A potter of global renown, Edmund de Waal has crafted a literary gem with this genre-blending memoir. Intrigued by his beloved great uncle Iggie's collection of netsuke - mini Japanese wood and ivory carvings - de Waal begins to trace their history, from their acquisition by wealthy collector Charles Ephrussi, cousin of his great grandfather. In so doing the extraordinary and unlikely story behind his own family history is uncovered.