Journal Entry 1 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, July 02, 2011

Description from Amazon
264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox: potter Edmund de Waal was entranced when he first encountered the collection in the Tokyo apartment of his great uncle Iggie. Later, when Edmund inherited the ‘netsuke’, they unlocked a story far larger than he could ever have imagined…
The Ephrussis came from Odessa, and at one time were the largest grain exporters in the world; in the 1870s, Charles Ephrussi was part of a wealthy new generation settling in Paris. Charles’s passion was collecting; the netsuke, bought when Japanese objets were all the rage in the salons, were sent as a wedding present to his banker cousin in Vienna.
Later, three children – including a young Ignace – would play with the netsuke as history reverberated around them. The Anschluss and Second World War swept the Ephrussis to the brink of oblivion. Almost all that remained of their vast empire was the netsuke collection, dramatically saved by a loyal maid when their huge Viennese palace was occupied.
In this stunningly original memoir, Edmund de Waal travels the world to stand in the great buildings his forebears once inhabited. He traces the network of a remarkable family against the backdrop of a tumultuous century and tells the story of a unique collection.

About the Author
Edmund de Waal's porcelain is shown in many museum collections round the world and he has recently made installations for the V&A and Tate Britain. He was apprenticed as a potter, studied in Japan and read English at Cambridge. He is Professor of Ceramics at the University of Westminster and lives in London with his family.  

Journal Entry 2 by Cassiopaeia at Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I think the premise for this story is wonderful, I’m a great lover of netsuke, but unfortunately de Waal didn’t quite bring it off. The earliest part is very hard to connect with; it was probably quite difficult to write, as there is no direct link with Charles, his life is at too far a distance. You can feel the author struggling to recreate him with facts, snippets and impressive names from the period. Once we get to Viktor and Emmy things improve, after all, their eldest daughter was de Waal’s grandmother, Elizabeth, whom he knew as a child and Iggie their son. Here the connections are more powerful and more personal. But still I felt the netsuke were divided from the story, I never felt that a balance was achieved between them and the family story. I thought perhaps it would have been a much better tale, had it been written as fiction (much as Elizabeth had attempted to do) rather than trying to pull the research together, unfortunately for me it lacked cohesion. There were probably two separate stories to tell here, one a family history and the other of the endurance and travails of these beautiful little carvings. It would take a very skilled writer indeed to do justice to both.. 

Journal Entry 3 by Cassiopaeia at Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, October 22, 2011

Released 7 mos ago (10/24/2011 UTC) at Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling to Pookledo.

Journal Entry 4 by Pookledo at Loughborough, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, November 07, 2011

So sorry I haven't journalled this before. I thought I had done. oops!

Thanks loads for sending it to me. Much appreciated. Will be sending it on it's travels soon :) 

Journal Entry 5 by Pookledo at By Post RABCK in RABCK, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Sunday, November 13, 2011

Released 6 mos ago (11/13/2011 UTC) at By Post RABCK in RABCK, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Potsing to my secret santa partner. Hope you like it! 

Journal Entry 6 by Lizzy-stardust at Salford, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Another great surprise!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!