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Utz

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The audio edition of Utz by Bruce Chatwin.

Bruce Chatwin's bestselling novel traces the fortunes of the enigmatic and unconventional hero, Kaspar Utz. Despite the restrictions of Cold War Czechoslovakia, Utz asserts his individuality through his devotion to his precious collection of Meissen porcelain. Although Utz is permitted to leave the country each year, and considers defecting each time, he is not allowed to take his porcelain with him and so he always returns to his Czech home, a prisoner both of the Communist state and of his collection.

 Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Political Satire Comedy

Critic reviews

Not a word is wasted in the telling of this tale. Each sentence is fashioned, polished, and put into place with microscopic care
This shiny little novel is not just about pretty porcelain figurines but about dirty great issues of life and creativity
With Chatwin, the real excitement derives from an intellectual drama, in dialogues about art as a surrogate creation, a robbery of divine power, and art collecting as idolatry...For Chatwin, ideas are the supreme fictions
Bruce Chatwin at his most erudite and evocative
All stars
Most relevant
A poised reflection of the passions of collecting and an evocation of Central Europe. It is a true story and it is not. Bruce Chatwin writes elegantly about Meissen and about Utz who is rather unattractive in his manipulation of women. But all ends delightfully romantically, or it does not, clearly read and a delight, full of sly wit. You don’t need to know anything of antiques to enjoy this.

Stylish novella

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