They would take him home and wrap him in a blanket and Hannah would feed him sugar water from the tip of her finger. In no time he would be hopping around the house, perching on the staircase and on the brass rods above the damask curtains. By the time spring had fully bloomed, he would be flying. He would never be far from the girl who had been born on a snowy day, whose father had come home from the sea so that he could tell her every story he knew, whose sister took her in her arms to read to her, whose mother would teach her all she needed to know. This is how you begin in this world. These are the lessons to be learned. Drink chamomile tea to calm the spirit. Feed a cold and starve a fever. Read as many books as you can. Always choose courage. Never watch another woman burn. Know that love is the only answer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Carolyn Reidy, for all that she did for literature and publishing, and for her extraordinary kindness to me.

Gratitude to everyone at Simon & Schuster for their ongoing support, most especially Marysue Rucci. Thank you, Jonathan Karp. Many thanks to Richard Rhorer, Wendy Sheanin, Zachary Knoll, Anne Pearce Tate, Elizabeth Breeden, Angela Ching, Hana Park, Samantha Hoback, Carly Loman, and Jackie Seow. Thanks also to Richard Willett.

Gratitude to Suzanne Baboneau at S&S UK for so many books over so many years.

Gratitude always to Amanda Urban and Ron Bernstein.

Thank you to Denise Di Novi for believing in magic for twenty-five years.

Thank you, Joyce Tenneson, for your amazing photography.

Thanks to Sue Standing for your early reading of the novel.

Thank you to Miriam Feuerle and everyone at the Lyceum Agency.

Gratitude and love to the bookstores who have always championed my novels.

My deep gratitude to Madison Wolters for continuing assistance and literary insights. Thank you to Deborah Revzin for help in matters both practical and magical. Thank you, Rikki Angelides, for joining in with grace and enthusiasm.

A most special thank-you to my readers, who asked to know how the story began.

More from the Author
The World That We Knew	Echoes
Faerie Knitting	The Rules of Magic
Faithful	The Marriage of Opposites

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

This reading group guide for Magic Lessons includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Alice Hoffman. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.

Introduction

In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem and matriarch of the amazing Owens family featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.