A belated response - I have almost finished this book, which has been wonderful to read. The book`s scope is fantastic and I was gripped by Edmund De Waal`s family and their interests and experiences - as well as the cultural connections they had. Imagine having an ancestor who may have been a moodel for Swann, or commissioned paintings from grat french painters, or a grandmother who corresponded with Rilke. Yet I found all the characters in the book very engaging despite their ernomous wealth and privilege, and I really wanted to know what happened to them.