The dovekeepers book club kit vancouver island regional. Alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. The dovekeepers on its surface sounds like it has the potential to be incredibly moving, and i had high hopes. Are there paintings that remind you of scenes in the novel.
An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year ad 70, in the desperate days of the siege of masada, when supplies are dwindling and the romans are drawing near. Over five years in the writing, alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing work ever, a triumph of imagination and research set in ancient israel. Four strong women are brought together at the mountain of masada and fight for their lives against the romans. I only read the last 180 pages because i was hoping everything would come together. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. The story of the last zealot stronghold in judea is told from the point of view of four fictional women in the.
The dovekeepers reading group choices book club recommendations. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader. Yet i found the reading to be more of an exercise in frustration and perseverance. The novel is much too long and, for most of its 500 pages, its four protagonists suffer relentlessly. Oct 23, 2011 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. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers.
The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion. The dovekeepers lives are punctuated by prayers, curses and omens. Based on this tragic and iconic event, this is a tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has. History often leaves these stories by the wayside, and what alice hoffman has done is a gift to all people living now. Jun 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher. 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. The dovekeeper by alice hoffman reading guidebook club. Womens knowledge in the dovekeepers is handed down from mother to daughter, sister to sister, friend to friend.
The dovekeepers alice hoffman, 2011 scribner 512 pp. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secretsabout who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they lov e. The characters endure tremendous hardships, but the books tone is one of hope. I got totally caught up in the stories of the women of masada. 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.
A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a. Beautifully told story of jews in exile from jerusalem thousands of years ago. 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 a novel set during and after the fall of jerusalem 70 c. Molokai the dovekeepers those who save us orphan train the guest room the tea girl of hummingbird lane. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research published december 11, 2011 by rf416rf. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secretsabout who they are, where they come from. 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.
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. She was rightthis was an absolutely stunning novel. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at. The novel, is a awesome book to discuss with book clubs, especially women. A tale inspired by the tragic first century massacre of hundreds of jewish people. Alice hoffman booklist alice hoffman message board. The dovekeepers book club kit saint paul public library. The dovekeepers alice hoffman, best historical fiction. Once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift.
The dovekeepers is a good choice for book clubs as long as your group is up to reading a 500 page novel. Dec 11, 2011 how does knowing that the novel is based on history and archeological findings affect your reading of the book. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. Is the marriage of opposites characteristic of pissarros style. 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.
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. I am still reeling from the dovekeepers from the history alice hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. Their decisions are directed by prophecies and by dreams, their faith sustained by. We travel, we eat, we hike, we bike, we read, we write and we have grand adventures in our fabulous fifties. It makes the book times more engaging for me to know that it really happened. 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. Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to masada by a different path. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on masada in the desert, under siege by the romans. Oprahs book club by janet fitch 0316284955 9780316284950 a gently used book at a great low price. The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month. 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 is a twopart television adaptation based on the book of the same name by alice hoffman from executive producers roma downey and mark burnett. The dovekeepers book club kit chapel hill public library. The author of such iconic bestsellers as illumination night, practical magic, fortunes daughter, and oprahs book club selection. The book was a beautiful piece of historical fiction that told the story of strong, devout jewish women and the things they did to survive the times and the conditions and the roman siege. How are these works similar or dissimilar to the marriage of opposites. The dovekeepers an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic.
A letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift. May 04, 20 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. Ron charles ron charles writes about books for the washington post. This miniseries was just a historically inaccurate soap opera. The love for my book club is quite strong because i read every page of this terrible book.
All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets about who. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in desperate days. 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. Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is 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. It features the siege of masada by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war. 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. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. The dovekeepers is a book of historical fiction set during the first jewishroman war. In telling their story of loss and love, ive told my own story as well. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and. A remarkable tale of biblical history and four powerful women. 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. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secretsabout who they are, where they come from, who. A novel by alice hoffman for this weeks reading wednesday. This reading group guide for the dovekeepers includes discussion questions and a letter from author, alice hoffman. The marriage of opposites by alice hoffman book club.
Click download or read online button to get the dovekeepers book now. Lots of research went into this book, but it reads like really good fiction. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. Alice hoffmans dovekeepers builds on lives of jewish heroines. Our book club page for the dovekeepers by alice hoffman includes book club discussion questions, author website, book summary. The characters endure tremendous hardships, but the book s tone is one of hope. The dovekeepers download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The frustration is largely the result of the books lack of development, which might sound weird to. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Download the dovekeepers by alice hoffman in pdf epub ebook.
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