Book club discussion red tent

The red tent book discussion group of the unitarian universalist fellowship of. From this point onwards, our lives are filled with occasions when empowerment by and between wom en is the perfe ct way to celebrate. The author does succeed in giving the reader some feel for life in an ancient culture, and for the experiences that are the same for all women at all times. Help your high school students analyze the book s complex themes and characters by using these discussion questions. She is best known for her novel, the red tent, a new york times best seller. There is no charge to take part in the book club discussion. With dinahs help, womens histories are traced matrilineally. The second half of the book, which takes place in egypt, is somewhat more convincing and less oppressiveperhaps because there is no more red tent.

The red tent by anita diamant book club discussion. 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. Good harbor by anita diamant book club discussion questions. Dinah sometimes curses peopleand these people seem to feel the consequences. There is no formal pattern to the discussion, and new participants are. However, from many direct messages im getting, so many of you have loved it and finished it already. Deeply affecting, the red tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction. The red tent imagines the life of dinah the new york times. What did you think of the whole idea of a red tent.

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 mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, dinah. Whether she knew it or not, i was reading along with. The red tent 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. If no, did you feel like you were missing something. Through dinahs eyes we see women come of age, begin menstruating, fall in. And itll help you get a handle on the red tent anyway, the red tent is all about a little lady called dinah. Can you believe this our fifth month reading together. Jan 20, 2003 the book is not all bad, and not all silly. Read genesis 34 and discuss how the red tent changes your perspective on dinahs story and. An oftenonline book club for those who dont, as a rule, have time to read but still do. The red tent by reading guidebook club discussion questions. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.

Our book discussion group has about 10 to 12 core members, but other people do occasionally attend. 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. Anyway, the red tent is all about a little lady called dinah. The red tent an empowering connection between a group of women. When i was fifteen years old, my mothers book club read the red tent by anita diamant. The story says that dinah was raped by an egyptian prince. Over the course of twenty years, she wrote essays that. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The books title refers to the tent in which women of jacobs tribe must, according to the ancient law, take. Read genesis 34 and discuss how the red tent changes your perspective on dinahs story and also on. Southfield public library the red tent by anita diamant discussion questions used at spl april 2008 1. Simon and levi, two of her brothers, avenge dinah by killing all the.

Anita diamants hugely popular book focuses on the relationships and rituals between the four wives of jacob and and their daughter, dinah. Apr 1, 2016 the red tent reading guide book club discussion questions litlovers stay safe and healthy. Read genesis 34 and discuss how the red tent changes your perspective on dinahs story and also on the story of joseph that follows. The red tent is a novel by anita diamant, published in 1997 by wyatt books for st. It is a firstperson narrative that tells the story of dinah, daughter of jacob and leah, sister of joseph. 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. It is a vast and stirring work described as what the bible might have been had it been written. She is a minor character in the bible, but the author has broadened her story. Red food such as peppers and tomatoes the road by cormac mccarthy. The book for this meeting will be the red tent, by anita diamant. The red tent is a novel of biblical times and of the customs of those times, detailing the imagined lives of rachel and leah, two wives of jacob both true biblical figures and, subsequently, the imagined story of dinah, the daughter of leah, also a true biblical figure. The biggest question that i think about when i read the red tent is would i want a red tent today. The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. There are many copies of this book available in the public library system.

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. This months book is an oldie but one i had still not read. Sparknotes is here for you with everything you need to ace. Jennifer w will be leading the discussion for this book, sheila said. Does the red tent raise questions about other women in the bible. The red tent by anita diamant see our recipes from anita diamant in table of contents and for the red tent in the book club cookbook second tuesday of the month book club of fort collins, colorado. From the bestselling author of the red tent and good harbor, a collection of intimate, autobiographical reflections on the milestones, revelations, and balancing acts of life as a wife, mother, friend, and member of a religious community. 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. Dinah has heard the history of how her mothers fell in love with the same man countless times and recounts her personalized version of the story. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.

