Sub-title: A Hidden Inheritance
This was a dreamy, meandering book for my first read of the New Year. The author is a descendant of the Ephrussi Family, a very wealthy banking dynasty that originated in Russia in the mid-1800s and expanded across Paris, Vienna and Britain. The business was taken over in Austria by the Nazis and the family scattered across the globe. Throughout that timeframe, one of the author's great-uncles collected Japanese netsukes, small, intricate carvings that served as buttons to secure a man's kimono. Edmund traces the path of these treasures he eventually inherits and along the way unveils the family history.
I loved how he used letters, official records, family stories and reminiscences to weave together the art and family. I read the version with pictures of the netsukes and family photos that made what would have been a historical accounting into a fascinating, melancholy tale of a time, a place and a family.
The author is a renowned ceramic pottery artist and his eye for art and craftsmanship carries over to his descriptions of the characters and their lives. I found it a fascinating read.
Published: 2010 Read: January 2022 Genre: Memoir
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