Rating: 
Summary: A New Perspective
Review: Perhaps not the "best written" novel in the world, but it does lend a new perspective to life as a woman in biblical times. Also fleshes out the Jacob stories, and really makes you appreciate living in this century. I found it very entertaining and a solid read.... well worth the trip!
Rating: 
Summary: I spent wonderful hours engrossed within this world
Review: What a powerful and beautiful book. I finally understand bibical times from a female point of view. Usually we hear all about the male's role in daily life. Through this amazing book I came to understand life as it was then and now. It is not a book about religion. It is a book about life, love, shame, forgiveness, sin, fear and most of all, hope. Read this book if you want to see the world through the eyes of Dinah. You do not have to even believe in the Bible to believe in the messages of this novel.I know another reviewer said that the author wants us to see this as another Bible. I disagree with that. And once again, he (the reviewer) is a man upset that a female author even tries to make the point that women played an important role during those times.
How is it possible that there is so little of them mentioned in the Bible. The words are somewhere just waiting to be heard.
This is also a great book club read.
Rating:
Summary: I Still Think About This Book Weeks After Reading It!
Review: I had heard much about this novel prior to buying it. I teach an adult Bible study group and we are just completing a 6-month study of the book of Genesis. While we were reading the story of Jacob and his twelve sons and one daughter, I decided to buy this book. As a Christian, I have great interest in our Judeo heritage; and, as a tolerant person, I had no problem at all with the embellishment of a story that is barely touched upon in the Bible. Gaining a glimpse inside the red tent moved me in ways that surprise me. I was absolutely mesmerized. The Dinah Ms. Daimant introduced me to is a woman of compassion, curiosity, passion and determination. From the tragedies of her life emerges a person of tremendous grit. Merely surviving was a great feat for women in early Biblical times...to survive and triumph over adversity was almost unheard of for women. I can only hope that the "real" Dinah found some kind of happiness in her life. Don't read this if you can't tolerate "perspective" of a Bible story. I still want to weep when I remember passages in Daimant's story of Dinah and her mothers. I can't begin to describe the emotional response I had to this book. I hated to see it end. Dinah's message to her readers at the end is gripping! Read for yourself as quickly as you can find the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Midwifery Miscarriage
Review: Sickeningly obcessed with one aspect which though important is not the be-all and end-all of womanhood. Its slant is so unifocal and simple/singlemided as to be truly an embarassment to women and demeaning to both sexes as portrayed. I read through this junk so I could criticize it having read through it entirely, although it was obvious to me after ten pages that the style and perspective were remarkably immature. The writing style is dumbed-down to a fourth grade level. If she could get off her gender obcession she might write nice books for young readers. God forbid a young female mind should read this!
Rating: 
Summary: LibraryLady
Review: This book was good as a "story", however, read it with the understanding that is it a story told from the perspective that Dinah and none of the women in Jacob's life believed in God and only God. Don't read it thinking it will give you insight on the Bible. It will not.
Rating: 
Summary: a bit of a let down
Review: I should have liked this book. Judaism, feminism, it was narrated in the lilting manner of a fairy tale. By all accounts, a very appealing book. But though fairy tales are often told to children, they are also often deceptively complex. This was not the case here. The book lacked depth, very flat.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read Through It All
Review: First off, I’m a guy, and yes, I read “The Red Tent”. I still love beer, carburetors, red meat, The O’Reilly Factor, and football but, I also thoroughly enjoyed this book. Anita Diamant has managed to craft a historical novel from a feminine perspective that is very readable to both sexes and still is quite engrossing. The book follows the general format Michael Shaara used in “The Killer Angels” by adding unrecorded dialogue to actual events and persons to tell a more complete, albeit partially fiction, story of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. Diamant, however, takes more storyline liberties the way Oliver Stone did with Kennedy assassination in his movie “JFK”. If you are not familiar with the Bible or do not consider it to be authoritative, then her take on the life of the patriarch Jacob’s daughter Dinah will cause no problems for you. That’s not at all to say that her ideas are not plausible. The Genesis accounts in the Bible of Dinah are not very detailed so, there is plenty of room for poetic license. Hardcore adherants to The Law or Christian conservatives will likely throw fits at several points, particularly Diamant’s take on the patriarchs. More than a tinge of modern feminism clearly permeates the book as most all male authority figures are made out to be blustering fools ... I give this book four stars, however, because I am NOT rating it based on ideology. It is definitely a fun read and promotes thought. There are no real fancy words or beautifully crafted sentences ... The masses, however, love it apparently as my paperback was from the 19th printing! There were plenty of times where I found myself unable to put the book down. The bottom line: Pick this book up (particularly now that it is out in paperback) if you are looking for a competent quick read....
Rating:
Summary: Sexy Bible Story
Review: It is difficult to explain why I just did not like this book. Perhaps it is because as a reader of the Bible and a student of history, it just seemed off the mark....too much sex and unlikely events.
I am not a fan of historical fiction and read this book only because a book group is going to discuss it at our next meeting.
Rating:
Summary: More proof that women rule
Review: This book was a GREAT historical read. Thought provoking, and character driven, Diamant has written a truly remarkable piece which belongs on everyones bookshelves.
I loaned my book to a friend, who in turn loved it, and bought a copy just to keep, and has since loaned it to another friend...this is a heartwarming tale (but at times heartbreaking) that makes you realize just how hard life was on woman way-back-when.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous!
Review: The Story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, sister to Joseph of multicolored coat fame, "The Red Tent" is a biblical story without the bible. A fictional tale of a woman who is barely a footnote in the bible, "The Red Tent" draws you in from the beginning. Anita Diamant, who has written some really lovely books about Jewish life, has written a story of a biblical women who gets little notice in the actual bible. Full of rich description and interest, "The Red Tent" is a must read! You'll wish Ms. Diamant wrote about every biblical woman just so you could read more!
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