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I’ve been reading “The Red Tent” lately from the recommendation of my sister-in-law as one of her favorite books. I don’t really like it but I can’t stop reading. Books like this one intrigue me. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I am itching to read and this one is very interesting. In a conversation I had with my mother-in-law about this book, she said, “It was like reading the imagination of someone else’s interpretation of this biblical story.” I think that perfectly describes this book. I’ve never had a strong pull toward the Middle Eastern culture nor have I had more education than what the Bible has offered so maybe this explains my lack of interest. However, I’ve always had trouble with other people making things “real” for me. In my mind, there are certain characters and people who are nearly perfect. Those people always make the best of every situation, say the kindest things, and bear their burdens with exactness. My mother is one of those people that I’ve always looked at as nearly perfect, but as I’ve grown up I’ve started to see that she might (just might) not be perfect and that’s been a huge adjustment. That adjustment may be part of the reason why I can’t put this book down. Dinah begins to see her mother’s imperfections and while she struggles with that, she embraces the womanly relationships of the mothers around her. In that way, I guess I’ve been like Dinah as the youngest daughter of 7 girls. I’ve seen how many of the women around me are wonderful people. My sisters are fascinating women with strong characters of faith, speech, truth and caring. I know that my sister-in-law feels the same way about her sisters, which is probably why she enjoyed reading this book so much. More than anything, it has made me realize how much we, as women, need each other’s examples, burdens, strengths, experiences and wisdom. Be forewarned before you read this book, there are some sketchy parts so beware.