Host An Unforgettable Book Club Party

The Dovekeepers is the story of four Jewish women who come together during the siege of Masada in the 1st-century CE. Over 900 rebel Jewish men, women and children make a final stand against the Roman army on the mountain fortress of Masada in the Judean desert.  As the Roman Army advances, the Jewish holdouts choose suicide over Roman enslavement.  Two women and five children are known to have survived. Masada today (Unesco.org)

Book Club Party Ideas for The Dovekeepers

The Dovekeepers is set in 70 C.E. at the mountain fortress of Masada.  Masada is quite impressive.  Check out these prints available at Allposters.com which reflect the majesty and desolation of Masada.

Archaeological Site, Masada, Israel, Middle East Buy This at Allposters.com

Aerial View of the Ancient Jewish Fortress, The Ruins of Masada Buy This at Allposters.com

A great music selection for The Dovekeepers book club party would be the Middle Eastern Tuning the Soul: Worlds of Jewish Sacred Music.  It is spiritual and moving.  It also includes chants which I particularly enjoyed.
Listen to song samples from the album below.

Book Club Menu for The Dovekeepers

A book club menu for The Dovekeepers should include Israeli favorites, such as a big fresh Israeli Salad made with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, pine nuts, and other goodies.

Make plenty of Israeli Salad because it is delicious stuffed into Israeli Pitot (Pita) Bread with Falafel. Mix together some yogurt and fresh herbs, or tahini thinned with water for an optional dipping sauce.

For dessert, make a big batch of  Tahini Cookies. Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds.  It is essential to Middle Eastern cooking.  These cookies are incredible!

Book Club Resources

Ratings at the time this post was published

Discussion Questions for The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

1. Discuss the similarities and differences between the four main characters: Yael, Revka, Aziza, and Shirah.  Which character were you most drawn to and why?
2. The Dovekeepers, a historical fiction based on the siege of Masada, is obviously not going to end well.  How did this affect your reading of the book?
3. What do the doves in the novel represent?  What about the dovekeepers?
4. Discuss the following statement made by Yael about the men and women of Masada,  ”men who refused to surrender and women who were ruled by devotion”.  Do agree with Yael?  Why or why not?
5. What did you think of Channa when she was first introduced in the novel.  Did you feel differently toward her at the end?  What do you think drove her to kidnap Arieh?

Purchase The Dovekeepers at your favorite bookseller

The Author

Alice Hoffman was born in 1952 in New York. She received her BA at Adelphi University and was awarded the Edith Mirrielees Fellowship to Stanford University earning her MA in creative writing. Ms. Hoffman has over 30 published works of fiction, young adult and children’s books. She currently Live is Boston.

Other Works by Alice Hoffman

Click here to view more novels by Alice Hoffman

Personal Asides

Dear Alice Hoffman, why have I never read your works before? I am hooked. I have all three novels pictured above on my TBR list!

Do you have any other ideas or recipes for a book club party for The Dovekeepers? We would love to have you share them with us! You can leave a comment below and upload pictures as well.