Hare with Amber Eyes

Edmund de Waal states in this interview that he found himself particularly charmed by Charles during his research. Who was your favourite character in the book and why?

Much of The Hare with Amber Eyes is about trying to discover who people are by the objects they own and the objects they value. Do you think this is a good way to find out about people?

Do you have any inherited objects? What stories do they tell?

What do your favourite belongings say about you, and what conclusions do you think would be drawn if one of your descendants investigated you in this way?

Why do you think Edmund de Waal was unable to trace Anna?

In the interview above, Edmund de Waal says, ‘Objects need biography – there aren’t many books out there that take objects themselves seriously.’ What do you think he means by this, and do you agree

Some non-fiction history books fill in the gaps in available evidence by reconstructing the past, for example, by imagining possible conversations and thoughts. Edmund de Waal mainly avoids this, and concentrates on giving the reader concrete facts or relating first-hand anecdotes. Which technique do you prefer?

Have you ever tried to trace your own family history? If so, what did you find?

In his Guardian essay, de Waal closes with a series of questions: ‘What did these small things mean? Why does touch matter? And what survives?’ What do you think?

The online resources listed here give links to galleries of the netsuke. Which netsuke appeals to you most? Would you have entitled the book The Hare with Amber Eyes, or something completely different?