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Summary: This is an engrossing story with compelling characters.
Review: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is an engrossing, well-researched story with compelling and believable characters. It is especially gratifying to find a sympathetic, detailed, and believable account of an Old Testament woman's life set in this era and part of the world. The story is told from the point of view of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, a successful nomadic sheep-herder. She is raised by four different women, all wives of Jacob and becomes a midwife. Through an intriguing and dramatic turn of the plot, she ends up in Egypt. The book was a pleasure for even this non-religious feminist to read. The images are riveting. The characters are memorable. I wish I were a screenwriter because the Red Tent would make a wonderful movie.
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Summary: A Feminist rewrite trashes the Patriarchs
Review: Unlike "As a driven leaf", where statements from Talmud were woven in a Midrashic sense into a good entertaining story, "The Red Tent" is more like watching "The Prince of Egypt": beloved characters are modified (and sometimes trashed) to fit the authors agenda.Every male character (excluding the rapist, and Esau), are treated with disdain. Abraham is degraded in title, Isaac is a silly old man who has more interest in his hairlip concubine than his religion, and Jacob was supportive of paganism and died senile and incontinent. In the acknowledgment page, the author indicates her relationship to a women's studies foundation, which sheds light as to why the Matriarchs are portrayed as high priestesses of mother-earth worship. (From there, we are given long and exacting details of such worship, something that emphasises one's interest in those areas). In fact, her acknowledgment to Rabbi Lawrence Kushner is simply to Lawrence Kushner, not even giving that man the title of respect. In the book the men never pray. The only prayer we are given is one by a priestess of some goddess cult. Dina discoveres the the world of women is clean and caring, and returns to the world of men which is smelly, loud, and demanding. Joseph is a self-absorbed man whose ability as a dream interpreter was overestimated. Esau was a kind man who only wanted the best for his brother. The sons of Esau who (in Torah) attacked and robbed Jacob were really nice guys after all. Jacob blessed the wrong grandchildren because of senility. Jacob left his father-in-law with only a few things and did not have much wealth, and was embarrassed by Esau's wealth, which is why he wouldn't move in with him. While the author thanks (Rabbi) Kushner for intruducing her to Midrash, it's too bad she wasn't introduced to Torah. My only dielemma is to what to do with this book. After reading some of the other saccharine-laden reviews, I shudder to donate it to the library, lest someone else be inspired by such desecration. Well, trash day is Wednesday.
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Summary: This book changed my view of women in biblical times.
Review: This book has changed my view of women in bibical times and given me a connection to my jewishness. The ideas and story told in this book give me connections to very special women... a sisterhood that is strong and bonded with an incredible respect for nature.A sense of community that is held together in the most harsh of realities.The strength of the group and the committment gave me heart and faith that I come from a rich and powerful female heritage.(One that is not mentioned or given much history in ancient accounts.)The connections to my jewish side come from Jacob's influence on religion. The women gave the gift of life. This book touched me deeply.I will share this with my daughter and my son . To read this is to believe and connect with the ancient past.
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Summary: fascinating look at biblical period from new perspective
Review: I would echo the thoughts of many other Amazon reviewers: finished it hungrily, want more from Diamant, want to tell other people to read it... I am unchurched, though familiar with basic outline of judeo=christian bible. For me, this story brings us back to pre-church, pre-synagogue and makes the link to the women who shaped culture. The book leaves you wanting more. Story fizzles near the end, but well worth the slow points. The story also left me wanting to delve more into new/very old religions based on lunar cycles and pre-christian worship.
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Summary: A woman's perspective of the Dinah story
Review: I loved this book and cried at the end (and I actually do have a life). I really felt it changed my life and the way I will mother my children.I've never written this about anything before.Though well familiar with the story, I felt the characters and motivations enlivened in surprising ways.When I finished it (at 2:00am) I just wished I knew someone else who had read it to call them and discuss it. So I've been telling all my friends about it.
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Summary: Compelling evocation of a lost world
Review: The poetic power of Diamant's language creates a world in which the bonds between women as mother/sister/daughter are a life line. She has "remembered" through her fiction much of what has been lost to us about an ancient community of women. I could not put this book down. I could have read it if it were three times as long. It should become a "classic" that we pass on to our daughters. Share it with your friends and your mother and your mother's friends. Then talk about it!
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Summary: a celebration of womanhood
Review: I found this story to be delightful, intriguing and insightful! It is beautifully told and gives the unique perpective of what it was to be a woman during that time. Though based on a small part of the bible, one does not have to be versed in the biblical aspect to enjoy this story. The narrative truly pulls the reader into the story, I for one could not put it down!
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Summary: To every Woman, Please read this book.
Review: The story embraces the life of every woman, from birth to the celebration when becoming a woman at the age of menstration, to partnership and love, and of course finally to death. Anita Diamant opens the heart of the reader and rekindles the need for all women to honour themselves in the present day, to embrace and celebrate the feminine spirit. THIS BOOK IS A TRUE CELEBRATION TO ALL WOMEN!
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Summary: Dinah's voice gave light to darkness.
Review: Dinah's voice brought these ancient characters to life. I felt as if I was one of the bondswomen inside the tents. The details about the customs and rules of that time were wonderfully vivid. It is a beautiful story of women and the power they posses.I hope Anita will contiue to provide the kind of entertainment this book contained.
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Summary: POWERFUL
Review: I STARTED READING "THE RED TENT" TWO DAYS AGO AND NOW I RESENT ANY INTERRUPTIONS. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ENRICHING, ENLIGHTING AND INSPIRING BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ. IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME BY ONE OF THE WOMEN IN MY DISCUSSION GROUP AT OUR TEMPLE WHICH IS CALLED "GOD TALK". EACH WEEK WE DISCUSS THOUGHT PROVOKING TOPICS CENTERED ON THE TORAH, BIBLE AND OUR EVERDAY LIVES. I AM GOING TO SUGGEST THE GROUP READS THIS BOOK AND DISCUSSES IT FULLY. IT WOULD MAKE A WONDERFUL BOOK CLUB SELECTION FOR ANYONE AND I MEAN ANYONE. POWERFUL AND PROVOCATIVE! A MUST READ MANY TIMES OVER.
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