The story of a life. The story of the year.Lessons shows McEwan at the very peak of his powers. He has written his masterpiece Daily TelegraphWhen the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has descended young Roland Bainess life is turned upside down. Stranded at boarding school his vulnerability attracts his piano teacher Miriam Cornell leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade.Twentyfive years later Rolands wife mysteriously vanishes and he is left alone with their baby son. Her disappearance sparks of journey of discovery that will continue for decades as Roland confronts the reality of his rootless existence and attempts to embrace the uncertainty and freedom of his future.Ian McEwan is a masterful storyteller Elif ShafakA beautiful book about love loss and regret ObserverLuminous beautifully written... about lives imperfectly lived VogueA whole unruly life between the covers of a single book a literary feat SpectatorA tour de force... A single life is silhouetted against global happenings Sunday Times A Book of the Year for The Times Sunday Times Financial Times Spectator New Statesman Washington Post Vogue and New Yorker