Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful and Thought-Provoking
Review: In "The Red Tent" Anita Diamant uses the voice of Dinah to tell not a biblical story but a timeless story all women can relate to. Dinah, herself explains from the start how she, "became a footnote...my story a brief detour between the well known story of my father, Jacob, and the celebrated chronicle of Joseph, my brother." But Dinah's story is told from the heart, and her life seems to be lasting journey instead of a detour.
Dinah begins telling of her life in the "red tent" where she and her four mothers first lived. Due to the fact that I have only read of Biblical times through stories told of and by men, Dinah's story -- for the first time -- painted a very clear picture of the unmentioned yet touching stories of womanhood during that age. But this is not so much a story of Biblical times when told through Dinah's voice. By this I do not mean that women were not important during Biblical times. I mean that I was able to finally read a story about a Biblical female in the voice of one, and we all know that different details and perspectives are brought about through the voice of a woman.
I do not consider myself to be very religious, nor do I consider myself a feminist. Yet Dinah's story is more unique and interesting than most stories about a female's coming of age in the early ages. The story of her life is one of mothers and daughters to remember and to pass on...Dinah speaks of her mother, "One of my great secrets was knowing that I had the power to make her smile." Isn't that a secret that all daughters want? As Dinah grows up, she learns secrets of life that we all learn as we grow older...the most important one being, "There are no secrets to immortality."
Dinah's story is a story of love, hatred, betrayal, and, ultimately how we must all learn to live with these things -- and to live as happy of a life in spite of them.
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best book I've ever read
Review: The Red Tent is an excellent read - a quick page-turner. You want more! The story of Dinah and her mothers is a wonderful look at true woman kindredship. The care for one another and celebration of their feminity was refreshing. I will share this book with my daughters - when they are old enough, as some of the references to men's sexual behavior is quite mature. I had the pleasure of attending a book signing with Ms. Diamante. She intended the book to be fictional- not completely historically correct, although her creativity was phenomenal. I was almost disappointed to know that the "red tent" was fictional, as her portrayal feels so realistic. I highly recommend this book for all women- young and old. It's one that I am certain to read time and time again.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite intriguing.....
Review: Its a rather interesting story. Diamant did a good job in trying to dig the female's voice of the times. Clearly he/she who was given the priviledge to learn how to read and write (which was mostly boys in that time)told the story to future generation, hence THE BIBLE...
Diamant told an interesting story with 21st century lessons on womanhood. It comforting to learn that inspite of growing in a place where polygamy was the norm of the day.. the women in the RED TENT still had issue with sharing a husband but peaceful co-existed... however I cant help but to wonder if the author's ideas shaped by the present day attitudes that forced her to tell the story that way....Makes me wish there more stories of that time in history were told through the voice of the women. An interesting read. Worth of all the praise it has been getting.
Rating:
Summary: a great read
Review: Don't let the biblical setting deter you - even if you're not a big believer, you'll probably like this book. The author takes a briefly mentioned Old Testament character, Dinah, and uses an obvious knowledge of history and anthropology to create a whole novel with her as the central character. Even without biblical ties, the story would ring true. I would give The Red Tent five stars, except I was occasionally annoyed by the writing style. Diamont can be . . . well, a bit too melodramatic for my taste. Mostly, though, I really liked it. I finished it in a weekend and wished for more.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing, beautiful and heartbreaking
Review: The descriptions of biblical life are wonderfully colorful with a story of a women who pulls at your heartstrings.
Rating:
Summary: Deftly manages to avoid too many New-Agey cliches
Review: I found that this book, while hardly the miracle of fiction my friends told me it was, was a satisfying and educational read, with a gratifying ending and excellent consistency of voice. The characters are solid, and it is an interesting and rich historical snapshot. The narrator is a fascinating character who puts us very close to the story. The Red Tent is a beautiful and detailed read, and the author manages to keep just on the good side of New-Ageiness without sacrificing the spiritual qualities of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful examination of the femine mystique
Review: Funny story: I recieved this book as a 15th birthday present. At the time, I was hosting a slumber party for my girlfriends, and we had much delight giggling over the first page I had opened to, which happened to be a rather steamy scene. It was good fun. Years later, I finally picked up the book to read for real. And I found it beautiful. This isn't a long read, but beware; the book is addicting. I read it in a weekend of many late-nights where I simply couldn't put the book down. The story is based off barely a paragraph of the bible: how Jacob had a sozen strong, beautiful sons, and one daughter, Dinah, who was the child of misfortune. This book creates a largely fiction biography of her, from her growing up in the women's red tent with her mothers to her call to midwifery and later, her death. And yes, it is for the most part tragic. I cried at two seperate points in this book. Still, the ending is amazing, poignant and "Singin' in the Rain" life-affarming. This should be required reading for all post-pubsecent girls, regardless of age. Men should avoid for the most part. You just..won't get. Makes a great gift for the girlfriend. A definate read, with re-read value. Two thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: Read and enjoy!
Review: This book is worth the read! Lose yourself in a great story and learn about the old testament at the same time. As I read the book I yearned for the type of communion with other women that is spoken of in the book. In our fast-paced society it was healing to escape to a time when women were in tune with their bodies and their hearts and found comfort in eachother. I wanted to finish the book yet didn't want it to end. Just two warnings: the lineage and names are confusing at first and this book is not for the squeamish. Violence and childbirth graphically described.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, entertaining, heartbreaking!
Review: I recommend this book to ALL women! Wish some of the customs in this book were still around today!
Rating:
Summary: Magic in this story
Review: Technically, The Red Tent is a biblical tale, but in truth, it is much more. While Anita Diamant took the character names and their basic situation from the Book of Genesis, she manages to transcend that simple story, adding flesh and vitality, breathing life into it. And who better than a female author to bring the story of daughters and mothers to life? In fact, the very title is evocative of this life-giving role, for it was here, within the red tents, that women separated to during menstruation and childbirth. Although Diamant is re-imagining a story originally told by men, she liberates the characters, allowing each woman her own flaws, gifts and story. "I had four mothers, each of them...giving me different gifts, cursing me with different fears." So begins the complex tale of not only Dinah, Jacob's only surviving daughter, but also of all the women in her life, including the four sisters who are Jacob's wives - Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah. Diamant begins with the stories of Dinah's mothers, sharing her fascination over sisters who love, admire, tolerate, counsel, resent and share the same husband. Because Diamant gives each woman such a distinct personality, Dinah's relationship with each is equally unique. Through their stories, a veritable oral history in writing, we learn of the sisters' complex relationships with each other and with Jacob. At times, and perhaps rightly so, Jacob seems to serve merely as a catalyst for the development of the relationships between his wives, and eventually Dinah herself. The female inter-relations transcend even his role as patriarch of this extensive family. When Bilhah offers to bear a son for Jacob on Rachel's behalf, "she was lonely walking into her husband's tent alone, without sisters". Through Dinah's own story, which comprises the remainder of the novel, the story becomes more personal, transmitting the poignancy of loss, the complexity of love and the strength of forgiveness. Whereas previously this story was about jealousy, wrath and punishment, through Dinah's voice, it becomes one of love, understanding and growth. The Red Tent is Diamant's answer to the question: "What if a woman told this biblical story?" Her answer is a story lyrical in prose, compelling in the telling and visceral for its scenery and emotion. As Dinah explains at the close of her tale, "there is no magic to immortality." Readers will discover, however, that there is magic in the story.
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