The Red Tent - 20th Anniversary Edition
A Novel
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4.4 • 866 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In this modern classic interpretation of the biblical story of Dinah, Anita Diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of The Red Tent, a New York Times bestseller and the basis of the A&E/Lifetime mini-series.
Twentieth Anniversary Edition
In the Bible, Dinah's life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that tell of her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons.
The Red Tent begins with the story of the mothers--Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah--the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past.
Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling and the valuable achievement of presenting a new view of biblical women's lives.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A book club favorite since it was published in 1997, this biblical-era historical novel provides a whole lot to discuss and debate. Anita Diamant reimagines the Old Testament story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. In the Bible, Dinah never speaks; we only hear her brothers’ account of her rape. But in Diamant’s book, she tells the story of her own life—and it’s an epic, page-turning tale of love, tragedy, and betrayal. The Red Tent is an unapologetic celebration of women’s lives—we love that Diamant gives an overlooked character her own voice.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A minor character from the book of Genesis tells her life story in this vivid evocation of the world of Old Testament women. The only surviving daughter of Jacob and Leah, Dinah occupies a far different world from the flocks and business deals of her brothers. She learns from her Aunt Rachel the mysteries of midwifery and from her other aunts the art of homemaking. Most important, Dinah learns and preserves the stories and traditions of her family, which she shares with the reader in touchingly intimate detail. Familiar passages from the Bible come alive as Dinah fills in what the Bible leaves out concerning Jacob's courtship of Rachel and Leah, her own ill-fated sojourn in the city of Sechem and her half-brother Joseph's rise to fame and fortune in Egypt. After several nonfiction works on Judaism (Living a Jewish Life, etc.), Diamant's fiction debut links the passions of the early Israelites to the ongoing traditions of modern Jews, while the red tent of her title (where women retreat for menstruation, childbirth and illness) becomes a resonant symbol of womanly strength, love and wisdom. Despite a few unprofitable digressions, Diamant succeeds admirably in depicting the lives of women in the age that engendered our civilization and our most enduring values.
Customer Reviews
End was a bit rushed.
The latter years of her life seemed a bit rushed, but a powerful read anyhow.
Loved it!
My book club picked this book for our monthly reading. It was fantastic! I have read the bible multiple times. This was a nice side story. The author obviously did a ton of research. Great book.
Gorgeous
Absolutely captivating. Came to me in perfect timing for my life. Makes me wish for adventure. I love the subtle biblical element. I was fully invested in multiple characters. This is writing.