I have to say that enjoyed the first half of Anita Diamant's The Red Tent, but it had a little more getting to know each other than I really needed and so I didn't finish reading it. The story is a fictitious version of the events of surrounding the family of Jacob and his 4 wives Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah, and the only daughter mentioned in the bible, Dinah. This book handles the touchy subject of polygamy in a way that makes you believe that it could be possible for a man to to love and appreciate two women, even if the women don't always see eye to eye. The LDS church has a history of polygamy and it is sometimes difficult to imagine how the women of my own history could have survived and even thrived in these sorts of relationships. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I am all for a polygamist lifestyle, but I thought this author made a valid attempt to show the beauty that could come from a family like Jacob's. Don't read this book for a historically accurate view of the events surrounding Jacob and the House of Israel, but you might pick it up if you are curious about a uniquely different kind of love story. I'm interested to hear if anyone else has read this book and what you thought.
My friend suggested that I pick this book for my book club and another friend saw me carrying it and she said, "Oh, no, whatever you do, do NOT pick this book for book club." I guess her book club read it and quite a few people QUIT the group over it. I ended up giving it back to my friend without reading it.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, there's many times I look at my messy home and wish that my husband had another wife -- one that was really tidy.