An Inventory of Losses

In An Inventory of Losses, Judith Schalansky explores the theme of memory and extinction through twelve lost treasures, including a Caspar David Friedrich painting and a species of tiger. Drawing on meticulous research and evocative prose, she engages with the legacy of these vanished objects, prompting reflection on what it means to lose such significant artifacts. The book echoes the works of notable authors like W. G. Sebald and Rebecca Solnit, illuminating how we might think about the complexities of loss and the narratives that accompany it.