Lessons in Disguise, a novel, follows the journey of a handcrafted book from its printing in Virginia, 1820, to its eventual destination in California, 1975. As the book is passed from woman, to man, to child, the book owners find within its pages parables, fables, and practical lessons that help shape their lives. Stories from the eras of slavery, Civil War, women's suffrage, Jim Crow, and the Vietnam War are told by the eight caretakers of the old book, making this novel read as though it were an intimate memoir.