2013 June - The Hare with Amber Eyes - Edmund de Waal

The Hare with Amber Eyes (2010) is a family memoir by a British renowned potter Edmund de Waal. He tells the story of his family the Ephrussi, who were once a very wealthy European Jewish banking dynasty centered in Odessa, Vienna and Paris, peers of the Rothschild family.The Ephrussi lost almost everything in 1938 when their property was taken over by Nazis. After the war the family never recovered most of the their extensive property including priceless artwork, but a collection of 264 Japanese netsuke (pronounced netski) miniature sculptures was miraculously saved, tucked away inside her mattress by Anna, a loyal maid at Palais Ephrussi in Vienna, during the war years. The collection was passed down as inheritance through five generations providing a common thread to tell the story of the Ephrussi fortunes from 1871 to 2009.

The group described this is a gentle, sensitive journey through generations of one family. It describes a privileged life, which was achieved through the grain trade. In some ways it parallels the better known Rothschilds.

 It was Elizabeth Ephrussi who took charge of the family during the war years, coming back to Vienna and obtaining permits for her parents to escape.

 It is a biography and a history, and as such of course can't help being a social commentary for the times.
The group noted the rationalisations given for taking the wealth from the Jews and not giving it back after the war, even by non-Nazis.

Some sympathy was shown for Anna who managed to save all the netsukes but her own future was unknown. There is some name dropping because the Eprussis socialised with or even commissioned Monet, Proust and Renoir who are all part of their rich history.

The details of the extra asparagus amused.

All in all the book went down well.

Marks 8.5

Added notes from OL: Briefly!

 

Hare with Amaber Eyes - based on what I think I thought on reading it some time ago.

Fascinating story but hard to follow - family trees and maps could have been clearer.

Possible a bit of editing would have helped. Felt sorry fpr the maid whose fate did not seem to concern the family.

Mark 8