Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read!
Review: What a wonderful story based in biblical times. I usually would not read a "period piece", but this was well worth it! An excellent read that I could not put down!
Rating:
Summary: An Enthralling Book
Review: Although I read a lot of fiction, I usually stick to reviewing non-fiction since each person can have very different tastes when it comes to storylines and characters. I cannot avoid commenting on this fabulous book, however! Diamant, who is known in the publishing world for her comprehensive and approachable books on Jewish life, has shown us an incredible and untapped side of her talent through this novel.The story of Dinah (and of her "mothers", Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, the wives and concubines of Jacob) traverses childhood to womanhood to old age, from Canaan to Egypt and throughout it all, you live and breathe with these characters. Diamant has managed to do an astonishing amount of research for this book as she seamlessly weaves the daily life, religion, and natural world of the women into her prose. Her accounts of Canaanite and Egyptian life appeared extremely accurate on all accounts, yet the book did not for one second ever seem dry or pedantic. I read this work in one day to the exclusion of all else!
Rating:
Summary: Wow - An Amazing Read
Review: Anita Diamant's The Red Tent was a fantastic, gripping biblical journey in the life of the little known Dinah. There are few books that can conjure up the past in such a poignant, believable way. I am hesitant to loan my copy out to anyone as it takes forever to get it back because it quickly becomes a favorite of my friends. This is a talented author whose only fault is that she hasn't written more books. I am waiting patiently for her to produce another work and will gladly purchase it if and when it comes.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Story in Poor Faith
Review: As a fictional story, _The Red Tent_ is vivid, rich and beautiful. It is feminist in what I consider the very best sense of that word: valuing female-ness, in all its aspects (sisterhood, menstruation, sex, pregnancy, birth and motherhood), for its own sake, and not making any attempt to make women be like men. It gives the impression, unlike so much of the Biblical fiction I've read, of being utterly true to the times it records. But therein, unfortunately, lies the problem. As a fantasy story or mere historical fiction, with completely "invented" characters, this book would not disturb me. But instead it takes the female characters of the Bible, the wives and mothers and daughters of the Patriarchs, and portrays them as truly pagan women, with little or no interest in or respect for the God of Abraham, whose worship even by the men of the family seems tenuous at best. To see, for instance, Rebecca portrayed as a pagan oracle, insistent on perpetuating pagan rites among the females of her family, is profoundly troubling to me. I don't doubt that the Patriarchs' families were influenced by the paganism of the world surrounding them, but to envision these women as pagan priestesses seems to go too far--at the least the idea saddens me greatly. And I'm perplexed, since the author appears to be Jewish and has written several works of non-fiction about how to live as a Jew. Why such a woman would write a book that has more in common with neo-paganism than the Biblical narrative is a mystery to me. Because for all this book *has* (and it has much), the one really crucial thing it *lacks* is any hint of faith in the God of Israel. I imagine for a lot of readers that absence wouldn't be felt at all, but I felt it, and for me it spoiled what was otherwise a profoundly good book about what it is (or should be) like to be a woman.
Rating:
Summary: This book is revolutionary
Review: I absolutely adored The Red Tent! Absolutely. And I'm even a christian -gasp-!! I know that this is a work of fiction, but a lot of christians don't want to realize that idolatry was rampant in the Middle East during biblical times. This just shed some insight into what could have happened, and I love it. I feel that women hold a certain power that only grows when we get together. READ THIS BOOK!
Rating: 
Summary: Luke-warm fiction
Review: I didn't think I would ever get through this book, a selection of my book discussion group. I started off really interested in the story, partly because it was initially intriguing and also because there was so much hype surrounding the book. The author attempts to weave a tapestry of Dinah's life but dwells too long on details extrinsic to her own existence. For example, there was great detail given to descriptions of birthing. I failed to see where this affected Dinah's life...especially those births that occured before her own. At any rate, the book was enjoyable to a certain extent. The first half wore on like something I was forced to read against my will in grade school. The last statement in the book, as it turns out, is the most powerful literarily speaking. Too bad you have to wade through so much muck to get the reward...
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Read!!!
Review: I didn't want to put this book down.
It grabbed me from the start with my inquiries about polygamy as something I could not comprehend...
when the four sisters (Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah) take one husband, Jacob, and all give birth to his children, I was completely intrigued.
One daughter is born.
Dinah.
And this is her story.
I value all the references to menstruation, birthing, and motherhood... these are the ties that make us women.
I value all the references to rituals, songs and tradition... these are the things that make the story so intricate.
I passed the book along with a bit of sadness that it is over...
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: I finished reading this book at 2:45 am this morning. Being a woman, a mother, a sister, a wife, a person who has wondered aloud about all those silent women in the Bible- this book arrived like a huge white bird and landed right in my living room.
It's sad to read reviews that poo-poo the "feminist" point of view. It's also ironic, as you can easily see how the mental, emotional and physical chains of a male dominated society in the time of Joseph and Jacob lead entire societies to commit heinous crimes against each other because some man's gods told him to do so. Today we would recognize their behavior as narcissistic, sociopathic and ego maniacal. Or do we?? In the days of Dinah, the woman who tells this rich and lucious story, women only stood up and spoke their truth in the secrecy of the red tent. It is a bold lesson for "religious" women who blindly follow the lead of men. Contemporary women are forming their own "red tents" through discussion groups, gatherings and the renewal of valuable female friendships. Read this book. Be enlightened. Be enveloped. Be engrossed. Be outraged. But read this book. Anita Dimant is a writer with the awesome power bring us into her worlds and to send us home with the smell of lotus in our nostrils and dust from the desert roads on our shoes. Thank you Anita!
Rating:
Summary: You won't be able to put it down
Review: I first heard of this book from someone that was talking about it at work, and I remember distinctly that she said, "I don't usually like to read... but I couldn't put this book down." That was all I needed to hear. I went out and bought it right away. The book got a tremendous amount of word-of-mouth recognition and I understand why. It's a rare gem.
THE RED TENT is brilliantly based on the story of Dinah, Jacob's only daughter. I thought the author did a great job of incorporating the known story from the Bible into the telling of Dinah's story. While the Bible mentions Dinah it gives focus to Jacob's sons. Given that, I thought writing a fictional account of Dinah was just brilliant.
While the story is based on a biblical character, the book is more about the bonds of women. I loved reading about the interaction between the four main women of the story that help raise Dinah. The story goes into detail about all things pertaining to women, including childbirth, wifely duties, sexuality, and menstruation. While some may balk at the frankness of these subjects, I felt it added to a story that is uniquely feminine. I feel women from all walks of life (whether you are familiar with the Bible or not) will be able to enjoy their great work of fiction.
From the author of The Difference Now, A New Dish, and At the Coffee Shop.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!!!!
Review: I have three young kids so I hardly ever get to read. Well, my kids were on their own as soon as I read the first page! This is the most incredible book that I have ever read and I COULD NOT put it down. To me it truly captures the magical bond between mothers and daughters. I have re-read this book so many times I am going to have to buy a new copy soon. I can open it to any page and I am immediatly engrossed.
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