The Piano Lesson - Softcover
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, this modern American classic is about family, and the legacy of slavery in America.
August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson, Wilson has fashioned perhaps his most haunting and dramatic work.
August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson, Wilson has fashioned perhaps his most haunting and dramatic work.
At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their family legacy. This dilemma is the real "piano lesson," reminding us that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past and of opportunity in the present.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
August Wilson was a major American playwright whose work has been consistently acclaimed as among the finest of the American theater. Most recently, Fences was adapted into a major motion picture directed by and starring Denzel Washington. The play won numerous awards for best play of the year in 1987 including the Tony Award, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. Among other awards, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for best new play of 1984-85 and Joe Turner's Come and Gone was voted best play of 1987-1988 by the New York Drama Critics' Circle. In 1990, Wilson was awarded his second Pulitzer Prize for The Piano Lesson. August Wilson died in 2005.
Review:
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play
"Heart-stopping... The play's real music is in the language... Mr. Wilson's most virtuosic writing to date."—The New York Times
“Stupendous... rich and resonant.”—The Washington Post
“Feisty, ebullient, exuberant... Wilson is a consummate storyteller.”—Los Angeles Times
Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play
"Heart-stopping... The play's real music is in the language... Mr. Wilson's most virtuosic writing to date."—The New York Times
“Stupendous... rich and resonant.”—The Washington Post
“Feisty, ebullient, exuberant... Wilson is a consummate storyteller.”—Los Angeles Times
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPlume
- Publication date1990
- ISBN 10 0452265347
- ISBN 13 9780452265349
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages144
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 11.14
Shipping:
US$ 2.64
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Seller Image
Buy New
US$ 11.14
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson Format: Paperback
Published by
Penguin Random House
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
Softcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 0452265347
Buy New
US$ 10.17
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Published by
Penguin Books
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. pp. 128. Seller Inventory # 26774690
Buy New
US$ 11.88
Convert currency
Stock Image
Buy New
US$ 15.92
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Seller:
Rating
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Multiple Copies Available - New Condition - Never Used - DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CDs OR ACCESS CODES IF APPLICABLE. Seller Inventory # 519ZZZ06RZPX_ns
Buy New
US$ 12.31
Convert currency
Seller Image
The Piano Lesson (Paperback)
Published by
Plume Books
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. August Wilson has already given the American theater such spell-binding plays about the black experience in 20th-century America as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," " and the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Fences. In his second Pulitzer Prize-winner, The Piano Lesson," " Wilson has fashioned his most haunting and dramatic work yet. At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their family legacy. This dilemma is the real "piano lesson," reminding us that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past and of opportunity in the present. Set in 1936, The Piano Lesson is a powerful new play from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. A sister and brother fight over a piano that has been in the family for three generations, creating a remarkable drama that embodies the painful past and expectant future of black Americans. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780452265349
Buy New
US$ 16.99
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: NEW. Clean and crisp and new!. Seller Inventory # 3823053854
Buy New
US$ 18.15
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Published by
Penguin Books
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. pp. 128. Seller Inventory # 8154621
Buy New
US$ 10.26
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Published by
Plume December 1990
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
Trade Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Trade Paperback. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 37663
Buy New
US$ 14.00
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Piano Lesson
Published by
Penguin Publishing Group 1990-12-01, New York, N.Y., U.S.A.
(1990)
ISBN 10: 0452265347
ISBN 13: 9780452265349
New
paperback
Quantity: 5
Seller:
Rating
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780452265349
Buy New
US$ 14.24
Convert currency