Anita Diamant's The Red Tent: A Reader's Guide

Continuum Contemporaries

by Ann Finding

Continuum Contemporaries give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed, and most influential novels of recent years. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a through and readable analysis of each of the novels in question. The books in the series all follow the same structure: a biography of the novelist, including other works, influences, and, in some cases, an interview; a full-length study of the novel, drawing out the most important themes and ideas; a summary of how the novel was received upon publication; a summary of how the novel has performed since publication, including film or television adaptations, literary prizes, and so forth; a wide range of suggestions for further reading, including web sites and discussion forums; and a list of questions for reading groups to discuss.

Genres: Book Club, Fiction

88 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2004

About the author

Ann Finding is Principal Lecturer in English at the University of the West of England.

Reviews

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second most favorite book (the first being Jane Eyre of course). I love that the author conducted research and tried to paint a realistic picture of what our foremothers' lives were like B.C. I like that the whole novel is about Dina's life, a woman who's name was mentioned only once in the Bible. Now we have this glimpse of what her life might have been like (this is fiction of course). I love the emphasis that the author places on women's relationships with one another and how essential they truly are. My favorite line from the book is when Dina says "My husband is my rock, but my friends are my well" . . . . .

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable bit of biblical history from the point of view of a young woman. Dinah is the youngest of Jacob's children. The twelve sons founded the twelve tribes of Israel, while Dinah's name and destiny were essentially an afterthought. Diamant makes the character real along with many other characters from the Old Testament, and provides a sense of the texture of the times.

[Mom (Melanie) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I decided to stop reading this after about 50 pages. I don't have a problem when an author fictionalizes biblical stories as long as they stick with what we already know from the bible about the circumstances. This story just takes too many liberties in changing facts 180 degrees, and I found that distracting.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! I remember going late to a date with John (back in the day...) just so I could finish the book! I learned so much about the lives of women. They had such intricate and complicated and wonderful relationships (which many of us still do today) and I loved every minute of this story.

[Lkostishion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the first book club reading for a book club that I never joined. A few years later, I went back and read it for fun. It was a very interesting read. A little disturbing and awe inspiring at the same time. It was one of those books that made me sit back and think about how lucky we are to have been born in modern times.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing how much can be written about such a small amount of scripture. Anita Diament has made sure that a barely mentioned figure in the Bible is not forgotten. I appreciated the view of the life of women at the time of Jacob.

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear sweet lord if ever there was a book written by a woman FOR women, this is it. I only picked it up because my wife had been raving about it and our oldest daughter had also enjoyed it. Never again. Chicks only.

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yuck! Who could possibly read this book based on biblical characters with such immoral themes! I got this book out of my house as quick as possible!

[Aimee Trabona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her name is Dinah the only daughter of Jacob. In the Bible, her life is just a hint in the book, put more about familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of the red tent.

[Mairi Byatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange and disturbing but compelling, makes you think about that lovely wee boy in his technicolour dreamcoat?

[Vera]

Awe inspiring.
Tremendous read!

[Just · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully woven tale of Dinah and her family (old and new). Amazing woman amongst other amazing women in such barbaric times.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book.
Some favorite quote:"But when she held them in her arms, she tasted only the joy of mothers,the sweetest tears."

"While I slept in my mother's womb, I appeared to her and to each of my aunties in vivid dreams."

"The birth of a daughter...The birth of a birth giver."

"There were always arms to hold you, cuddle you, embrace you."

"So you are Dinah, my last-born. My daughter. My memory."

"Remember this moment, when your mother's body heals every trouble of your soul."

"Why had no one told me that my body would become a battlefield, a sacrifice, a test? Why did I not know that birth is the pinnacle where women discover the courage to become mothers? But of course there is no way to tell this or to hear it."

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Credit this book with getting me to open a Bible for the first time since college. Genesis, to be exact. I recommend reading the applicable passages after reading "The Red Tent" in order to appreciate just how much of a fabricated fiction the book really is. But also to appreciate how Diamant manages to drop in so much modern, feminist social critique into the otherwise extremely misogynist and inhumane goings on of the heroine's time.
Overall an entertaining women's soap opera of a book, I came away with a renewed appreciation for my place in time, especially how bizarre it is that women these days expect to wait until their 30s and 40s to have children, and how much we lack the comfort and honor of any sort of 'red tent' rituals in our culture. I for one would really appreciate having 3 days off a month!

[Vanessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Struggled with this book. I wouldn't have finished it but it is a book club selection. Hard to stay focused on what I was reading. Couldn't get past the inconsistencies between the novel and what I learned as a youngster in Sunday School. Besides, it was a boring story with underdeveloped characters. Very repetitive.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reluctantly began reading this book for our Island Book Club and would never have picked it up on my own. But I ended up enjoying the book very much for the many beautifully written sections and the historical information presented. It was a window into the lifeways of women during Biblical times and I would recommend it.

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this beautiful book by a co-worker for christmas. It was such a marvelous book! Every woman needs to read it! OK, men can too! It just illustrates the woman from biblical time, their life, womanhood, and how the male and female characteristics evolve! Very good read!

[Erin Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Anita's view of the trials and life of our foremothers during biblical times. I feel that I don't get enough of a womans view from the scriptures and this book really helps understand what they might have went through. Although some parts were a bit graphic.

[Krissie Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Too bad women do not really have this tent on a monthly basis, we would be much happier. LOL...j/k But it does depict how important it is important how we all need our girlfriends/family.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first paragraph to the last, I was entranced. The descriptions are beautiful and poetic, the characters memerable and real, the woman's story timeless and told from a unique point of view. I highly recommend.

[Lyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned that this is somewhat a true story. I did not realize that a lot if what is in the book is in the Bible. I did not really like it because it portrayed Joseph of the Coat of many colors as not such a good man.

[Catherine Tackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A plus is that I learned the geneology of Leah and Rachel but this book was extremely risky, frisky for me at times. It was interesting to learn someone's interpretation of everyday life for the women of the Bible.

[Stephie Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me some insight as to what life was like in Biblical times. It would fall into the category of feminist writing. It is bewitching, you won't be able to put it down. I was hungry for more at the end and it continues to haunt me.

[Juliekoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I'm surprised I really enjoyed this book...Again..woman need other WOMEN'S Friendship's! I read this book in 8 books, I couldn't put it down...I'm so not a book reading but this one just sucked me right in!

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this book! It is the story of the Women of the Bible- spoken in Dinah's voice, grandaughter of Rebekah. If you love geneology & the wisdom of women from the past, you'll love this book. Reader Beware: It is very graphic.

[Aj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a very interesting "back-story" of what could have been. If you believe that everything is the bible is true, you might find the literary license taken too far. If you believe the bible is written as parables, a pre-quel for some of the best characters is fascinating...

[Lyns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had to keep in mind as I read it that it is fictional and not history. She definitely takes some liberties that aren't biblical so to speak, but it is a well written and interesting and fiction.

[Naze · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictional twist to a biblical story. Enjoyable and interesting read.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely bible story from the women's perspective

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting historical fiction.