The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I actually read this book a while ago. But as I was looking through my list of read books, I realized that The Red Tent was missing. That just did not seem right given how much I love this book.
The Red Tent was actually one of the first books that I read with my book club way back in 2004. Before then, I would always pick it up at the bookstore, intrigued by its cover, only to put it back up on the shelf. I feared being fooled by a fancy cover.
Well, once it was chosen for book club, of course, I had to read it. And wow, I am so glad that I did. I will tell you that this book led to one of the best book club conversations that I have ever had. Of course, we had great wine and a diverse mix of wonderful women, but the book for sure played a role as well.
The Red Tent tells the story of Dinah, a woman briefly mentioned in the Old Testament. She is the only daughter of Jacob, born of his first wife, Leah. Dinah tells a story of the traditions and troubles of ancient womanhood in biblical times... the world of the red tent, a space reserved solely for women and the mysteries of the menses, childbirth, love, marriage, aging, life, and death.
She begins with the story of her mothers - Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah - the four wives of Jacob. She then follows with her story, heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time.
I LOVED this book. This story stuck with me long after I finished reading it. Love, loss, betrayal, the importance of family and the bonds we choose to keep or sever provide so many different discussion points. If your book club has not read this, I would strongly encourage it. Or if you are looking for a good gift for a book-lovin' woman in your life, this would be a good one.
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