In that moment, the dovekeepers came to life as well. I actually know very little about the history of israel, jerusalem and the legend of masada the last stronghold of the jews during the roman siege in 73 ad. First of all, i didnt realize when i began the novel that all roads were leading to the real story of masada, a mountain fortress where 900 jewish rebels held out against the roman. The dovekeepers audiobook by alice hoffman, heather lind. Hoffman s first novel, property of, was written at the age of twentyone. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. The dovekeepers is striking hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Novelist alice hoffman s beautiful, harrowing the dovekeepers is based on the siege of masada, where a band of jews made a last stand after fleeing the roman army. 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, and many alice hoffman books, offers unheard stories and perspectives from women. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secretsabout who they are, where they come from. Are there paintings that remind you of scenes in the novel.
This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice. She has published a total of twentyeight works of fiction. The novel focuses on the lives of four very different women who took refuge at masada. The novel is alice hoffman s latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege of masada in the first century. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman alice hoffman, novels. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. I didnt know what i was getting into with alice hoffman s the dovekeepers, but i had been told by a friend that this was her book club s favorite. How are these works similar or dissimilar to the marriage of opposites. Ron charles ron charles writes about books for the washington post.
An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. 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. She was rightthis was an absolutely stunning novel. 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. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended adelphi university, from which she received a ba, and then received a mirrellees. 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. Alice hoffman is the author of more than 30 works of fiction, including 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 marriage of opposites by alice hoffman book club. 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 hoffman was born in new york city on march 16, 1952 and grew up on long island. 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 by alice hoffman 2016 03 17 book club.
A novel by alice hoffman is one of the most powerful books i have read in a very long time. By alice hoffman scribner publishing 2011 the dovekeepers is a book of historical fiction set during the first jewishroman war. Alice hoffman was born in new york city in 1952 and grew up on long island. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. The dovekeepers book ottawa public library bibliocommons. Six smalltown texas women meet once a month to discuss that months book selection and enjoy a delicious lunch together. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Select one of alice hoffman s other works, such as the museum of extraordinary things or the dovekeepers, for your next book club meeting. The book begins during the destruction of jerusalem and the temple in ad 70 and follows the journey of four women who end up together in the last jewish holdout, a mountaintop stronghold called masada.
The dovekeepers international dublin literary award. Perhaps this is a testament to hoffman s storytelling. Apr 20, 2016 the dovekeepers by alice hoffman 2016 03 17. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in desperate days. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a.
All my best, alice hoffman book club talking points. The setting is ancient roman times and its based on the true story of how 900 jews held out against these warriors in what is now known as the siege of masada. The difficulty with the dovekeepers is that these moments of hope are too few and far between. The story of the last zealot stronghold in judea is told from the point of view of four fictional women in the novel the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. A letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift. The novel is much too long and, for most of its 500. Friday, february 10, 2012 the dovekeepers by alice hoffman.
Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, practical magic, the marriage of opposites, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a mountain in the judean, desert, masada. Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is alice hoffman. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. The author of such iconic bestsellers as illumination night, practical magic, fortunes daughter, and oprahs book club selection here on earth, alice hoffman is one of the most popular and memorable writers of her generation. Alice hoffman is the author of more than 30 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.
Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for. It was our largest book to date at 500 pages but almost every member managed to finish it in time for our meeting. The dovekeeper by alice hoffman reading guidebook club. Written by alice hoffman, audiobook narrated by aya cash, tovah feldshuh, jessica hecht, heather lind. Book club the dovekeepers by alice hoffman youtube. The dovekeepers is alice hoffman s most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. 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. Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to masada by a different path. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history.