The Red Tent

Part parable, part vaginal epic, “The Rent Tent” reads like a fairytale that only a Jewish grandmother could provide. Following the bloodline of Jacob (from the Bible) and his many wives, we come to the last daughter of his named Dinah (pronounced “D...ee-nah”). From there spins a story of murder, family turmoil, sex, and deception. If it weren’t for the constant...more

Part parable, part vaginal epic, “The Rent Tent” reads like a fairytale that only a Jewish grandmother could provide. Following the bloodline of Jacob (from the Bible) and his many wives, we come to the last daughter of his named Dinah (pronounced “D...ee-nah”). From there spins a story of murder, family turmoil, sex, and deception. If it weren’t for the constant menstrual philosophizing, I might have been more captive than this book required me to be. Near the end, I was pretty in tune with Dinah’s life as a midwife. I just couldn’t hang with the moon blood and castration show.   hide

I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me that Genesis is written from stories handed down through the ages, mostly through men. By the time Moses wrote down the stories, it was generations since the Israelites went to Egypt. There are many interpretations I don't agree with, being a God-fearing Christian, but as a woman, I can see many of the "facts" in the Bible as interpreted by...more

I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me that Genesis is written from stories handed down through the ages, mostly through men. By the time Moses wrote down the stories, it was generations since the Israelites went to Egypt. There are many interpretations I don't agree with, being a God-fearing Christian, but as a woman, I can see many of the "facts" in the Bible as interpreted by men. Men who would indeed leave out things about women they didn't think important or valuable. It is important to read this book to get that different perspective and to understand how women in those days survived and thrived. Not to mention how different their culture was, but how timeless some things are.   hide

Fabulous book. I agree with other reviewers that it's possibly more enjoyable for women to read as so much of it is based around child bearing and the role of women in the time of Dinah. I was absolutely gripped though and found myself on quite the roller coaster of emotions.

Could not get through it.

Don't quite understand the hype.

Read it - really liked it. Want to read again now that I have an understanding of the bible.

Every woman, regardless of their views of liberation or feminism should read this book. Even in if does not inspire you to see yourself as an independently-thinking person, it will give you an understanding of how women's bodies, health, thinking-processes and desires are unique from men. Men can read this and understand their women better too! The "history" in this book is generously sprinkled...more

Every woman, regardless of their views of liberation or feminism should read this book. Even in if does not inspire you to see yourself as an independently-thinking person, it will give you an understanding of how women's bodies, health, thinking-processes and desires are unique from men. Men can read this and understand their women better too! The "history" in this book is generously sprinkled with fiction, but only to illustrate the point of a woman's individuality as a sex. It is not a history lesson, but maybe by seeing how women recognized their physical and emotional differences in ancient times, we can see both how far we have come, how far we have yet to come, and how much we have forgotten about ourselves. Oh, and the story is great too, with sympathetic characters and enough plots and intrigues to keep you guessing until the end.   hide

I really enjoyed this book. My hope was that this wouldn't be too religious and it wasn't. The story was compelling and the author transformed Dinah, the main character, in an extremely skilled narrator. The story was easy to follow, even for me (someone almost completely ignorant about the Bible). What I liked the most about this book was the description of the customs of that time and the...more

I really enjoyed this book. My hope was that this wouldn't be too religious and it wasn't. The story was compelling and the author transformed Dinah, the main character, in an extremely skilled narrator. The story was easy to follow, even for me (someone almost completely ignorant about the Bible). What I liked the most about this book was the description of the customs of that time and the day-to-day life of women. I highly recommend this book.   hide

think this book takes biblical fiction to a whole new level. I thought it was wonderful. She was open and out there, well researched, and honest. She didn't hide the fact that there were other gods worshiped, even with all the Jewish books she has written. She didn't hide the fact that most men had many wives, and that their sons were not always what they should be. She was open that sex and...more

think this book takes biblical fiction to a whole new level. I thought it was wonderful. She was open and out there, well researched, and honest. She didn't hide the fact that there were other gods worshiped, even with all the Jewish books she has written. She didn't hide the fact that most men had many wives, and that their sons were not always what they should be. She was open that sex and abuse were staples even bad then. I appreciate her. I love the fact that she took a "small" character of the bible (in comparison) and made her real. So thank you to the author well done.   hide