The Red Tent

By: Anita Diamant

Narrated by: Carol Bilger

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable contribution in modern fiction: a new perspective of female life in biblical society. It is a vast and stirring work described as what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters instead of sons. Far beyond the traditional women-of-the-Bible sagas in both impact and vigor, The Red Tent is based upon a mention in Genesis of Jacob's only female offspring - his daughter, Dinah.

Author Anita Diamant, in the voice of Dinah, gives an insider's look at the details of women's lives in biblical times and a chronicle of their earthy stories and long-ignored histories. The red tent of the title is the place where women were sequestered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and illness. It is here that Dinah hears the whispered stories of her four mothers - Jacob's wives Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah - and tells their tales to us in remarkable and thought-provoking oratories.

Familiar passages from the Bible take on new life as Dinah fills in what the Bible has left out - the lives of women. Dinah tells us of her initiation into the religious and sexual practices of the tribe; Jacob's courtship with Rachel and Leah; the ancient world of caravans, farmers, midwives, and slaves; her ill-fated sojourn in the city of Sechem; her years in Canaan; and her half-brother Joseph's rise in Egypt.

Skillfully interweaving biblical tales with characters of her own invention, the author re-creates the life of Dinah providing an illuminating portrait of a courageous woman and the life she might have lived. A new view of the panorama of life in biblical times emerges from the female perspective, and the red tent itself becomes a symbol of womanly strength, love, and wisdom.

The Red Tent is one of those extremely rare publishing phenomenons - a little promoted, but dynamically successful book (over 250,000 copies sold) that owes its success to enthusiastic word-of-mouth endorsements. Now, for the first time, this sweeping saga, which has struck a chord with so many modern-day women, comes to life as a much-anticipated audiobook.

Don't miss Anita Diamant at the 92nd Street Y.

©1997 by Anita Diamant (P)2000 by Audio Renaissance, An Imprint of Renaissance Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Winner, Adult Fiction, 2001

"The oldest story of all could never seem more original, or more true." (James Carroll, author of An American Requiem)
"Carol Bilger narrates with a warmth and melodiousness that echo the rhythm of the musical interludes that separate chapters." (AudioFile)

Weak performance

I read this book years ago and loved it. With the release of the mini series, I wanted to re-read it, so I listened this time. The reader's voice is pleasant enough, but I've been spoiled by more recent readings of books by fabulous voice actors. This reader killed the experience for me by reminding me of a middle school teacher.


It's a good read, though, and a good listen if you don't like the new trend of voice acting.

Biblical Character from a Different Perspective

This was an interesting story through the eyes of a lesser known Biblical character. The story of these ancient women was a bit captivating, but it didn't grab my attention. I didn't find myself longing to return to the listen.

Great listen

This was an engaging lauren all the way through. It is hard for me to find books I really like.

Excellent Read

I like how the writer brings the story to life. I like her writing style. I would recommend it to my daughters. I enjoyed it tremendously.

Great book and reading!!!!

Loved this book and the voice that read it. Highly recommend. It’s is one of my favorites.

beautiful

A touching story from the perspective of women in the time of Jacob and his sons.

I really enjoyed listening to this book!

I really enjoyed it even though it was not accurate and tends to be more on the fiction side. The narrator was also great!

Touched my Heart

There are no words for how this story touched me. I cried as the story ended though I don't know why. It was a sweet story, not a sad one. It just touched my heart so deeply. The narrator did a fantastic job and I found myself drawn into the story as it I was there.

Fabulous!

this book is written into my soul. I am not eloquent enough to praise it.

Makes an atheist want to read the bible

This is a great story, and it's well narrated. I've never been interested in the bible, and this certainly doesn't make me feel religious, simply that is like to see what other interesting stories are in it. I'm curious to see how this measures up to the biblical telling of Dina's story. This is a very captivating version. My only complaint is that the narrators voice is a little too flawless and sweet for such a rough story about the trials and hardships of all women at that time, and the greater degree of challenges that this woman faced.