The red tent book club

Anita diamants the red tent has been on my radar since i read the boston girl earlier this year. Leah is depicted as capable but testy, rachel as something of a belle, but kind and creative, zilpah as eccentric and spiritual, and bilhah as the gentle and quiet one of the quartet. The red tent by anita diamant is a novel which caught my eye in a bookshop many moons ago, listed in the back of my mind as a to read and never actually came to read it until roughly 12 years later, as a result of it slipping in and out of recall. The red tent by anita diamant meet your next favorite book. This months book is the red tent by anita diamant, an international bestseller and the sort of book that you just wont want to finish. Told in dinahs voice, the red tent reveals the traditions of ancient womanhood and family honour. Red tent book club february edition tickets, tue, feb 18. The red tent is very loosely based on the story of dinah in genesis, and it is a book that is very easy to read. Whether she knew it or not, i was reading along with.

What do make of this story being told from beyond the grave. The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing. But hey, check out our guide to the bible if youre into that. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. A book club friend recommended it, and i picked it up. The red tent is a 1997 novel by anita diamant that builds a fictional exploration of a minor character in the judeochristian torahbible, dinah, a daughter of jacob and sister of. Despite my catholic upbringing, i knew that the story in the book did not match what i knew of the old testament, as. The title refers to the tent in which women of jacobs tribe, according to law, took refuge while menstruating or giving birth. The red tent book club began in september 1999, and continues to this day, meeting the first tuesday of each month. The red tent, anita diamant dinah opens the story by recounting for readers the union of her mother leah and father jacob, as well as the expansion of the family to include leahs sister rachel, and the handmaids zilpah and bilhah. The red tent imagines the life of dinah the new york times.

The red tent is a novel by anita diamant, published in 1997 by wyatt books for st. Anita diamant imaginatively tells the story from the fresh perspective of its women. She is a minor character in the bible, but the author has broadened her story. Details and reading list hello and welcome to the launch of our very own book club.

In the red tent, we see dinah grow from childhood to old age. Just before we begin though, i have to say that this small idea to. Red tent book club january edition tickets, wed, jan 15. The red tent by anita diamant 1997 her name is dinah. If women rose rooted has been described as both transformative and essential. Simon and levi, two of her brothers, avenge dinah by killing all the men in the city. This recipe for honeyed cake is inspired by the historical fiction novel, the red tent, by anita diamant. The red tent is where the women gather each new moon and dwell in during their monthly flow. The red tent is very loosely based on the story of dinah in genesis, and it is a book. The tent from which the book draws its name is central to the book both as a physical item in the story and a metaphor that extends beyond the time period covered by the book. The books title refers to the tent in which women of jacobs tribe must, according to the ancient law, take. The red tent is one of those extremely rare publishing phenomenonsa little promoted, but dynamically successful book over 250,000 copies sold that owes its success to enthusiastic wordofmouth endorsements.

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. The red tent is a novel by anita diamant that was first published in 1997. The red tent by anita diamant book club discussion questions. In the bible, dinahs story is only briefly mentioned. Pick up book club copies from the service desk at the aurora hills branch library. The red tent reading guide book club discussion questions. With dinahs help, womens histories are traced matrilineally. Join us for an evening at the watershed to discuss the art of happiness by the dalai lama and howard c. The novel traces her life from childhood to death, in the process examining sexual and religious practices of the day, and what it meant to be a woman. August bookclub discussion questions by the red tent, august 16, 2018 so, were halfway through our scheduled august book. Red tent book club is a womans reading group that centres loosely. Sharon blackie leads the reader on a quest to find their place in the world, drawing inspiration from the wise and powerful women in native mythology, and. Through dinahs eyes we see women come of age, begin menstruating, fall in.

