By the end of the book, i had developed a fondness for the mcbee family but the beginning of the. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in. Nov 24, 2011 the dovekeepers follows the arrival of all four to the fortress and the runup to the massacre, thus prolonging the coming horror. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research published december 11, 2011 by rf416rf. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion. For me it is a toss up between aibileen and eugenia. Jun 29, 2012 dovekeepers, is biblical historical fiction. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history.
What did you know about the siege of masada before you read this book. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of. There are intriguing stories of survival, perseverance, love, revenge, loss, faith and so much more throughout the book, but the book is definitely a downer. The dovekeepers, meticulously researched for five years, transports us to this ancient time and is filled with such rich detail, one can almost smell the cumindusted challah browning as it bakes. The dovekeepers was published by simon and schuster on 4 october 2011. A novel by alice hoffman for this weeks reading wednesday. Why is the roman legion preparing to attack the jews at masada. In that moment, the dovekeepers came to life as well.
Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Without a doubt, this is alice hoffmans finest work to date, catapulting it far and above her previous endeavors. The novel is split into four principal parts, with each of the main characters yael, revka, aziza, and shirah narrating one section. The difficulty with the dovekeepers is that these moments of hope are too few and far between. Did the author do a good job in differentiating the women.
In this sweeping historical novel set on the ancient fortress of masada, four dynamic women explore the female condition in the male realm of holy. The novel is alice hoffmans latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege. The keepers series premiere discussion premiere premise. Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of scribner. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. The dovekeepers is based on alice hoffmans novel of the. I received a warm welcome as the newcomer in a well established book club. Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. The dovekeepers, unabridged recorded books edition. Alice hoffman goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book. The menfolk probably wont like it but you might win some points by recommending it to your wife.
The dovekeeper by alice hoffman reading guidebook club. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the judean desert. 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. From historical references in the book, as well as your own knowledge of history, explain the roots of the conflict.
A novel is my favorite and most moving book that i read in 2012. The novel, is a awesome book to discuss with book clubs, especially women. In telling their story of loss and love, ive told my own story as well. I read a wonderful book, one that i never would have chosen myself. At 500 pages, the dovekeepers is a relatively long novel, and the need to start again with each new narrator, with her own exposition, taxes the storys momentum until the various threads. Perhaps this is a testament to hoffmans storytelling. Nov 24, 2014 the readers forum is the lively, long running book discussion group of the cranford public library. Southfield public library the dovekeepers by alice hoffman discussion questions used at spl january 20 1. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Its a historical fiction book set in ancient israel in 70 c.
Thomas in the early 1800s, the marriage of opposites follows one of historys lesser known women. 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. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. Practical magic 1995, the river king 2000, and her ya fable aquamarine 2001.
Yael was born of a dead mother and father who knows how to become invisible. Told in four parts, the first comes from yael, daughter of yosef bar elhanan, a sicarii zealot assassin, rejected by her. Jun 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Any page references refer to a usa edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions. 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. Traces four women, their path to the masada massacre. Oct 04, 2011 at 500 pages, the dovekeepers is a relatively long novel, and the need to start again with each new narrator, with her own exposition, taxes the storys momentum until the various threads. Both new and experienced keepers alike will find great value in the over 100 fullcolor photographs including photos and descriptions of over 30 different color varieties. Keeper of the doves by betsy byars is a story about amen mcbee, the wordloving, poem writing, youngest child of five sisters whose names all begin with the letter a. Alice hoffmans judean rebels head for their desert fortress.
Alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. The discussion was lively and made me think about events in the story in a different light, one that i wouldnt have thought of on my own. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. This reading group guide for the dovekeepers includes discussion questions and a letter from author, alice hoffman. 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 characters alice hoffman 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. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. The dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing novel.
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 story of the last zealot stronghold in judea is told from the point of view of four fictional women in the. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher.
Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is alice hoffman. Along with their close cousin, the pigeon, doves make up. Buy a cheap copy of the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman. Also included is an indepth discussion of ringneck dove genetics by john fowler. The marriage of opposites by alice hoffman book club. 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. Rather than surrender to or be captured by roman forces the sicarii, a group of religious zealots who took refuge at masada in first century judea, chose to sacrifice themselves. Ryan whites sevenpart true crime documentary focuses on the investigations by abbie schaub and gemma hoskins into the 1969 murder of sister cathy cesnik, a young english teacher at a catholic high school in baltimore. It features the siege of masada by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war. The story of life in this last stronghold in the war between the jews and the romans is told in the novel the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. 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 masada is from the ground up. The dovekeepers is one of best books released on 2011 containing 504 pages, this book written by alice hoffman whom known as an author and have wrote many interesting books with great story telling. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, practical magic, the rules of magic, the oprahs book club selection here on earth,the red garden, the dovekeepers,the museum of extraordinary things, the marriage of opposites, and faithful.
Alice hoffmans the dovekeepers shows us a world where doves, in addition to serving daytoday purposes, represent so much more. 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. The dovekeepers alice hoffman, 2011 scribner 512 pp. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book expectations.
This would explain the call of many species of doves. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a. 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. 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. Dec 11, 2011 oh that i had wings of a dove to fly away and be at rest psalm 55. The novel is much too long and, for most of its 500 pages, its four protagonists suffer relentlessly. Ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. The hebrew word for dove is yonah 2, coming from the root meaning of a moaning sound, i moan like a dove is 38. Poll ballot the dovekeepers by alice hoffman 4 stars. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice.
The dovekeepers is a novel by alice hoffman, published in 2011. The dovekeepers is a novel set during and after the fall of jerusalem 70 c. The solid, beautiful writing, the skilled sentence structure and the ability to tell a story that captured me for days all make for a novel that i keep thinking about and will for some time. I understand quite literally what it is to not feel the same as your family and have to figure out where you actually fit in. Aug 29, 20 the dovekeepers is definitely a chick book. Did you like the way the story was told in 4 voices. The turtle dove tor in hebrew 3 is by far the most common of the dove species. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman by chasity moreno june 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. The program premiered in the united states on march 31, 2015 on cbs. It was our largest book to date at 500 pages but almost every member managed to finish it in time for our meeting. Do you feel the lives of the women in the dovekeepers echo the lives of women in the modern world who are experiencing war and political unrest.
The readers forum is the lively, long running book discussion group of the cranford public library. To obtain a copy of the book please call the ocean city branch at 4105241818. Thomas is a seventeenyearold who doesnt want to grow up and has. Nov 04, 2011 the difficulty with the dovekeepers is that these moments of hope are too few and far between.
In 70 ce, 900 jews held out against armies of romans on a mountain in masada. Mar 31, 2015 cbs limited historical series the dovekeepers may not take on the entire story, but that doesnt mean its not an ambitious adaptation. From the new york times bestselling author of the dovekeepers and the museum of extraordinary things comes a spellbinding tale of forbidden love, family secrets and unimaginable beauty. Join us each month for a lively book discussion facilitated by cher grazier. 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.
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