Great Summer Read: The Red Tent

No summer is complete without a great story while laying in the sun or sitting by the pool. This year, my summer relaxation was perfected by Anita Diamant's The Red Tent.

Although my book club read this novel last year, I missed that month and put The Red Tent on my long list of "must reads". I am so glad I came back to it this month, as I will remember it as the summer vacation book of 2012. 

Arrowhead Provincial Park

Ironically, while it's call The Red Tent, I found myself reading inside a green and white tent in Arrowhead Provincial Park during a family camping trip. Our days were busy with hiking trails, kayaking on fresh water lakes and exploring the creatures of slow moving rivers. But at night, after the kids had roasted marshmallows on the camp fire and finally gone to sleep, I would pull out the bottle of Amarone and a flashlight so that I could enjoy Diamant's story under the northern Canadian stars. Reading by flashlight in the middle of the woods is absorbing...no disturbances (other than the occasional scratching from the nearby bushes.

Here's how Amazon.com summarizes the book:

"Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood--the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers--Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah--the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction."

Hands down, I loved this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading rich stories about strong women. Two bid thumbs up!!!