The Hare with Amber Eyes

A Hidden Inheritance

By: Edmund de Waal

Narrated by: Michael Maloney

Winner of the 2010 COSTA Biography Award. A total of 264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox: potter Edmund de Waal was entranced when he first encountered the collection in the Tokyo apartment of his Great Uncle Iggie. Later, when Edmund inherited the ‘netsuke’, they unlocked a story far larger than he could ever have imagined.…

The Ephrussis came from Odessa, and at one time were the largest grain exporters in the world; in the 1870s, Charles Ephrussi was part of a wealthy new generation settling in Paris. Marcel Proust was briefly his secretary and used Charles as the model for the aesthete Swann in Remembrance of Things Past. Charles’s passion was collecting; the netsuke, bought when Japanese objects were all the rage in the salons, were sent as a wedding present to his banker cousin in Vienna.

Later, three children - including a young Ignace - would play with the netsuke as history reverberated around them. The Anschluss and Second World War swept the Ephrussis to the brink of oblivion. Almost all that remained of their vast empire was the netsuke collection, smuggled out of the huge Viennese palace (then occupied by Hitler’s theorist on the ‘Jewish Question��), one piece at a time, in the pocket of a loyal maid – and hidden in a straw mattress.

In this stunningly original memoir, Edmund de Waal travels the world to stand in the great buildings his forebears once inhabited. He traces the network of a remarkable family against the backdrop of a tumultuous century. And, in prose as elegant and precise as the netsuke themselves, he tells the story of a unique collection which passed from hand to hand - and which, in a twist of fate, found its way home to Japan.

This audio edition also features an interview with Edmund De Waal from the Vintage Books podcast.

©2011 Edmund de Waal (P)2011 Random House Audio Go

Takes you away to a different time and place

What did you like best about The Hare with Amber Eyes? What did you like least?

I liked the sense of history. Also learning about a different times and places was interesting

What could Edmund de Waal have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

It is non-fiction. I wondered if it would have been more enjoyable as a novel. The story follows the objects rather than the people and sometimes I wanted to know more about the people.

The Hare with the Amber Eyes

A fascinating biography extensively and thoroughly researched about a fascinating family spanning both generations from the 18th centrury to present times and countries and cities from Odessa in Russia to Paris, Vienna Tokyo ending the journey in the United Kingdom.
The story is exceedingly well narrated.

Excellent!

A friend recommended this book! What a gem! I recently visited Japan but had no idea about Netsuke - wish I did. Beautifully narrated and so well written - I truly immersed myself in this book.

A moving family history explored through objects

This is an unusual unfolding of characters through a sensual written exploration of the objects these people, owned and the times and places those items were placed into. Michael Maloney reads with real grace and does not miss the beauty of a word, however archival the text becomes. There is a charming interview with the author at the end. When the emotions break forth, neither writer nor reader miss a trick in showing us stark truths about the human condition in all its horror and also in its tenderness. An important historical text made accessible by love.

A Masterpiece

I was recommended to read this book and was reluctant to do so as I knew that as the history of a jewish family in Europe it would, at some point, lead to the Holocaust (its a period of history that I find too distressing and as I have a heart condition its probably best I don't go there) but the nature of the story intrigued me - tracing the family history thru the possession of a set of Japanese carvings is not a usual means of telling a family's history.

The subplot of the book is one of belonging or rather not belonging or fitting in. The family in book were originally from Odessa and were migrants in Vienna and Paris and as such never quite were completely assimilated - little things kept them different and still tied to Odessa. Anyone who has themselves migrated to a new country knows and can rediscover that feeling of not entirely belonging to our adopted country as it is described in this book. Its so beautifully written and had me in tears.

Edmund de Waal has produced a book that is breathtaking, poignant, beautiful, rich and full of meaning. I can't recommend this book high enough. Its a beauty.

Stunning amble through time

What made the experience of listening to The Hare with Amber Eyes the most enjoyable?

The concept of following objects through time worked so well. If you love a bit of art history told with the emphasis on history not technique you will enjoy the journey.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Hare with Amber Eyes?

There were many moments that I still reflect upon but returning to find the objects after WWII via the loyal maid was very touching. Also finding out about his favourite uncle's life.

What does Michael Maloney bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Not sure as I think I would have loved the book just as much if I'd read it, but he does do the brilliant writing justice.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful story well told

Where does The Hare with Amber Eyes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Definitely in the top 10.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author.

What does Michael Maloney bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I don't know because I didn't experience the physical book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes.

Any additional comments?

The addition of the podcast interview at the end was really interesting and a nice touch.

Amazing 😻

Amber eyes clay person this
S was not to talk Blur ably
Town no encounter but

Hare's eyes start to shine in Vienna

de Waal says "I was a potter who wrote books no one read"and "the moment when I knew I could write was with the Vienna chapters."
In the early part of this book,I asked whether I wanted to hear this detailed account of his forebears in Paris in the 1800s and these netsuke that they acquired but it was being so well read I was carried along into this moving & poignant account of the path through Paris to Vienna and then expulsion in World War 2 by Hitler . This path takes these netsuke to Japan and then to their now life with de Waal's family in England.Go with them.

Slow start but gets much better as it goes on.

Almost gave this up but it did improve and I am glad I persevered.
The book is historical, it introduced me to 'netsuke' and led on to do some research on these delightful carvings. The authors descriptions of buildings makes one look at buildings in a different way.
. Very interesting interview with author at end.