Lessons

by Lee Zacharias

Jane Hurdle wants to be a concert clarinetist, but circumstances cause her to return home from college and become the lover of her former music teacher in the early 1960s.

342 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 1981

About the author

Lee Zacharias is the author of three novels, a collection of essays, and a book of short stories. She has published numerous essays, short stories, and photographs and has been reprinted in Best American Essays. She was the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council, and has taught at Princeton University and the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Reviews

[Mary Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Lee Zacharias, but in all honesty I read this novel over thirty years ago and did not like it, but could not remember why. So this time through I remember; I really can not stand the main character. She holds so tightly to her resentments and makes her life much more difficult than it needs to be, all the time blaming everyone but herself. At times she has empathetic thoughts but you would never know, given her behavior. What makes me sad is that Lee writes so beautifully, I really want to love this, but no.

[Joan Barton · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this book in 1982

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: Lee Zacharias was my professor, mentor and advisor at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She taught several courses I took and I credit her with both introducing me to Louise Erdich and inspiring me to write fiction at a time when I could be inspired to do little else.

"Lessons" is a solid, occasionally bracing coming-of-age novel about a young classical musician and her relationships with her teachers. It's honest, well-executed and deserves to still be in print. And I'm not just saying that because I like the author.

[Mim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this many years ago, and was thinking of re-reading it. I remember liking it very much. Especially because of an incident that is included that I remember happening when I was a child. I know the author and just purchased her new novel.