This study guide consists of approximately 1 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the dovekeepers. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Now this is a book club, so i feel the need to ask a question. The dovekeepers i didnt know what i was getting into with alice hoffmans the dovekeepers, but i had been told by a friend that this was her book clubs favorite. Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to masada by a different path. The dovekeepers is an enormously ambitious, multipart story, richly decorated with the details of life 2,000 years ago hoffman doesnt ignore the largerthanlife leaders and their deadly clash, but her creative path into. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the judean desert. In that moment, the dovekeepers came to life as well. The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month. Notes from the author to the bookclub a letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift. Select one of alice hoffmans other works, such as the museum of extraordinary things or the dovekeepers, for your next book club meeting. The reading for p july 2019 buddy read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman with terry, debbicat rita, brina and more. The difficulty with the dovekeepers is that these moments of hope are too few and far between. Yael is the daughter of the assassin yosef bar elhanan.
Topics about this book topics that mention this book. The title the dovekeepers has a symbolic meaning throughout the story. The dovekeepers is a good choice for book clubs as long as your group is up to reading a 500 page novel. Four strong women are brought together at the mountain of masada and fight for their lives against the romans. It was a gift from my greatgreat grandmothers, the women of ancient israel who first spoke to me when i visited the mountain fortress of masada. The dovekeepers book yarra plenty regional library. The marriage of opposites by alice hoffman book club. The program premiered in the united states on march 31, 2015 on cbs. The novel is alice hoffmans latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege of masada in the first century. Hoffmans 1997 novel here on earth was selected as an oprah book club pick, but even without winfreys powerful endorsement, her books have become huge bestsellers including three that have been adapted for the movies.
This novel is an extremely ambitious effort and it does cover many universal themes. The novel, is a awesome book to discuss with book clubs, especially women. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, the marriage of opposites, practical magic, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secretsabout who they are, where they come from. It was our largest book to date at 500 pages but almost every member managed to finish it in time for our meeting. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. The dovekeepers book ottawa public library bibliocommons. How are these works similar or dissimilar to the marriage of opposites. The book ties in with the history of the jerusalem revolt, and the last stand of the jewish people before 900 people were killed by their own hands, by suicide. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion.
The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research published december 11, 2011 by rf416rf. A tale inspired by the tragic firstcentury massacre of hundreds of jewish people at masada presents the stories of a hated daughter, a bakers wife, a girl disguised as a warrior, and a medicine woman who keep doves and secrets while roman soldiers draw near. All my best, alice hoffman book club talking points. She was rightthis was an absolutely stunning novel. An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. The dovekeeper by alice hoffman reading guidebook club. The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history. The book covers a period of four years as the romans waged war against the jewish stronghold of masada, claimed by a group 900 rebels and their families. This is a book that is both compelling and thought provoking.
Immediately download the the dovekeepers summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching the dovekeepers. This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice. Practical magic 1995, the river king 2000, and her ya fable aquamarine. A letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift. If you would like to purchase a copy to enjoy more cambodian foods, consider purchasing from the green gecko project as they put all the proceeds back into helping kids get off the streets in cambodia. There is a reading guide available with fourteen thoughtprovoking questions, and i actually found many of them to be extremely interesting. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. Stripped of its overworked plot and overwrought prose, the dovekeepers could have been a much better book. I believe this will become a classic in the future and a novel that will be talked about in book groups, peoples living rooms, in the news and will be a bestseller. The dovekeepers is a novel set during and after the fall of jerusalem 70 c. Told in four parts, the first comes from yael, daughter of yosef bar elhanan, a sicarii zealot assassin, rejected by her father because of her. Ive read a lot of hoffmans work and i believe this to be her very best. Alice hoffman booklist alice hoffman message board.
Yael is the longsuffering daughter of a sicarii assassin, who. The dovekeepers is strikinghoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Along with their close cousin, the pigeon, doves make up the bird family columbidae. Are there paintings that remind you of scenes in the novel. The novel is much too long and, for most of its 500. The dovekeepers tv miniseries 2015 imdb alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, the marriage of opposites, practical magic, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. The dovekeepers book club kit hennepin county library. Alice hoffmans the dovekeepers shows us a world where doves, in addition to serving daytoday purposes, represent so much more. The dovekeepers is a twopart television adaptation based on the book of the same name by alice hoffman from executive producers roma downey and mark burnett.
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