A captivating blend of history, memoir, and travelogue, tracing the allure of porcelain across centuries and continents.
In The White Road, bestselling author and acclaimed ceramicist Edmund de Waal embarks on an intimate narrative journey, exploring his lifelong obsession with porcelain, or "white gold." A potter with over four decades of experience, de Waal sets out on five quests to uncover the story of this enigmatic material, visiting key sites in China, Germany, and England that illuminate porcelain's creation and enduring appeal.
From his London studio, de Waal's search takes him far beyond the history of cups and figurines, confronting some of the twentieth century's darkest moments. Part memoir, part historical chronicle, and part detective story, The White Road delves into a global obsession with alchemy, art, wealth, craft, and purity.
In a sweeping yet intimate style reminiscent of his award-winning The Hare with the Amber Eyes, de Waal offers a unique perspective on "the spectrum of porcelain," mapping a captivating tale of desire and discovery that spans the centuries and the globe.