The Hare with Amber Eyes

A Hidden Inheritance

By: Edmund de Waal

Narrated by: Michael Maloney

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

The Ephrussis were a grand banking family, as rich and respected as the Rothschilds, who “burned like a comet” in 19th-century Paris and Vienna society. Yet by the end of World War II, almost the only thing remaining of their vast empire was a collection of 264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox.

The renowned ceramicist Edmund de Waal became the fifth generation to inherit this small and exquisite collection of netsuke. Entranced by their beauty and mystery, he determined to trace the story of his family through the story of the collection. The netsuke—drunken monks, almost-ripe plums, snarling tigers—were gathered by Charles Ephrussi at the height of the Parisian rage for all things Japanese. Charles had shunned the place set aside for him in the family business to make a study of art, and of beautiful living. An early supporter of the Impressionists, he appears, oddly formal in a top hat, in Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party. Marcel Proust studied Charles closely enough to use him as a model for the aesthete and lover Swann in Remembrance of Things Past.

Charles gave the carvings as a wedding gift to his cousin Viktor in Vienna; his children were allowed to play with one netsuke each while they watched their mother, the Baroness Emmy, dress for ball after ball. Her older daughter grew up to disdain fashionable society. Longing to write, she struck up a correspondence with Rilke, who encouraged her in her poetry.

The Anschluss changed their world beyond recognition. Ephrussi and his cosmopolitan family were imprisoned or scattered, and Hitler’s theorist on the “Jewish question” appropriated their magnificent palace on the Ringstrasse. A library of priceless books and a collection of Old Master paintings were confiscated by the Nazis. But the netsuke were smuggled away by a loyal maid, Anna, and hidden in her straw mattress. Years after the war, she would find a way to return them to the family she’d served even in their exile.

In The Hare with Amber Eyes, Edmund de Waal unfolds the story of a remarkable family and a tumultuous century. Sweeping yet intimate, it is a highly original meditation on art, history, and family, as elegant and precise as the netsuke themselves.

©2010 Edmund de Waal (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

totally fascinating

This is an amazing history of the very distinguished Ephrussi family written from the 'inside' by a member of the family. If books can be said to have a 'forth wall', de Waal breaks it, describing his own own interactions with the places and people in his history as well as the history itself. The netsuke, tiny Japanese figures often made of ivory, provide the structure around which the events unfold and give the book its title. The stories of several generations of Ephrussis, offer unique insights into history. The anti-semitism of late 19th Century Paris revealed by Charles' interactions with Degas and Renoir, The disbelief of the Vienna branch of the family as Hitler loomed. The comforts a rich and cultured uncle could enjoy in post-war Japan,

This is a wonderful book and a delight to listen to. The exhibit at The Jewish Museum in New York City is the perfect compliment to the book - all the netsuke are there, as are paintings the family collected, family portraits, and contemporary photographs of spectacular former Ephrussi homes.

One of the best books I've ever read

Beautifully written, moving, and important. A stunning piece of history and a work of art in itself. I didn't want it to end.

Fascinating story, unusual focus

This story focuses on 'netsuke', tiny Japanese carvings which were fashionable in Paris during La Belle Epoque. The narrative wanders among the lives of the family who owned a particular collection of netsuke through Paris, Vienna and Tokyo with a few stops in other cities for background. Because the family was one of the wealthy Jewish banking families of the late 19th century and early 20th century, the story of the 'netsuke' illuminates some of the significant political, economic and cultural trends in which the family was involved,. In particular the role of the first Effrusi owner of the 'bibelots' in the high culture of Paris at the turn of the century is examined in letters and novels of the period. The story then travels to the transformation of Vienna from the capital of a splendid empire to the forefront of National Socialism, and makes a stop in the postwar period in Japan. The role of the objects we own and value is examined from multiple planes, much like through different sides of a prism.

I found the book very satisfying but found the performance frustrating at times. It was well read in terms of speed but the tone was at times overly dramatic. Also, the accent of the narrator was very pleasing and upper class (which matched the narrative) but he gets a bit carried away with the sound of his own voice and this sometimes distracted from the story. I have actually purchased a copy of the book because I would just like to read the story without the dramatic intonation. And despite sounding like he has an ear for languages, the narrator misprounounces a LOT of the foreign words, including 'netsuke'. If you listen to the podcast interview that follows the book, the pronunciation by the author and the interviewer makes it clear that it is mispronounced throughout the book. That was my only complaint with this recording. HIghly recommended book otherwise, especially for anyone interested in turn of the century culture and art.

Remarkable and compellingly

Edmund de Waal writes movingly and with great depth about small objects, and the generations of his family through which they passed, tossed by historic events. A surprisingly personal story that takes us from Edo era Japan, to 19th Cent Europe of La Belle Époque, the tumultuous decades 20th Century, and up to today.

Michael Maloney has a great voice for this, and narrates with passion. Unfortunately there are a number of errors (mostly of pronunciation) which I found distracting. I’m surprised that no one caught these mistakes in the proofing stage

However, these relatively small complaints do not ruin what is a remarkable book

vivid historical portrait of privilege and loss

This story was compelling, I couldn't wait to listen to more.
The celebrated characters living in a moment of mounting horror
was unsettling and yet i smiled and wept with appreciation for hearing
the detailed description of that time period told with such beauty.

Lovely revisiting of a favourite book

As a maker myself, interested in materiality, touch, family history and place, Edmund de Waal's book was right up my alley when I first read it some years ago. Having some long studio days ahead, I decided to treat myself to the audiobook version, good narrative company while stitching. The story stood up to this second visit, in fact, since I was listening rather than (perhaps) scanning ahead, I think I got more out of the book this time around, and am more in awe than ever of de Waal's research and storytelling capacity. Michael Maloney reads the tale perfectly, with deft touches for the foreign accents (Japanese, French, German, Dutch) and a lovely natural engagement with the unfolding tale. I will definitely look for more books narrated by him. A real pleasure -- completed too soon!

Rich history of and affluent and despised family

such an incredible story of the lives of an affluent family who are despised for being Jewish. It is richly told over approximately a century and three incredibly bastions of culture and refinement.

beautiful!

starts out slow but builds with a melodic poetry of prose. I had heard of this book but it stunned me later with the richness of the telling of the story and the intricacy of its detail. read lyrically too. obviously the writer has an artist's vision.

Discover family history through art collection

This book got good reviews so I wanted to read it. It did not disappoint. The narration by Michael Maloney was a little overly dramatic, but didn't turn me off. The history of Edmund de Waal's family was fascinating and somewhat sad. The fact that they were enormously wealthy did not protect them, as jews, from WWI and WW2. They lost pretty much everything except for this large collection of netsuke, small ivory and/or wooden ornaments originally carved for samuri warriors to wear on their belts. Despite the dramatic narration, I would definitely recommend this book.

Compelling Story but poorly narrated

Would you try another book from Edmund de Waal and/or Michael Maloney?

I am not sure. I thought the story was incredibly compelling because of the subject matter and the close personal access the author had with historic figures

How could the performance have been better?

I really didn't like the way the narrator talks. There were many times that I wanted to stop because of the way the narrator.