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. Written by alice hoffman, heather lind, audiobook narrated by aya cash, jessica hecht, tovah feldshuh. Its clear from the outset of the dovekeepers that we are firmly in alice hoffman territory. 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. But instead of the safe suburbs of new england, we have been. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are aziza, yael. 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 by alice hoffman an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic.
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. Put the dovekeepers at the pinnacle of hoffmans extraordinary body of work. The dovekeepers alice hoffman, 2011 scribner 512 pp. Alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the.
The dovekeepers is based on alice hoffmans novel of the same name, which was inspired by the reallife account of the jewish war and siege. A novel by alice hoffman for this weeks reading wednesday. 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. Oct 06, 2011 some might say that all that alice hoffman wrote prior to the dovekeepers was just a buildup to a masterful crescendo, and that this is her greatest masterpiece. The dovekeepers, alice hoffman, paperback book ebay. It is a masterpiece, but it is also of a piece, of a type.
Pdf the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman free download. 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. Book looks with cathy stetson the dove keepers by alice. 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.
Praise for the dovekeepers hoffman is a writer of great perception and she captures with precision the complexity of the relationships between the women. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. It features the siege of masada by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. This is a world in which trust in the immutability of ones destiny is matched by the desperate belief that the right magic can change the future.
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. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the dovekeepers. The dovekeepers lives are punctuated by prayers, curses and omens. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. We see life in the mountain fortress through the eyes of. Books similar to the dovekeepers goodreads share book. Lots of research went into this book, but it reads like really good fiction. Its my third by alice hoffman, and her writing style never fails to put me under a spell. But i heard only the voice of the desert, not the words of the almighty. 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. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history. Alice hoffman weaves fiction and fact in the dovekeepers, a thrilling, passionate saga of four women who come together to tend the doves in masada. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read 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 dovekeepers audiobook cd charlotte mecklenburg. The story is historical and based in fact so not hoffman s normal work. 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 fascinating. 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. 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. I got totally caught up in the stories of the women of masada. 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 hoffmans judean rebels head for their desert fortress. Yael was born of a dead mother and father who knows how to become invisible. The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month. The author of practical magic discusses her latest novel alice hoffmans the dovekeepers alice hoffman on the dovekeepers audiobook.
All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. It is historical fiction mixed with great imaginings about the lives of women in ancient israel. Alice hoffman born march 16, 1952 is an american novelist and youngadult and childrens writer, best known for her 1995 novel practical magic, which was adapted for a 1998 film of the same name. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. 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. 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 months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the judean desert. If you have read other alice hoffman novels that include mystical elementssuch. 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.
The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on masada in the desert, under siege by the romans. Dont let that put you off as this is a really good story, there is still a sense of fate and magic that runs through it as hoffman tunes into her typical language of women and a deeper magic at work. Alice hoffmans novel reimagines the firstcentury siege, through the eyes of women. I love alice hoffman and this book doesnt disappoint. Hoffman s fiction is always compelling, but the history within the dovekeepers makes this novel haunting. The dovekeepers alice hoffman read online free books. 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.
After all id done and all my sins, it came to me, unafraid. Herbs and potions, love charms and secrets, the complex intimacies between mothers and daughters. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research. I am still reeling from the dovekeepers from the history alice hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. Book looks with cathy stetson the dove keepers by alice hoffman. The dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. The dove keepers is a story about four heroic women, all different from each other, one is a warrior, one is a healer, one is a mystic, and one is leader. Apr 03, 2012 i love alice hoffman and this book doesnt disappoint. Perhaps this is a testament to hoffman s storytelling. Dec 11, 2011 the dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a jarring ride, from the loveliness of illumination night.
In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a mountain in the judean, desert, masada. 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. The novel focuses on the lives of four very different women who took refuge at masada. The first edition of the novel was published in october 4th 2011, and was written by alice hoffman. Dove keepers by alice hoffman is one terrific adventure story based on historical accounts during ancient times in old isreal. All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets about who. In her remarkable new novel, alice hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic thats quietly present in our daytoday living. In her remarkable new novel, alice hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the.
A remarkable tale of biblical history and four powerful women. The program premiered in the united states on march 31, 2015 on cbs. Aug 30, 2012 the dovekeepers is alice hoffman s masterpiece. Jun 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 504 pages and is available in hardcover format. Mar 31, 2015 the dovekeepers is based on alice hoffman s novel of the same name, which was inspired by the reallife account of the jewish war and siege of masada. The dovekeepers is alice hoffman s most ambitious and mesmerizing novel.
Oct 04, 2011 alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. The dovekeepers audiobook by alice hoffman, heather lind. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher page. Sign up for our newsletter and receive special offers, access to bonus content, and info on the latest new releases and other great ebooks from scribner.
A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a. In ad70, hoffmans characteristic elision of the magical and the quotidian finds its spiritual home. But instead of the safe suburbs of new england, we have been transported back to the first century at masada, the mountain fortress south of jerusalem. Free download or read online the dovekeepers pdf epub book. Some might say that all that alice hoffman wrote prior to the dovekeepers was just a buildup to a masterful crescendo, and that this is her greatest masterpiece. Almost too dense to bear, hoffmans 23rd novel is brimming with doom, based on the story of the mass suicide of jewish zealots at masada as. Many of her works fall into the genre of magic realism and contain elements of magic, irony, and nonstandard romances and relationships. This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice.