The Hare with Amber Eyes

In "The Hare with Amber Eyes," world-renowned ceramicist Edmund de Waal embarks on a captivating journey to uncover the story behind a collection of 264 exquisite Japanese netsuke. Inheriting these tiny wood and ivory carvings, de Waal is driven by a desire to understand their hidden lives and how they survived the tumultuous 20th century. His quest evolves into a profound memoir and detective story, tracing the lineage of his family, the Ephrussis, a once-illustrious banking dynasty comparable to the Rothschilds, across five generations in 19th-century Paris and Vienna. As he delves into their opulent rise and devastating fall, particularly during the Nazi occupation of Vienna, the netsuke become poignant symbols. They were all that remained of the Ephrussi's vast empire, hidden away to escape destruction. De Waal masterfully weaves together art history, personal memoir, and a sweeping family saga, offering a tender and meticulously researched exploration of memory, loss, and resilience through the lens of these small, precious objects.