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)

Must listen perfect in every way

This book has an amazing story and I wish the author would follow up with more in a series that goes on to follow the family of Jacob I could listen forever both to the story this author and the narrator. I couldn't stop listening from the start.

Slow to start, grabbed in the middle

A friend recommended this book. It was ponderous in the beginning; so many people and names to keep straight. Once I started listening and could keep the characters straight, I was hooked!

The reader also did a great job!

Not sure how I feel about this version

Not sure how I feel about this retelling of this story in the book of Genesis, where Dinah was in love with Shechem, instead of raped by him. It was alright but not superb.

My favorite story of all time

I can listen to this book again and again, and do. I love e Dinah's character and hold her close to my heart.

Wonderful but a bit risque and gory at times

What did you love best about The Red Tent?

This was a lovely story about female culture in the BC era. I really enjoyed the beauty of the red tent and it's significance. I also appreciated the authors research into the Old Testament and anthropological studies.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I appreciated Dina the most - as she was the main character and I felt connected to her on her journey.

Have you listened to any of Carol Bilger’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no - I haven't listened to her before. She was wonderfully vibrant in her story telling.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

nope - I listen on my long drives commuting to and from work.

Any additional comments?

I felt that it was a wonderful book, but different from what others had prepped me for. Be aware that there are some dark and sad moments in this story as well as several allusions to and descriptions of sex.

EXCELLENT

Would you consider the audio edition of The Red Tent to be better than the print version?

Don't know. Never read the print edition.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but didn't

Any additional comments?

Would like to find more like this

Beautiful story

Sometimes hard to follow through the river of names, but once you remember them you become part of her life as you read.

A moving piece of literature

This story drew me in almost from the very beginning. It is the story of a woman and of many women in ancient time. The narrative ebbs and flows beautifully. And best of all, the narrator didn't just give voice to characters, but she became the women whose story she was portraying.
I loved this story and is now one of my favorites.

A timeless story

A timeless story well told. It connot be recommended enough. A gifted reader well performed.

A book for anyone over 16 except fundie Christians

As an atheist who favors science fiction and astronomy books, this is definitely *not* my usual fare. I read it several years ago and fell in love with it. Finding it on Audible, I snagged it immediately. It's not Christian, and while it takes its basis from the bible, it's not biblical either. It's historical fiction - a story of how, if the wives of Jacob in the bible really existed, they might have told their story of living in that time and place. (And yes, I have read the bible, so i know where she took "liberties" in the story of Jacob.)

I'm not sure how else to describe it, honestly. But if you enjoy historical fiction, and/or can keep an open mind to looking at biblical stories in a new light, you might well enjoy it as I do.

The narration was generally quite good. She could be a bit monotone on occasion, but this isn't a story that calls for, or needs, emoting, so it was fine. At the places in the story where one needed to hear the deep emotion of a given scene - e.g., after the death of Shalem - the narrator rose to the occasion perfectly.

In short, I highly recommend this story to anyone who understands what historical FICTION means. (If you're unable to look at the bible in any way other than absolute liberalism, this isn't a book for you - although you should probably still read it, to help open your mind....) There are some mentions of sex, but it's not even vaguely pornographic. (Really.) Seriously now: Jacob was described as a man who had thirteen children by four women. It's pretty safe to assume that sex was involved, and that at least some of them might have even enjoyed it. Also, it's a book by a woman telling of a woman who became a midwife and who lived mostly among other women. Most women uninhibited by strict religious taboo talk about sex at least occasionally. To help you judge if you'll be offended, here are a few examples of the mentions of sex:

"Their bodies joined together in straightforward postures that brought them both pleasure and relief. Bilhah said with great pride that Jacob told her she gave him peace."

And,

"Laying together was a tender surprise. From the very first night, Benia took great care to see to my pleasure."

That's about as "racy" as it gets, honestly. I think the frankest thing she says is of a penis being described by a woman, having seen an adult one for the first time, as "a faceless asherah". So, yeah. No porn involved, It's not a kids book, but it's well-written and well worth reading.

One note: I normally *abhor* music being added to an audio book. As in, I have returned every single audiobook I got that had it, no matter how much I liked the story. But whoever added the music here did it perfectly. It's only there occasionally - perhaps once or twice a chapter, 10-15 seconds of a variety of quiet notes each time, and done so subtly that it actually adds to the narration rather than pulling you out of it.