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

Better than the printed version IMO

If you could sum up The Hare with Amber Eyes in three words, what would they be?

Sumptuous historical mystery!

What did you like best about this story?

Michael Maloney is a superb narrator for this wonderful multi-faceted historical family memoir. Got the book in whisper-sync and read it half-and-half on kindle app and listened. Maloney has the golden voice of a Shakespearean actor (sounds a bit like Richard Burton but not nearly as hammy) and reads the book with great flair and enthusiasm, so that even the occasional dry parts with the lists of endless objects in the Ephrussi households are very engaging to listen to. One of the nicest voices of any narrator I have listened to so far.

The story itself is gripping--I had a certain interest in netsuke (though knew little), but found myself completely engrossed and fascinated in all sections of the book except maybe the epilogue, where de Waal describes how he can't let go of the book; he's already made that obvious, so I don't think he needed to add that little bit, but it was interesting to hear him make the analogy with his pottery making, which is always about letting go of the beautiful objects that he sells.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Most moving was the takeover by the Nazis of the Palais Ephrussi in Vienna. This old couple are suddenly prisoners in 2 little windowless rooms of this fantastic fairytale palace, and even though they can exit the grounds, there is no place where Jews are allowed anywhere in the whole city--not even a park bench! Very touching. Also touching is the return of the netsuke to a prominent place in the elegant living room of Uncle Iggie, the author's great uncle, in his elegant house in Tokyo.

Any additional comments?

Will look for more books narrated by Michael Maloney.

Simple love it !

Learned so much , traveled to so many places and felt these people personal pain and joys.

Wow

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

I have not read a better book. A tremendous surprise.

What other book might you compare The Hare with Amber Eyes to and why?

Maybe "A Little Life" because of it's poignancy. In both books, the authors get to the profoundly challenging parts, hit and then move on. They let their word-smithing talent make the point.

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

Maloney is superb. His narration was made for the book. Perfect

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Cry, yes. Laugh, once or twice toward the end. Not really a comedy!

Any additional comments?

Sorry to gush over this book but I really didn't know what I was getting into when I started it. Perhaps if I'd know how exceptional it was going to turn out to be I wouldn't be so nuts over it. I'm almost tempted to give it a bad review just so you'll enjoy it that much more (like i did) but then you might not read it at all and that would be a loss.

an artfill family history explodes with relevance

just loved the way the author took us to the places and times of his immediate forebears. breathtaking detail you suddenly realise touches the most significant rupture in the fabric of 20th century Europe. we are there with him fingering the netsuke, the magnificent small sculptures of Japan that stitch all of us into the trauma of our times. Not to be missed.

I only wished for more

The book was recommended to me thus: "It has everything you like! Art, literature, Proust, Paris, Vienna, fin de siecle, WWI, Japan, etc" I could not agree more, yet that barely does it justice...it ponders huge questions so nimbly and entertainingly that you might be excused to call it memoire or history, but it is more like a run on essay...and I would not have minded it running on and on.
The reader is one of the best I have ever heard...perfectly credible moving among languages and a variety of nationalities of names. Truly great

Great narrator. Interesting historical story.

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

The narrator is fantastic, but I am not moved by the story. Too complicated for me to listen to -- would prefer to read it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Edmund de Waal? Why or why not?

Possibly, but I would read it.

Lovely history memoir

This was a little slow at first, but once I got with the ruminative rhythm of it, I really enjoyed it. It's poetic nature is charming and an apt complimentary style to it's subject matter, the tiny and exquisite sculptures.

A spectacular family odyssey

Truly a journey in space and time. I listened to this while in Vienna, and history came alive around me as I did. It is a remarkably well-told story. The family history of the author, his pursuit of that very same history and the winds of change in generations of European macro politics are beautifully spun together.

Don't listen - read the book

This is a slow-moving documentary type. I kept skipping ahead hoping for interesting anecdotes. Gave up altogether about 1/2-way through. Unless you are supremely interested in the history of this particular set of Japanese figurines, I cannot imagine how you'll get through this. It might be better actually reading rather listening, but I doubt it.

so good!

title, subject, etc all seemed slightly odd when a friend told me to read it asap. what a special and very moving story. what a find! loved it from start to finish.