Private Lessons
Cynthia Salaysay
(Author)
Description
In a standout debut for the #MeToo era, a young pianist devotes herself to her art -- and to the demanding, charismatic teacher she idolizes. After seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay's father's death, only music has helped her channel her grief. Claire likes herself best when she plays his old piano, a welcome escape from the sadness -- and her traditional Filipino mother's prayer groups. In the hopes of earning a college scholarship, Claire auditions for Paul Avon, a prominent piano teacher, who agrees to take Claire as a pupil. Soon Claire loses herself in Paul's world and his way of digging into a composition's emotional core. She practices constantly, foregoing a social life, but no matter how hard she works or how well she plays, it seems impossible to gain Paul's approval, let alone his affection. Author Cynthia Salaysay composes a moving, beautifully written portrait of rigorous perfectionism, sexual awakening, and the challenges of self-acceptance. Timely and vital, Private Lessons delves into a complicated student/teacher relationship, as well as class and cultural differences, with honesty and grace.Product Details
Price
$17.99
$16.55
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Publish Date
May 12, 2020
Pages
320
Dimensions
5.5 X 8.1 X 1.2 inches | 1.1 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781536209600
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Cynthia Salaysay holds a bachelor's degree in English from University of California, Berkeley, and has workshopped her fiction at Tin House. She has written food and culture articles for the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, the East Bay Express, and Civil Eats. Currently, she works as a Reiki practitioner and an operating-room nurse in Oakland, California. This is her first novel.