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 s...