by her emphasis on the absolutely pagan practices of Jacob's family in this book. On this level, Diamant's story is wholly untrue for Jacob and his sons never worshipped any God but the one true God, "El" as he is referred to in this novel. Jacob's wives, at least once they left Laban's care, also worshipped this God and all that stuff about sacrificing to the Queen of Heaven and what not is pure fiction. I did not mind that, at many points in the story, Diamant deviates from the Biblical account (i.e. Dinah's in Shechem or the switch LABAN pulled on Jacob when he was supposed to be marrying Rachel). Its dramatic license and she does not claim to be writing new Scripture or anything... but when it comes to their pagan practices, I was really disturbed. I don't know what my point it... I just wish, on this point, she had stuck with the true story. Its ironic because I enjoyed the first section of this book most of all and that was the most pagan! I just threw off the fact that Diamant was retelling a Bible story and pretended it was entirely fiction.

In short, I highly recommend this book to every woman, especially if anyone feels the need to feel uplifted in her femininity. Feminists need to read this book- hopefully they will come to realize that there is equal value in being a housewife and a mother than there is in being a CEO or a lawyer (and having the homelife be the center of your life)- you might not get paid, but the spiritual significance, the absolutely vital importance of these roles in the life of the world cannot be matched by any job. I believe this may be what Diamant is saying, in the end. This is what I got out of it, at least.

One cannot deny that Diamant is a gifted writer. I agree with another reviewer who compared this book with Zimmer Bradly's The Mists of Avalon (complete with the goddess worship, and revisioning of traditionally viewed "bad" characters). It may have been Diamant's intention to subvert the Biblical text. She succeeds in doing this. The foremothers are goddess and idol worshippers; the forefathers'connection with God seems to pale in comparison. The only men presented in a positive light are ones who the bible clearly sees as negative. Dinah only finds happiness when she leaves the monotheism of her family for the pagan worship of the Egyptians. While other reviewers are anxious to share this with their daughters, I am not anxious to tell my daughter that the foremothers merely put up with the monotheism of their husband but remained worshippers of idols.

Very interesting insight into the female life circumstances at the time of the old testament. Epical story but not epical in length

Dieses Buch ist wirklich lesenswert ! Ich hatte den Tip von einer Hebammenschülerin bekommen und war erst etwas kritisch wegen dem biblischen Background. Aber dieses Buch sollten alle Frauen lesen, es ist ein wunderschönes Buch, das das Leben der Frauen zu der damaligen Zeit und die Verbundenheit mit der Natur und dem Frausein wunderbar wiederspiegelt.

The book was a recommendation of a midwifescholar. Don't be bothered about the biblic background, it has nothing to do with the institution of the church, just with stories of the bible and in froma a very womanly point of view ;D
This book is a great reflection of how life has been for women to that time... It reflects the connection to nature and to beeing a womam, what in my eyes is getting lost more and more in todays world. A great book for people who like to feel emotions and see beauty through letters ....

If, like me, you love books that really focus on the daily rituals of life in ancient times you will find this book fascinating, but if you don't you'll probably like it anyway.