Book Cover
PAGES
Book: 336 pages
Audio: 12 hours
APPEAL FACTORS
This book is a historical fiction book based on the Old testament and history steeped in both Christian and Judaism beliefs. The book presents a set of strong female protagonists and provide a look into the place of women in society in this ancient time period.
BOOKTALKING
The influence women had and the power they wielded in this time period.
Dinah's short relationship with Shalem.
The cultural repercussions of Dinah becoming the wife of Shalem and subsequently going to Egypt with her mother-in-law Re-nefer.
Dinah's role in her son's life in Egypt.
How Dinah found healing and recovery from the trauma and devastation in losing her husband through midwifery and connecting with others.
The family dynamics of Jacob's house and his treatment of each of his wives.
The men in the story and their treatment of women (Jacob, Laban, Shalem).
The societal differences in women's roles in Canaan and Egypt.
The powerful role of Rebecca and how she treated other women.
The relationship between Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah.
DISCUSSION POINTS
How hard do you think it was for Leah and Rachel, who are sisters, to share a husband? How did it strain their relationship? How did it strengthen it?
What do you make of the relationship between Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah?
How was Dinah's relationship different between each of her mothers?
Do you think Dinah's marriage to Shalem was appropriate? Do you think she should have consulted her family before?
Do you think it was wrong for Dinah to curse and leave her family? Could you forgive your family if they betrayed you to this degree?
Discuss the importance and significance of the red tent.
Discuss your thoughts on Rebecca and the way she treated other women.
Discuss the relationship between Dinah and Re-nefer. Do you think Re-nefer was trying to protect Dinah and her son? Why or why not?
WHY THIS BOOK?
Due to my predilection for history and historical fiction I was immediately drawn into the story of a women whose brief mention int he Bible is steep in bloody violence and ambiguity. I was enraptured in the story the moment I read the synopsis and reviews of the book.
THE AUTHOR
Anita Diamant
SIMILAR TITLES/AUTHORS
Wisdom's Daughter: A Novel of Solomon and Sheba by India Edghill
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Zipporah, Wife of Moses by Marek Halter
AWARDS
Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction 2001
Boston Author's Club Award 1998
POINTS TO REMEMBER
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Diamant, A. (1997). The red tent. New York, NY/USA. St. Martin's Press.
PAGES
Book: 336 pages
Audio: 12 hours
PURCHASING OPTIONS
Paperback $9.99
NOOK $9.99
Audiobook $57.99
Audiobook $57.99
Kindle $9.99
Hardcover $43.89
Hardcover $43.89
Paperback $12.15 - $15.30
Mass Market Paperback from $9.55
Audio CD $40.35
Audio CD $40.35
ANNOTATION
Dinah, daughter of Jacob, shares her tale of being a woman in Old Testament times.
SUMMARY
Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob of the Old Testament and his first wife, Leah, tells her story of what it was like to be a daughter, sister, and wife in Old Testament times, her side of the story of her "rape" and the murder of her husband. She shares the intimate world of women and the relationship of her mothers Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah. From them she learns vital skills such as cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, spinning, and midwifery. She is taught her mothers' cultural heritage and important religious ceremonies for women.
Dinah was the youngest daughter of Jacob and Leah. She was the only daughter and girl amount all of Jacob's wives, and thus was loved by many women and was given a rare insider's look into the secret world of women in her life. The red tent was the women's tent where they would spend the time of their menstruation isolated from all others. This was a time of socialization and rest for the women. The red tent was the place where they gossiped, planned, schemed, and supported one another.
Dinah falls in love with Shalem, the prince of Shechem. Shalem takes Dinah has his wife, and when they go to Jacob to present gifts to him he is angry that Dinah has taken a husband who is not of their faith. He rejects the gifts offered from the king of Shechem and instead demands that the king, the prince, and all the men of their house be circumcised instead. This they do as a sign of Shalem's love for Dinah. However, two days after while all the men are recovering from the circumcision, Simon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, enter the city by night and murder all the men of the king's house, including the king and Prince Shalem, as revenge for Dinah's "rape." They then carry Dinah back to her father's house. Dinah, devastated and traumatized by witnessing the murder of her husband, curses her father and her brothers and leaves to return to Shechem where she then travels to Egypt with the king's widowed wife.-the place of her birth. There she gives birth to her son, and he is given a privileged Egyptian life. Dinah becomes famous for her midwifery, and marries again after many years.
After 20 years of having left her family, she runs into her brother, Joseph, who was sold into slavery but became an Egyptian Prince. They achieve a degree of reconciliation to the point that when word comes of Jacob's impending death, she travels with him back to their father's deathbed. However, Dinah goes as a "servant" Joseph and does not reveal herself to her brothers. By this time all her mothers are dead. This is the last time Dinah sees or interacts with her family before returning home to her husband and lives the rest of her life in peace.
MY REVIEW
The story of Dinah is an intricate painting of words giving us a window into the life of a woman of ancient times. This intimate narrative shares love, hope, happiness, devastation, anger, betrayal, and even forgiveness.
Dinah, her mothers, and many other women in Dinah's life are women of strength, confidence, independence, and unbending will. Despite living in a male-centric society these women find a way to press their advantages. They show an incredible ability to press one. They are resilient in the face of terrible circumstances. It also shows the terrible treatment of women in this time period-which for some was no better than the sheep in the herds. We see the worst of humanity and the best.
I found myself cheering for Dinah and the women in her life. I found myself mourning for their losses. Diamant has created a poignant story and heroes that women of all ages can admire and follow. I did, however, find it hard to keep the many characters and their story lines straight as I listened to it on audio. It was a very long audio book at 12 hours, but it was very enjoyable to listen to. I'm also afraid that for many this would not be appealing to many or be hard to follow for those who are not familiar to the Old Testament story.
