The other day

 I finished an excellent book, The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman.  It is primarily the stories of four different women, how they came to be at Masada around 70 CE,  and their lives there. The writing is excellent and well researched, so it is enjoyable from that standpoint alone, but there were some extra connecting points for me. In the spring of 1997 there was an exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art about Masada (which of course I went to!), with artifacts that

represent both the life and death of a group of Jews who rebelled against Roman rule, leading to the Roman's destruction of Jerusalem.

One of several other connecting points was Hoffman's descriptions of women gathering in the evenings to weave, and one of the characters designing a "new to them" pattern from a scrap of fabric she had.
I hadn't read this book before now, but had suggested it to our book group based on the recommend of several friends. I am very glad I have read it and would strongly endorse it to others to read. Now I just need to come up with a few discussion topics (in addition to the questions in the included "reader's guide").