Dear Great Book Guru,
I was at the Beach Cleanup this week and met so many great new people.
One of them mentioned a book which was about beautiful little animal figurines but
was really the history of an extraordinary family. Sounds strange, I know, but she
said it was fascinating… Any thoughts? Lover of Sea Cliff Beach
Dear Lover of Sea Cliff Beach, The beach looks spectacular and thanks to all
of those who came out on Saturday to take part in the cleanup! THE HARE WITH
AMBER EYES by Edmund De Waal is a story of gains and losses, triumph and defeat,
things large and small… spread over many years and many countries. The
book begins in Paris 1871. Charles
Ephrussi, the fabulously wealthy son of a fabulously wealthy family amasses a
large collection of netsuke- tiny Japanese
animal carvings- none bigger than a matchbook. We travel across Europe
into the lavish, art-filled homes of the Ephrussis with the book ending in
Tokyo 2007 where one of the remaining family members has settled; much has gone on in between. The Ephrussis were Russian Jews who began a grain
business in the early 1800’s and then branched out over Europe making fortunes
in a myriad of fields. However, their wealth could not shield them from the
virulent anti-Semitism of twentieth century Europe. Eventually, the family is disbursed over three
continents, possessions gone, and lives destroyed. Throughout, we follow the netsuke collection
as it comes to represent the Ephrussis’s strength and vulnerability. Highly
recommended!
No comments:
Post a Comment