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)

An Uplifting Midrash

First, I would like to address so many of the previous reviews, who seem to be slaving away under the chains of delusion that make them think this is a work of "Christian Fiction". Just because it is about biblical figures, does not make it Christian Fiction. Christians do not own the bible, and especially don't own the Pentatuch. If one only wants to read Christian fiction and not be "disgusted and polluted" by other cultures, ideas, and ways of life and thinking, then do a little more research about the books you buy and about the authors who write them.

The author is Jewish, and the people she writes about are pagans who are struggling with trying to put on the coat of monotheism. They are converts! This book is Midrash.
Midrash is a way of dealing with biblical stories that goes beyond a simple boiling down of rabbinical legalism. It is an accepted and valuable way of interpereting scripture that keeps the text alive and fresh, and offers possible solutions for massive gaps left in biblical narration. It goes on every time a Jew studies and discusses the Torah, and forms a prayerful opinion of what the underlying meaning of a holy text may hold.

Many Jewish and even Muslim traditions, as well as some Progressive Christian traditions encourage this kind of discussion, supposition and reflection. They seek to learn what God really desires from his creation, and celebrate the reality of the gift of free will and free thought. When you close a religious Cannon what you get is a rotten corpse.

This book does have some very frank references to the human condition, especially where women are concerned. Personally I found them rather clinical, and in no way see how they could be confused with pornography. This is an adult book, but perhaps a mature and well-guided 16 year-old could process this material, but again, only with the proper guidance.

I can see how this book could be considered dangerous and confusing to people who have taken on the yoke of fundamentalist religion of any denomination. Those people might worry that a book like this could damage a fragile,weak, or flawed hold on fundamentalist "faith", especially by new converts or those prone to independant thinking and study.

A compass only points to "N" when the person who is holding it faces true north.

A beautiful story about womanhood

I've never read the bible, so I didn't have any issues about it being "correct." It made me actually want to read the bible! The character developement was excellent, I felt I could truly imagine the characters in my mind, and I felt like I could relate to people in biblical times. I recommend this book to anyone!

Excellent!

This is one of my favorite books. I enjoyed it for the information and story it provided. The narrator did an excellent job and the author wove a truly interesting and fantastic story. Wish she would write more in similar style.

One of my Favorite Audiobooks

Would you listen to The Red Tent again? Why?

I have listened to this audiobook several times. The first time I'd bought it on audio tapes. I am not a biblical scholar, but I really liked the story of a lessor biblical figure and how she fit into the whole story of Jacob, Rachel, and Joseph.

What about Carol Bilger???s performance did you like?

I liked her performance very much. She can draw a listener in with in the first moments of the story. I liked her soft voice.

Who was the most memorable character of The Red Tent and why?

I liked Rachel.

A magnificent dive into another world.

From start to finish I felt like I was living within this book. The author and narrator give life to a bygone era. I felt like I could smell the scents of the cooking food and see the scenery described. An amazing story of love, anger and forgiveness. Would recommend to anyone who is a lover of historical fiction.

Moving... writing purposeful and poetic

A joy to read. Brought smiles, feelings of familiarity, tears and understanding
Beautifully written. So many lessons

The Red Tent

What a Read. Had to retreat to my Bible, but this book contributed/filled in some of the blanks.

For Your Heart

All my life I have loved to read. And now at 75 I have come full circle to find the most beautiful and heart wrenching book of all. I thank God He brought me to this unbelievably beautiful story of love and hate, joy and sorrow. I will assuredly never forget it and go on to the other books by this author. I have already recommended it to one person who needs to hear a tale such as this. Thank you for your beautiful heart Anita Diamond!

Sexy, tragic, and redemptive: a woman's story

The gorgeous narration grabbed and held me from the start and brought alive an old testament story from a woman's point of view. This is one of those books that must be listened to rather than read: I know I couldn't have conjured the narrator's voice in my head! This was the second time I listened to this book and it certainly won't be the last.

Thank you to the author for this neglected point of view underlying the male-dominated story line - it was enlightening and ultimately challenges readers to think about what might be missing from all stories held to be written in stone, no matter when they were written.

Beautiful!

I really enjoyed this book!

One of my favorite stories of the Bible is the story of Joseph and how the events of his life helped him to save his people. I remembered the story of Dinah as well though it's given such a short treatment in the Bible. This novel presented with a wonderful and elaborate story of Dinah and the events of her life. I thought I would get bored when I saw this was 11 hours long, but I found myself longing to hear what happened next. Anita Diamant did an amazing job with this book. I've never been more satisfied and I expect I will revisit this yearly as I revisit the story of Joseph.