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Summary: Women/mothers Must Read!
Review: This book is the product of the author taking one "insignificant" paragraph from the Bible, and expanding it into an unforgettable story. It's the history of women; where we came from. I've passed this on to a number of women, including two who called me in the wee hours of the morning, in tears, after finishing this book. It's for mothers, and daughters, and it's very important to share.
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Summary: For a Bible believer, this is tough to swallow....
Review: Now don't be offended by what I have to say. I actually first will praise highly the style in which Anita Diamant uses to write. It reads very lyrical, prose like, Very flowing in verse and I thought, beautiful. If this is simply what you want in a book then read this! However.....As a woman who believes in religion, reading the Bible while growing up and learning of the stories, this book was a bit too much. I realize that Anita took much fictional freedom while painting the picture she is portraying, but for me many of the light handed comments and references to sexuality, including beastiality and masturbation, etc, were simply not the stories I wanted embedded upon my mind for these religious stories I loved as a child. (and still love) Maybe that makes me idealistic, or even naive, but none the less it effects the enjoyment of this book. Much time is given to the women and their menses (thus the name, the "Red Tent" where they stay) and I will say in fairness, this is an iteresting read. For those in my book club who were not, so to speak, Biblical fans, this book was very enjoyable. For the rest of us it seemed to tread just a bit too much on what is possibly sacred, and very unknown ground. Of course there may be truth to some of what she chooses to portray, but it was a tainted subject for me. I feel I must add however, I am excited to read more by Anita Diamant, mostly with the faith that her writing style, given a different subject matter, for me would equal a perfect read.
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Summary: Interesting Look at Women in Biblical Times
Review: The Red Tent takes an interesting look at a real story from the Bible, and weaves threads of fiction into it, to give a possible woman's perspective into the life of Biblical figure, Dinah. You don't have to know the Bible inside and out, or really at all, to appreciate this novel. While the story is based on information from the Bible, the novel tells a bigger story about what it was like to live as a woman during this era. Like a balancing scale, the life of a woman seems to be a blend of subserviance as well as a celebration of one's gender. While women were responsible for catering to the men's needs, they also rejoiced in The Red Tent, a place they would go to during their monthly cycle, to bond and dote on one another. I was struck with how strong these women were and had an appreciation for how much easier it is to be a woman in today's world. The physical experience of childbirth during these times was so intense..without modern medicine death more prominent. The spirit that existed in this community of women was amazing in how they cared for and supported one another. The novel was not action packed or fast moving, but what it does offer is a look at not only what it was like to live during this time and the obstacles that these women faced, but also explores the depths of mother/daughter relationships. It reminds us of the legacy that we can all leave behind and the mark we can leave here on earth long after we are gone.
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Summary: A trip into the past
Review: I purchased this book due to my interest in woman's place within the Christian/Judaic religions. The thought of reading a novel which takes place in the dawn of post-pagan times fascinated me. I was not let down. The story of Dinah from childhood, through adulthood and death was filled with vivacious descriptions of life as a woman in Caanan and Egypt in pre-biblical times. Anita Diamant manages to captivate the reader with her vivid accounts womens'day to day activities as well as their overall role in their various tribes. Their ranks as wives to their men, their involvement with their children, and the world around them.
A true 'window' into our past.
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Summary: To Whom It May Concern...
Review: Throughout all of my sixteen years of girlhood, I have been raised in a society that is gradually giving more and more equality to women. We (if I can say "we," myself being only a girl) are finally being put on a level playing field with our male counterparts and are being given the rights long sought-after, even though perhaps there is still much to be done. This is, as Martha would say, a good thing. However, an indirect result of this movement has been the loss of our gender identity. The attitude that was drilled into my subconscience was that we were only lesser versions of men, with nothing to really be proud of, and nothing to hold sacred about ourselves. Our physical properties, our emotions, and our monthly cycles were only limiting hindrances, and we should strive to basically be as comparable to men as possible. We were to go through life with the feeling of being unlucky, of being put in the unwanted 50% of life. And that, I say, is a bad thing. Our daughters are being given no reasons to be female. This book, if nothing else, has taught me differently. My eyes are now opened. My attempts at describing the transformations of my heart would only be futile, so I encourage you heartily to READ THIS BOOK. This novel has shown me a culture that thinks women are special...every little part of our body, or every facet of our soul...it all has a beautiful purpose. I no longer feel hindered, but liberated, and although she doesn't know it, I look on my mother with a new kind of love, and a deeper respect. I realize now what the bond between mother and daughter...yet another thing that has been diminished by our culture... means. I beg of you, read this novel. You might walk away from it enlightened, and even if you don't, you won't be able to put it down.
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Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Such a great, wonderful tale based on a true Bible story. The author took a basic Bible story and turned it into a wonderful story by filling in the details. I could not put it down!
Rating: 
Summary: Not for Christian readers
Review: This book does not accurately represent the Biblical stories it uses. If you are going to read it, I would recommend reading the scriptures that tell these stories before hand so you can see all of the embellishments the author added for what they are.
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Summary: A Misconception
Review: I bought this book with the preconception that it was "christian fiction". I was disappointed to find that the storyline does not keep the integrity of the Bible and I would consider it secular fiction. If you are a true Christian fiction reader, I would not reccommend this book.
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Summary: An Incredible Eye Opener
Review: In the "Red Tent" you will immediately be pulled into the fictional life of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, from the Holy Bible. Dinah starts out by recounting the stories of her mothers. Yes, Mothers, as in plural. Astonishingly, Dinah's mothers were also all sisters.(This is the Holy Bible?)The author, Anita Diament, let's you feel as these sisters felt when Jacob becomes a part of their isolated lives. Dinah's emotions slowly simmer as she tells of her coming of age and adult life. Perhaps like the current situation in Afghan, this was a time when women had very little control over their lives and were mostly pregnant. As the narrative unfolds, you are elated for the occasional joy or accomplishment. Strange customs are a way of life. Beware. The most often discussed setting of the book is the Red Tent, a tent where women sat together alone from men while they menstruated, gave birth, or recovered from childbirth. This book is filled with ironies. Although it seems such a strange and revolting phenomenon, the Red Tent is a not a place of suffering. It is a respite from hard physical labor and marital demands. Experience the sisterly bonding in the Red Tent as they "celebrate the harvest moon" when they all have their periods at the same time each month.(Can that be real?) Revel at how sisters forced to share one man struggle to overcome jealousy.
Though the story is set during seemingly simple times, starring illiterate women who have superstitious beliefs in many gods, Dinah shows us a cynical nature, and we conclude that these women are more sohisticated than most men. Dinah endures, despite brutal events which are, as always, out of her control. In the end, readers feel grateful that Dinah's strange story has been told and may even start to think this is not fiction. Any rock-solid notions about that slice of history being thought of as "holy" are now one huge question mark. This book is like no other.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of step
Review: Boy, am I in a tiny minority of the customer reviewers who gave this book a low rating. To me, Daiman's tale is nothing more than wordy hokum. I struggled through about a fourth of the story, and was so distracted by the stilted writing and the simplistic characters, I just gave up. Maybe it's something at this stage in my life that throws me into the negative camp. Could it be I'm getting old and cranky? (...)
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