Edmund de Waal Interviewed by James Naughtie

Porcelain artist, potter and author Edmund de Waal and journalist James Naughtie launch a new annual talk in memory of the Oxford literary agent Felicity Bryan by discussing their friendship with her and by discussing de Waal’s new book Letters to Camondo.

De Waal’s book is dedicated to his agent, Felicity Bryan, who founded the Oxford independent literary agency, Felicity Bryan Associates, in 1988. Bryan died in 2020. She was a popular figure in literary circles and a great supporter of the Oxford Literary Festival. De Waal will discuss his friendship with Felicity Bryan before discussing his latest book. Letters to Camondo is an exploration of the collection of French 18th-century art held in the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris and of the history of the Camondo family. It is written in the form of letters to Count Moïse de Camondo, who built the collection for his son and heir Nissim. Nissim died in World War I, and the collection was bequeathed to France on the count’s death.

‘Letters to Camondo immerses you in another age . . . de Waal creates a dazzling picture of what it means to live graciously’ Financial Times

De Waal is known for his large-scale installations of porcelain vessels, which have been exhibited across the world. His family memoir, The Hare with Amber Eyes, won many awards and was an international bestseller. He is also author of The White Road, a portrait of his lifelong obsession with porcelain.

Naughtie was also represented by Felicity Bryan. He is best known as presenter of BBC Radio Four’s World at One and then of the Today Programme. His books include The Rivals, a portrait of the Blair-Brown relationship, the political thrillers, The Madness of July  and Paris Spring, and the political travel memoir, On the Road: Adventures from Nixon to Trump.