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 "red tent" of the title refers to the tent the women of the tribe remain in while experiencing their "time of the month" or while giving birth.

Rachel (Dinah's aunt), Leah (Dinah's mother), and later Dinah herself, all become midwives, helping other women who are delivering their babies. There is much "begetting" in the bible (so-and-so begat so-and-so who begat so-and-so and so on) and there is much begetting in this novel as well, except here we are given the end result of each "begat" in great detail:

"But I had no time to be sorry for myself, because suddenly a strange red bubble emerged from between Leah's legs and then, almost immediately, a flood of bloody water washed down her thighs. Leah tried to stand, terrified, but Inna told her not to take her feet off the bricks...Leah pushed, her face red, her eyes bulging, blue and green, glittering..."

The novel is actually two books, each connected by the familial bonds of the people involved. The first, the story of Rachel and Leah, is the shorter of the two (only about 70 pages in length) and the less successful. The author (who has written nonfiction books previously, The Red Tent being her first novel) has many factual historical details on hand and peppers us with them in this section of the book -- so much so that it feels that one is reading more a detailed history of childbirthing than a real novel. Here, in this short fictional history of Rachel and Leah, there is little real underlying tension or drama to drive the book.

But that changes with the story of Dinah. Here is where the true novel begins. Here is where the author successfully leaves behind her nonfictional roots and creates a true novel. There is still much descriptive birthing but now there is true drama occurring as well. Dinah, just barely a woman, meets an Egyptian, Shalem, a handsome man of wealth and status and falls in love with him. He returns her love, and for a time the two engage in merry lovemaking. As was the custom of the time, Shalem's family attempts to "buy" Dinah from her family, making what appears to be a very fair offer. The king goes out of the city to Jacob's tribe and

"The king waved at a cart laden with goods and trailing sheep and goats. He declared them kin, soon to share a grandchild."

Some of the tragedies are of the bloodless kind, but no less heartbreaking. Dinah, now living with the Egyptians, gives birth to her lover's son, but

"When I woke up, my son was gone. Frightened, I tried to stand, but the pain kept me pinned to my bed. I cried out, and Meryt arrived with soft packing and unguents for my wounds. 'My son,' I said, in her language. She looked at me tenderly and replied, 'The baby is with his mother.' I thought I misunderstood her. Perhaps I had not used the right words."

"You will be his nurse and he will know that you gave him life. His care will be your blessing, but he will call us both Ma and stay here until he is ready for school, and for this, you can be grateful. For this is my son, Re-mose, child of Re, that you have borne for me and my family."

That might very well be the ultimate lesson of this fine book. Most of us do not experience great glories and victories in life; rather, most of us gather our joys and small pleasures where and when we can, and the rest of the time we do what is necessary to survive. Dinah does no less. And does so with honor. She is thus an example for the common woman (and man), reminding us of the internal, silent and unsung glory that can occur inside each of us as we live our lives as best we can.

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