The Red Tent

[judecorp]

On a more positive note, I'm reading this totally amazing book called The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. It's the story of Jacob and his family (from the Torah) as told through the voice of his daughter Dinah. Basically, it chronicles the imagined life of women in those times in novel form through the eyes of a girl-turned-woman. It's fascinating, and I'm completely enamored with it. You should all read it if you haven't. I think Baga recommended it to me.

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that every time I even look at it, the entire score of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" sticks in my head - especially the song "Jacob and Sons" where they list off all the boys' names. "Reuben was the eldest of the children of Israel, with Simeon and Levi the next in line. Napthali and Isaachar and Asher and Dan, Zebulon and Gad took the total to nine. Jacob! Jacob and sons! Benjamin and Judah, which leaves only one. Jacob! Jacob and sons! Joseph, Jacob's favorite son."

Anyway, I've been completely sucked in. I read it on the way to Atlanta, while I was in Atlanta, and on the way home from Atlanta. I have about 20 pages left. I'm so excited that I can get back into reading for pleasure now that school is done. That reminds me, one day this week I need to pick up my diploma. I'm glad I wasn't around for that George W. Bush fiasco. BLEH!

Steve is on his way and I'm still in my jammies. HAWT!

Comments

[doulamel.livejournal.com]

OMG, I totally did the same thing with the names and the music! Of course that lead me to trying to see if I could remember all the colors of the coat as it was in the song...and I could! How much of a theatre geek am I? ;)

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Dunno, I can do it. And it drives people NUTS. =)

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

W. was speaking at your graduation?

Re:

[doulamel.livejournal.com]

*grins* It's one of those skills I keep to myself. I usually get picked on for knowing so many musicals by heart.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Judie Jean and I were driving back from a party in Delaware over New Years, with my boyfriend driving, and we listened to about 8 tracks of Joseph on CD before it became clear that my boyfriend, who was driving, was going completely batshit. He's still mad over it, if he thinks about it.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

It was red and yellow and green and brown and scarlet and black and ochre and peach and ruby and olive and violet and fawn, lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve, cream and crimson and silver and rose, and azure and lemon and russet and grey and purple and white and pink and orange and blue!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

That was pretty funny. What was funnier was watching his face contort when it was starting to wear on him but he didn't want to tell us to shut it off. Eventually he gave up. :)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Yes! And not only that, the University administration told students that anyone who was protesting or otherwise "disrespectful" would be arrested, expelled, and not granted their degrees.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

What a pain in the ass.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

If I had anticipated the grief I was going to get from it, I would have shut it off, oh, after song 1.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Really? It was that bad?

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Among other things.

Re:

[doulamel.livejournal.com]

But Joseph is so much fun! How can you NOT like it????

Re:

[doulamel.livejournal.com]

You are SO TOTALLY AWESOME!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

No applause, just throw money. :)

Re:

[doulamel.livejournal.com]

*throws change outta my piggybank*

[thatpatti.livejournal.com]

i <3 the red tent!!!

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

Fuck. I just finished reading it last week. AND I HAD THE SAME GODDAMNED SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD.

Jacob! Jacob and sons!

I had this mental image of Richard Attenborough as well.

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

Potiphar had very fewwwww cares
he was one of Egypts mill-ion-aires
he had made his fortunes selling shares in...
pyramids!

[rizzo41.livejournal.com]

Go, go, go, Jodie you know what they say. Hang on now, Jodie, you'll make it someday. Sha la la Jodie you're doing fine, you and your dreamboat ahead of your time.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

He was also known as Israel, but most of the time his sons and his wives used to call him Dad!

I'm sure glad I'm not the only one.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Joseph cried in vain, "Please stop! I don't believe in free love!"

"Pity."

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

you and your dreamboat

Are you talking about your boyfriend Joey Mac?

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

YAY! I thought you might, being a doula and all. You wacky doulas.

Re:

[rizzo41.livejournal.com]

Dude. I heard Seth Green is in town filming a movie with Mac Caulkin. They've been spotted playing pool. I need to start skulking around the Chelsea poolhalls.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Did I tell you that a friend of mine here (doulamel) went to elementary school with Seth Green?

Re:

[rizzo41.livejournal.com]

yes

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

There'e one more angel in heaven!
There's one more star in the sky!
Joseph, the things that you stood fer,
Like...democracy! Will never die!

[oddharmonic.livejournal.com]

Completely random, but I have a coat we call the Technicolor Dream Coat. It's definitely on the heavy side for a three-season coat (it's quilted and lined with denim), but it's pretty awe-inspiring to look at. The entire exterior is made from 1" wide strips of batiked fabric.

Incidentally, I'm only hanging onto it because I've never found a good home for it and I'm loathe to give good handmade stuff to Goodwill. My husband fell in love with it the moment he laid eyes on it, but it doesn't fit him so I made him a vest version.

[binkiegirl.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to pick this book up for at least a year and a half...but I keep getting distracted. I've heard so many rave reviews from such a wide array of women (haven't yet met a man whose read it, interestingly)...

Re:

[thatpatti.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's not so surprising. lots of period talk and whatnot. ;)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Not he!
How you can accuse him is a mystery.
Save him! Take me!
Benjamin is straighter than the tall palm tree.
No ifs! No buts!
Benjamin is honest as coconuts!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

That sounds really cool. :)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I have it until July 7th from the library if you want to borrow it... or else I can return it to the library and you can take it out!

It's very good.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I also think the raving is travelling from woman to woman to woman. My brother, incidentally, is the one who recommended the book to me, but then again, he's very well-read in a wide assortment of books.

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

Do you remember those wonderful parties?
The splendor of Canaan's cuisine
Our extravagant, elegant soirees
The gayest the Bible has seen
It's funny but since we lost Joseph
We've gone to the other extreme
No one comes to dinner now
We'd only eat them anyhow!
I even find I'm missing Joseph's dreams!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Well I understand the part about the corn... but I don't quite get the part about the cows.

[binkiegirl.livejournal.com]

Dude, you don't *borrow* books, you *buy* them. What are you, a socialist? ;)

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Ha ha ha!

A /poor/ /unemployed/ socialist. Who LOVES the public library system.

[michael622.livejournal.com]

Amen, sister.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Hey now! I'm anti-materialist! (But I do own quite a few books.)