Dinah has many mothers over the course of her life, including leah, rachel, zilpah, bilhah, and meryt. Popping in with our october book club discussion questions today, for little fires everywhere, by celeste ng. The biggest question that i think about when i read the red tent is would i want a red tent today. Dinahs relationship with leah dominates the first half of. The following author biography and list of questions about the red tent are intended as resources to aid individual readers and book groups who would like to. Dinahs point of viewan observer privy to extremely intimate detailsallows dinah to present the private details of one familys history and to weave between objective and subjective perspectives. Our book discussion group has about 10 to 12 core members, but other people do occasionally attend. This is the third womans red tent book club meet up. On one hand, itd be great to be able to put the whole world away for a few days a month and spend it in a community of women, but the feminist inside of me digs in her heels and calls it sexist. I appreciate your comments and plan to share them at the next meeting of my book club.

Octobers book club selection is the red tent by anita diamant. However, from many direct messages im getting, so many of you have loved it and finished it already. I read this book as a woman, a mother, a human being, and dinahs story resonated with me as such. 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.

In the bible her fate is merely hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the verses of the book of genesis that recount the life of jacob and his. I had to read the red tent for a book club i was in a few years ago. The story of dinah, a tragic character from the bible whose great love, a prince, is killed by her brother, leaving her alone and pregnant. After reading the red tent for my book club, i was very curious to know what if any reactions the book had sparked from the jewish community. The story says that dinah was raped by an egyptian prince. Go one step beyond the usual wine, cheese and crackers with a menu that matches the theme of your book clubs latest selection.

Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The red tent is a fictional yet thoroughly researched firstperson account of the life of dinah, the only daughter of biblical patriarch jacob who is more famous for having twelve sons. She is best known for her novel, the red tent, a new york times best seller. It is the old testament story of dinah, daughter of jacob. Rather than using an unnamed thirdperson narrator, diamant utilizes a figure immersed in the stories recounted in the red tent. It is a firstperson narrative that tells the story of dinah, daughter of jacob and leah, sister of joseph.

The red tent, a twopart adaptation of anita diamants novel about a biblical story, is being broadcast on sunday and monday on lifetime. The red tent book club kit douglas county libraries. It is a vast and stirring work described as what the bible might have been had it been written by gods daughters instead of sons. The red tent by anita diamant tells the story of the biblical character dinah, jacobs daughter and josephs sister. Summary read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. This is the second womans red tent book club meet up. What strikes you about the cultural differences dinah encounters visavis food, clothing, work, and malefemale relationships. It was interesting to read how the women lived in the book. Several people recommended it to me, so i bought it at my. Author bio birthjune 27, 1951 wherenew york, new york, usa educationb. The book was to long and and repetitive especialily the first part of the story. The concept of a red tent, also known as a moon lodge, menstrual hut or dark moon meeting, was brought back into mainstream popular culture by the 1997 novel the red tent by anita diamant. In the bible her fate is merely hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the verses of the book of genesis that.

In chapter 34 of the book of genesis, dinahs tale is a short, horrific detour in the familiar narrative of jacob and joseph. As most of you know, i am a hopelessly devout book lover. In the bible her fate is merely hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the verses of the book of genesis that deal with jacob and his dozen sons. I love strong women, i loved the book, and i want a red tent. The red tent by anita diamant book club discussion. Dinah sometimes curses peopleand these people seem to feel the consequences. The red tent tells the littleknown biblical story of dinah, daughter of the patriarch jacob and his wife, leah. Red tent book club since 2001 the red tent, beth ors womens book club, has been meeting monthly. The book travels from haran contemporary iraqsyria, through canaan and into shechem israel, and into egypt.

The september book is the red tent by anita diamant newcomers are always welcome. Cutler in this unique and important book, one of the worlds great spiritual leaders offers his practical wisdom and advice on how we can overcome everyday human problems and achieve lasting happiness. She is the author of five books about contemporary jewish practice. Jennifer w will be leading the discussion for this book, sheila said. Female relationships figure largely in the red tent discuss the importance of inna, tabea, werenro, and meryt. In the coming months we will read books that inspire us and teach us more about the world we live in. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insiders look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of. When i was fifteen years old, my mothers book club read the red tent by anita diamant. The red tent 20th anniversary edition on apple books. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. Deeply affecting, the red tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction.