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Utz
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
8 posts | 5 read | 4 to read
Utz collects Meissen porcelain with a passion. His collection, which he has protected and enlarged through both World War II and Czechoslovakia's years of Stalinism, numbers more than 1,000 pieces, all crammed into his two-room Prague flat. Utz is allowed to leave the country each year, and although he has considered defection, he always returns. He cannot take his precious collection with him, but he cannot leave it, either. And so Utz is as much owned by his porcelain as it is owned by him, as much of a prisoner of the collection as of the Communist state. A fascinating, enigmatic man, Kaspar Utz is one of Bruce Chatwin's finest creations. And his story, as delicately cast as one of Utz's porcelain figures, is unforgettable.
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review
TheEllieMo
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this little gem of a book. It comes in at only 155 pages but Chatwin says so much within those pages in this elegant novel about a collector of Meissen porcelain in Communist-era Prague.

Second finish for #RushAThon #Readathon

@Andrew65
@DieAReader
@GHABI4ROSES

Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 8mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 8mo
29 likes2 comments
blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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#AlphabetGame

Not many #letterU books to choose from, I think I‘ve only read two. First is the tagged book, very interesting and witty.
Another interesting read was Under The Skin by Michel Faber, strange and grotesque.

BarbaraBB I chose Under the Skin 😀 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 📚 2y
37 likes2 comments
review
suzie.reads
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed this got so much into a very short story. Witty, intelligent and stylish writing from the talented Chatwin
#ReadingEurope2020 #CzechRepublic #Slovakia 🇨🇿🇸🇰 (21st & 22nd countries)

review
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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Pickpick

My first Chatwin and caught me by surprise. Set during the communist era in Czech 1960s, it‘s about an eccentric art dealer living in Prague who is obsessed with and owned an amazing and priceless collection of Meissen porcelain figurines. It tells how he became the ‘prisoner of his own collection‘. It‘s a little gem of a book about obsession, art collection, human nature, and oppression under the communist regime. Witty and entertaining. 👇

erzascarletbookgasm Had me looking up information about the history of Meissen porcelains. An eye-opening read for me. Good read! #litsyclassics #u
5y
batsy This sounds very intriguing! 5y
TrishB Great review 👍🏻 look how books make you go away and learn more! 5y
Jee_HookedOnBookz Wow sounds like a book I'd wanna read! Love intriguing stories like this! 5y
74 likes2 stack adds4 comments
quote
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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‘At last, when they had gone, he gazed miserably at his miniature family. He felt abused and assaulted. He felt like a man who, on returning from a journey, finds his house has been burgled. He summoned up a few vague thoughts of suicide. There wasn‘t much-was there?-to live for. But no! He wasn‘t the type. He would never work out the courage. But could he bring himself to leave the collection?‘

I‘m learning some history of Meissen porcelain. 🧐

mellissimo I'm living in the neighbourhood of Meißen! I'm still amazed by how famous it is around the world. I always thought is was more a regional thing but then I saw it everywhere during holidays in Japan ^^ 5y
julesG @mellissimo Some of the first Chinese exchange students I taught went crazy over Meissener porcelain. They bought a lot of things and took them home. Until then I knew it was a thing but not that it's that much of a thing. 5y
erzascarletbookgasm @mellissimo that‘s cool! I‘ve just googled MeiBen and it looks beautiful! I‘ve not heard of Meissen porcelains until now 😊 5y
57 likes3 comments
blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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ephemeralwaltz Cool photo! 6y
britt_brooke Nice photo! 6y
mabell Very cool! 6y
Kalalalatja Great photo! 6y
Bklover This photo makes me happy! 6y
100 likes5 comments
blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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I have no shortage of books with #red spines. Part of my Vintage Red collection. 😊
#readingresolutions

Cathythoughts Cider with Rosie ❤️❤️❤️Oh I loved that years ago 6y
emilyhaldi Love 😍 6y
youneverarrived 😍😍 6y
See All 6 Comments
LeahBergen I love Vintage spines. ❤️ 6y
Kalalalatja Yes! 😍😍 6y
Tanisha_A Woah! 😍 6y
75 likes6 comments
blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
Utz | Bruce Chatwin
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Very much liking this Vintage cover edition, which makes it to my list of #litsyclassics AtoZ.

#readingresolutions #stripes @Jess7

Mdargusch Very cool! 6y
MayJasper Great stripes 6y
RohitSawant Awesome! 6y
See All 6 Comments
Lacythebookworm Great cover! 6y
Kalalalatja 😍😍 6y
Jess7 Pretty! 6y
83 likes6 comments