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Powell's Q&A, Q&A | October 16, 2009

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[My new book] starts in 1960 with a woman named Lois Rabinowitz, who was evicted from Manhattan traffic court for attempting to pay a parking ticket while wearing slacks. This was... Continue »

The Red Tent

by Anita Diamant

The Red Tent Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood—the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.

Review:

"By giving a voice to Dinah...the novel has struck a chord with women who may have felt left out of biblical history." The Los Angeles Times

Review:

" A novel well worth reading!...very rich and fulfilling." Philadelphia Inquirer

Review:

"Diamant vividly conjures up the ancient world of caravans, shepherds, farmers, midwives, slaves, and artisans...her Dinah is a compelling narrator that has timeless resonance." Merle Rubin, Christian Science Monitor

Review:

"An intense, vivid novel...It is tempting to say that The Red Tent is what the Bible would be like if it had been written by women, but only Diamant could have given it such sweep and grace." The Boston Globe

Review:

"[A] vivid evocation of the world of Old Testament women....Diamant succeeds admirably." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"The oldest story of all could never seem more original, more true." James Carroll, author of An American Requiem
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
Jacqueline Walker, November 17, 2006 (view all comments by Jacqueline Walker)
Anita Diamant fills in the story of Jacob in the book of Genesis with thought-provoking ideas about what could have been. As a new mother, I found Diamant's Women's Studies research food for the soul as I was able to connect with my female ancestry through the process of pregnancy, child labor and birth, and motherhood. Relationships between women have been and continue to be a complex and mysterious web of love and life and The Red Tent pulls in the reader into a better understanding of the world of mothers and daughters, aunts, friends, acquaintances and the men in their lives. I highly recommend this book.
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Francypants, February 3, 2006 (view all comments by Francypants)
This book was a beautiful & intense read. The pivotal heartbreaking moment in the main characters life had me crying for 2 days. I've never been so moved emotionally by a love story in my life, as I was from this book.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780312195519
Author:
Diamant, Anita
Publisher:
Picador USA
Location:
New York :
Subject:
Religious
Subject:
Historical
Subject:
Fiction
Subject:
Bible
Subject:
Historical fiction
Subject:
Women in the bible
Subject:
Religious - Biblical
Subject:
Women in the Bible -- Fiction.
Subject:
Dinah
Subject:
Christian - Biblical
Subject:
Religious fiction
Copyright:
1997
Edition Description:
1st Picador USA pbk. ed.
Series:
Bestselling Backlist
Series Volume:
01-4042
Publication Date:
September 1998
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
321
Dimensions:
9.16x6.20x.88 in. .86 lbs.
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