RATING
Quality: Gold
Popularity: Ruby
Dinah, daughter of Jacob, shares her tale of being a woman in Old Testament times.
SUMMARY
Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob of the Old Testament and his first wife, Leah, tells her story of what it was like to be a daughter, sister, and wife in Old Testament times, her side of the story of her "rape" and the murder of her husband. She shares the intimate world of women and the relationship of her mothers Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah. From them she learns vital skills such as cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, spinning, and midwifery. She is taught her mothers' cultural heritage and important religious ceremonies for women.
Dinah was the youngest daughter of Jacob and Leah. She was the only daughter and girl amount all of Jacob's wives, and thus was loved by many women and was given a rare insider's look into the secret world of women in her life. The red tent was the women's tent where they would spend the time of their menstruation isolated from all others. This was a time of socialization and rest for the women. The red tent was the place where they gossiped, planned, schemed, and supported one another.
Dinah falls in love with Shalem, the prince of Shechem. Shalem takes Dinah has his wife, and when they go to Jacob to present gifts to him he is angry that Dinah has taken a husband who is not of their faith. He rejects the gifts offered from the king of Shechem and instead demands that the king, the prince, and all the men of their house be circumcised instead. This they do as a sign of Shalem's love for Dinah. However, two days after while all the men are recovering from the circumcision, Simon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, enter the city by night and murder all the men of the king's house, including the king and Prince Shalem, as revenge for Dinah's "rape." They then carry Dinah back to her father's house. Dinah, devastated and traumatized by witnessing the murder of her husband, curses her father and her brothers and leaves to return to Shechem where she then travels to Egypt with the king's widowed wife.-the place of her birth. There she gives birth to her son, and he is given a privileged Egyptian life. Dinah becomes famous for her midwifery, and marries again after many years.
After 20 years of having left her family, she runs into her brother, Joseph, who was sold into slavery but became an Egyptian Prince. They achieve a degree of reconciliation to the point that when word comes of Jacob's impending death, she travels with him back to their father's deathbed. However, Dinah goes as a "servant" Joseph and does not reveal herself to her brothers. By this time all her mothers are dead. This is the last time Dinah sees or interacts with her family before returning home to her husband and lives the rest of her life in peace.
MY REVIEW
The story of Dinah is an intricate painting of words giving us a window into the life of a woman of ancient times. This intimate narrative shares love, hope, happiness, devastation, anger, betrayal, and even forgiveness.
Dinah, her mothers, and many other women in Dinah's life are women of strength, confidence, independence, and unbending will. Despite living in a male-centric society these women find a way to press their advantages. They show an incredible ability to press one. They are resilient in the face of terrible circumstances. It also shows the terrible treatment of women in this time period-which for some was no better than the sheep in the herds. We see the worst of humanity and the best.
I found myself cheering for Dinah and the women in her life. I found myself mourning for their losses. Diamant has created a poignant story and heroes that women of all ages can admire and follow. I did, however, find it hard to keep the many characters and their story lines straight as I listened to it on audio. It was a very long audio book at 12 hours, but it was very enjoyable to listen to. I'm also afraid that for many this would not be appealing to many or be hard to follow for those who are not familiar to the Old Testament story.
RATING
Quality: Gold
Popularity: Ruby
GENRE & SUB GENRES
Historical Fiction
Fiction
Christian
Literature
Fiction
Christian
Literature
APPEAL FACTORS
This book is a historical fiction book based on the Old testament and history steeped in both Christian and Judaism beliefs. The book presents a set of strong female protagonists and provide a look into the place of women in society in this ancient time period.
BOOKTALKING
The influence women had and the power they wielded in this time period.
Dinah's short relationship with Shalem.
The cultural repercussions of Dinah becoming the wife of Shalem and subsequently going to Egypt with her mother-in-law Re-nefer.
Dinah's role in her son's life in Egypt.
How Dinah found healing and recovery from the trauma and devastation in losing her husband through midwifery and connecting with others.
The family dynamics of Jacob's house and his treatment of each of his wives.
The men in the story and their treatment of women (Jacob, Laban, Shalem).
The societal differences in women's roles in Canaan and Egypt.
The powerful role of Rebecca and how she treated other women.
The relationship between Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah.
DISCUSSION POINTS
How hard do you think it was for Leah and Rachel, who are sisters, to share a husband? How did it strain their relationship? How did it strengthen it?
What do you make of the relationship between Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah?
How was Dinah's relationship different between each of her mothers?
Do you think Dinah's marriage to Shalem was appropriate? Do you think she should have consulted her family before?
Do you think it was wrong for Dinah to curse and leave her family? Could you forgive your family if they betrayed you to this degree?
Discuss the importance and significance of the red tent.
Discuss your thoughts on Rebecca and the way she treated other women.
Discuss the relationship between Dinah and Re-nefer. Do you think Re-nefer was trying to protect Dinah and her son? Why or why not?
WHY THIS BOOK?
Due to my predilection for history and historical fiction I was immediately drawn into the story of a women whose brief mention int he Bible is steep in bloody violence and ambiguity. I was enraptured in the story the moment I read the synopsis and reviews of the book.
THE AUTHOR
Anita Diamant
REVIEWS
Wisdom's Daughter: A Novel of Solomon and Sheba by India Edghill
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Zipporah, Wife of Moses by Marek Halter
AWARDS
Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction 2001
Boston Author's Club Award 1998
- The House of Jacob
- The "rape' of Dinah
- Women in the Old Testament
Comments
Post a Comment