From the author of Women from the Ankle Down comes a lively cultural biography of diamonds; which explores our societyrsquo;s obsession with the worldrsquo;s most brilliant gemstone and the real-world characters who make them shine.ldquo;A diamond is forever.rdquo; Who among us doesnrsquo;t recognize this phrase and; with it; the fascination that these shiny gemstones hold in our collective imagination as symbols of royalty; stars; and eternal love? But who gave us this catchphrase? Where do these gemstones and their colorful legacies originate? How did they become our culturersquo;s symbol of engagement and marriage? Why have they retained their coveted status throughout the centuries?Rachelle Bergsteinrsquo;s cultural biography of the diamond illuminates the enticing; often surprising story of our societyrsquo;s enduring obsession with the hardest gemstonemdash;and the people who have worked tirelessly to ensure its continued allure. From the South African mines where most diamonds have been sourced since the late 1890s to the companies who have fought to monopolize them; from the stars who have dazzled in them to the people behind the scenes who have carefully crafted our understanding of their valuemdash;Brilliance and Fire offers a glittering history of the worldrsquo;s most coveted gemstone and its greatest champions and most colorful enthusiasts.Brilliance and Fire is illustrated with 16 pages of color photographs.
#3789987 in eBooks 2015-09-04 2015-09-04File Name: B014XMDVVU
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