Dec 11, 2011 how does knowing that the novel is based on history and archeological findings affect your reading of the book. 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. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman discussion questions used at spl january 20 1. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a. Scribner the dovekeepers is a 2011 historical novel by american writer alice hoffman. The dovekeepers ebook by alice hoffman 9781451617498. Based on this tragic and iconic event, hoffmans novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women. The story opens with yael, a young jewish woman, telling the story of how she came to be wandering the desert with her father, yosef, and a man named ben simon, his wife sia. A novel revka learned silence when her grandsons lost their voices after witnessing their mothers brutal murder. Alice hoffman 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.
Download free the dovekeepers by alice hoffman pdf file. An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. From historical references in the book, as well as your own knowledge of history, explain the roots of the conflict.
Why is the roman legion preparing to attack the jews at masada. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. Praise for the dovekeepers hoffman is a writer of great perception and she captures with precision the complexity of the relationships between the women, their fear and guilt, their courage, their hunger for consolation and companionship guardian. The dovekeepers is a novel by alice hoffman, published in 2011. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any device. 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. Never before has a book entranced me the way the dovekeepers by alice hoffman has. Not price clipped and with no previous names or inscriptions. I got totally caught up in the stories of the women of masada. The dovekeepers is a novel set during and after the fall of jerusalem 70 c. Each and every page clearly demonstrated how much research went into not just the historical but also the social and spiritual aspects of firstcentury judea. Ive literally just finished reading this book and i cant get my mind to settle down.
It is written so beautifully so once you start reading it, you. The first section tells the story of yael and i enjoyed her story the most. Womens knowledge in the dovekeepers is handed down from mother to daughter, sister to sister, friend to friend. A novel is a heartwrenching novel with an impressive moral story. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman, heather lind audiobook. Along with their close cousin, the pigeon, doves make up the bird family columbidae. We still offer contactless pickup and return with books on the go not getting our emails. Its my third by alice hoffman, and her writing style never fails to put me under a spell. Lots of research went into this book, but it reads like really good fiction.
The dovekeepers is an enormously ambitious, multipart story, richly decorated with the details of life 2,000 years ago hoffman doesnt ignore the largerthanlife. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including magic lessons, 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. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against. Alice hoffmans the dovekeepers shows us a world where doves, in addition to serving daytoday purposes, represent so much more. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. 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. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. The dovekeeper by alice hoffman reading guidebook club. The johnson county public librarys indiana newest book trailer for alice hoffmans the dovekeepers. The dovekeepers is a 2011 historical novel by american writer alice hoffman. A modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, supersummary offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
Based on this tragic and iconic event, hoffmans novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each. What did you know about the siege of masada before you read this book. Alice hoffmans writing style is akin to poetry and you become lost in the prose. In 70 ce, 900 jews held out against armies of romans on a mountain in masada. The dovekeepers read online free from your iphone, ipad, android, pc, mobile. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. Bookmark file pdf the dovekeepers alice hoffman choices that shape their lives from the bestselling author of reese witherspoon. The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year 70ad, in the desperate days of. 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. In a time when there was nothing but death, we were grateful for anything, and most grateful of all when we awoke to another day. Oct 03, 2011 an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. 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 book has a firm binding with no hinge weakness. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. This reading group guide for the dovekeepers includes discussion questions and a letter from author, alice hoffman. The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month. This is a fine copy of this book in a fine dustjacket with no chips or tears to the outer edges of the dustjacket. The book describes beautifully their customs, faith and experiences whilst suffering incredible hardships. The dovekeepers read free ebook by alice hoffman in online reader directly on the web page. Did you like the way the story was told in 4 voices. Download the dovekeepers by alice hoffman in pdf epub ebook. The dovekeepers book hennepin county library bibliocommons. A work of historical fiction, it is set during the first romanjewish war in the first century ce. The dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year 70ad, in the desperate days of the siege of masada, when supplies are dwindl.
The characters endure tremendous hardships, but the books tone is one of hope. Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is alice hoffman. 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. The gratifying book, fiction, history, novel, scientific. Do you feel the lives of the women in the dovekeepers echo the lives of women in the modern world who are experiencing war. Its set in 70ad, further back than any historical fiction ive read, set in ancient times. 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. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held. This reading group guide for the dovekeepers includes discussion questions the suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. The dovekeepers alice hoffman, 2011 scribner 512 pp. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman maria chisengalumbwe vk.
The novel dramatizes the siege of masada 7374 ce by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war 6673 ce. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman 69,053 ratings, 4. The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on masada in the desert, under siege by the romans. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a mountain in the judean, desert, masada. The dovekeepers book douglas county libraries bibliocommons. It makes the book times more engaging for me to know that it really happened.
The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year 70ad, in the desperate days of the siege of masada, when supplies are dwindling and the romans are drawing n. We additionally have enough money variant types and furthermore type of the books to browse. File type pdf the dovekeepers alice hoffman the dovekeepers alice hoffman right here, we have countless book the dovekeepers alice hoffman and collections to check out. Thanks for exploring this supersummary plot summary of the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. History often leaves these stories by the wayside, and what alice hoffman has done is a gift to all people living now. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion.
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