Were you familiar with this bible story before you read the book. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. In the bible, dinahs story is only briefly mentioned. Told in dinahs voice, the red tent reveals the traditions of ancient womanhood and family honour. The red tent has regaled readers for 17 years, and it remains.

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. 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. 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. By the red tent, august 16, 2018 so, were halfway through our scheduled august book. 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. Feb 20, 2020 dinah gets a tiny mention in the biblebut in the red tent, she gets an entire book. Aug 16, 2018 august bookclub discussion questions by the red tent, august 16, 2018 so, were halfway through our scheduled august book. Read genesis 34 and discuss how the red tent changes your perspective on dinahs story and also. The book also looks at the secrets of women, their private conversations, feelings, superstitions and rituals, kept sacred from the men in the privacy of the red tent, and childbirth itself too, a private process of pain, fear and delight dealt with only by women. The red tent is where the women gather each new moon and dwell in during their monthly flow. Consider using them for a oneonone discussion with a single student or.

Just before we begin though, i have to october 19, 2018 0 comments read article. In chapter 34 of the book of genesis, dinahs tale is a short, horrific detour in the familiar narrative of jacob and joseph. We read both fiction and nonfiction, and choose the books by consensus, although everyone is encouraged to suggest titles. Sometimes the support is more important than the celebration. Rather than using an unnamed thirdperson narrator, diamant utilizes a figure immersed in the stories recounted in the red tent. Female relationships figure largely in the red tent discuss the importance of inna, tabea, werenro, and meryt. Whether she knew it or not, i was reading along with her. The red tent by anita diamant 1997 her name is dinah. In doing so, diamant creates an immensely moving portrait of what it was like to be a woman, deep in history. The red tent by anita diamant book club discussion questions. Menstruation brings us into womanhood a time to rejoice and be supported by other women.

But hey, check out our guide to the bible if youre into that. Author bio birthjune 27, 1951 wherenew york, new york, usa educationb. 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. Discussion questions discussion questions from publishers reading guide. To gather this list of 40 book club favorites, i polled you on the mmd facebook page, asked you on twitter, and combed through your suggestions here. The red tent is a novel by anita diamant that was first published in 1997.

What do make of this story being told from beyond the grave. Take a study break 60 young adult movie adaptations, ranked. December 19, 2018 this is the second film i was commissioned to make for the australian conservation foundation australias largest environmental organisation as part of their election campaign for the next federal election. The beautifully striking cover art of anita diamants the red tent is by now. Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about html5 video. The red tent tells the littleknown biblical story of dinah, daughter of the patriarch jacob and his wife, leah.

February the master butchers singing club by louise erdrich host beryl. Perfect prep for anita diamant quizzes and tests you might have in school. Mar 25, 2015 in mondays book club 101 post, we talked about how a fabulous book club discussion starts with the right bookand it takes more than a great book to make a great book club novel. Does it make you want to reread the bible and imagine other untold stories that lay hidden between the lines. The red tent by anita diamant tells the story of the biblical character dinah, jacobs daughter and josephs sister. The red tent of the title refers to the tent the women of the tribe. The biggest question that i think about when i read the red tent is would i.

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. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. Anita diamant imaginatively tells the story from the fresh perspective of its women. 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. Summary read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The red tent of the title refers to the tent the women of the tribe remain in while experiencing their time of the. The red tent topics for discussion anita diamant this study guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the red tent. The red tent reading guide book club discussion questions. The red tent, anita diamante gather your female friends and immerse yourselves in this believable account of womens lives in old testament biblical times, and enrich your fellowship with foods from the land of milk and honey. Looking for a book club with no homework and no guilt. Bring your book of choice and join us for an hour of uninterrupted, silent reading. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. The best book club picks including fiction, nonfiction, memoir. Come to the silent book club, where theres no assigned reading and no need to clean your house for guests.