Saxophone

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. The saxophone is a contradictory instrument that has rooted itself in the soil of pop culture. It's the “devil's horn,” it's the voice of jazz – an extension of the player's soul – it is a character trait of U.S. Presidents, YouTube sensations and cartoon characters. It has both enhanced and ruined songs, it is sensuous yet abrasive, and it is the only instrument widely excluded from symphonies and orchestras, never quite being taken seriously. But this object is also symbolic of living on the margins of society; the saxophone has never been kind to its players. Blending memoir, research, and cultural criticism, Saxophone explores more than just the history of this quirky instrument. Mollie Hawkins turns the lens around to ask us all: what does it mean to love something so contradictory – even if it kills you? Can an object hold such power over us?