"We have been lost to each other for so long...I am so grateful you have come...Blessings on your eyes. Blessings on your children. Blessings on the ground beneath you. My heart is a ladle of sweet water, brimming over. Selah."

As of 082903, this book is among the Top Ten Most Popular (most registered) BookCrossing Books. It's not hard to see why. It's the kind of book that should be passed from sister to sister, mother to daughter, generation to generation. Women in the Bible have generally been portrayed as virgins or harlots, often serving as postscripts to the more familiar stories of men who begat men. But who gives birth to those men? Strong, splendid, complicated, terrible, beautiful women.

Anita Diamant weaves a compelling tale of the most vivid, human characters. Her writing flows like the Nile. Rock on.

This is a book that must be shared. I lent this book to a friend and she just recently returned it to me after two years. As soon as I got it home, I read it again. Twice in a row.

I definitely want to share this powerful book with other BC'ers, but I would like it to come back to me. So I am offering it as a limited bookring, open only to the first 4 folks who PM me of their interest. Since it's in the Top Ten Most Registered, a lot of people probably already have this book on their shelves. But, let's give this a shot. The worst that could happen is I keep my book :)

Here's how it works:
1) You sign up by PM-ing me.
2) I put you and other interested parties on a list.
3) I send it to the first person on the list.
4) That person journals that s/he has received the book, so the folks on the bookring know where it is at any given time.
5) After reading the book, s/he journals again to record comments and musings about the book.
6) The next person on the list, meanwhile, PM's the current reader with her/his address.
7) The current reader sends it to the next person on the list.
6) Repeat as many times as there are people on the list except for the last person.
9) The very last person on the list sends it back to me.
10) The book lives on in our memories.

The Red Tent BookRing List:

MizzSmile, Santa Clara, California, USA
Silverstone,Göteborg, Västra Götaland, Sweden - currently in possession
Marlene-TC, Heemstede, Noord Holland Netherlands

...returns to titacookie, Sunnyvale, California, USA

Released on Monday, September 29, 2003 at Released to another BookCrosser in Santa Clara, California USA.

I just released this book to MizzSmile. The BookRing is officially under way. Enjoy!

Received the book...I like this bookring concept! I was suppose to be reading a sci-fi book for my bookclub, but not in the right mind set after reading Da Vinci Code. I think "Red Tent" will be a good follow-up book to read that further promotes the feminine wisdom...

What a beautifully written book!!! The story telling is both poetic and lyrical. This is one book that I can read over and over again. It is a story about strength, power, tradition, passion, struggles, heartache and love all from the perspective of women who are barely mentioned in the Bible.

Maybe it was the full moon (how fitting), but as I read the last paragraphs of the novel...I was moved to tears. Not necessarily tears of sadness nor joy. You'll have to read it to understand what I mean...

Definitely a keeper and will buy one for my personal collection.

Released on Friday, October 17, 2003 at To a fellow bookcrosser in Sweden.

Sent this on to Silverstone. Enjoy!

It was in the mail yesterday!! Thank you titacookie, it will be a perfect read for the Christmas Holidays!!!

It's the 26nd of December and I have read about a third of the book and I am hooked!!! Still it is somewhat disturbing for me that the women of the story are not worshipping the same god as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but that is only my Christian point of view and it is very possible that it was so... and the story is very well written... and there is beautiful portraits of women!!

I really did like this book.... it was very interesting to see possible female views in this Biblical story.... as a story it was beautiful...
Still... I can't let go of my 'pre-knowledge', I don't want to change my picture of Jacob, Rebekah and the others... Call me rigid... I don't care...
But it is a well written book, read it and love it!!

The status should really say "missing in action" not traveling. I received a PM from Marlene-TC around March or April saying she was okay with being skipped in the bookring. We both sent PMs to Silverstone inquiring about the book, to no avail. It has been 6 months now since Silverstone said she finished the book, and I have sent about 3 or 4 PMs to her asking about the book. I have not received an answer from her and I don't want to be a further bother. What's really upsetting me is that this is a book that I wanted to share and Marlene-TC was cheated out of an opportunity to share it.

Silverstone, if you are reading this - please respond. If you decided to keep the book or if you can't afford to mail it back right now, that is fine. But it would be nice if you had at least sent a PM to me or to Marlene-TC telling us what you plan on doing with the book. I hope you do not do this with other BookRings or Rays.

Angels are afoot in the land of BookCrossing. After reading my post on the lost bookring/ray registry, jenvince is re-starting the ring. Hooray! It is next on her TBR pile, then she'll send it on to Marlene-TC.

Here is the link to jenvince's book: The Red Tent

I am actually stepping out of this BookRing circle. Marlene-TC can keep or release the book, unless she makes other arrangements with jenvince. Thanks again, jenvince! I am so happy that this book can now be shared by Marlene-TC.

And now the circle is truly closed. I received my original copy of The Red Tent back from Silverstone before we moved from Sunnyvale, CA, to Edmonton, AB, Canada. Thank you!