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Stoned

Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World

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Stoned

Written by: Aja Raden
Narrated by: Justine Eyre
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About this listen

What makes a stone a jewel? What makes a jewel priceless? And why do we covet beautiful things? In this brilliant account of how eight jewels shaped the course of history, jeweler and scientist Aja Raden tells an original and often startling story about our unshakeable addiction to beauty and the darker side of human desire.

What moves the world is what moves each of us: desire. Jewelry - which has long served as a stand-in for wealth and power, glamour and success - has birthed cultural movements, launched political dynasties, and started wars. Masterfully weaving together pop science and history, Stoned breaks history into three categories - want, take, and have - and explains what the diamond on your finger has to do with the GI Bill, why green-tinted jewelry has been exalted by so many cultures, why the glass beads that bought Manhattan for the Dutch were initially considered a fair trade, and how the French Revolution started over a coveted necklace. Studded with lively personalities and fascinating details, Stoned tells the remarkable story of our abiding desire for the rare and extraordinary.

©2015 Aja Raden (P)2016 Tantor Crafts & Hobbies Sociology World War Imperialism Military French Revolution France Royalty
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What the critics say

" Stoned is an intriguing take on world history with plenty of adornment and anecdote to entertain us along the way." ( Self Awareness)

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Profile Image for tegan

Very interesting

Learned a lot about gems, history and human nature. Enjoyed the reader as well.

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A brilliant cut

a vast look at true history
of all things in modern civilization
truly mind boggling

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