Book details

The Heartless Stone

A Journey Through the World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire

Author: Tom Zoellner

The Heartless Stone

The Heartless Stone

$11.99

About This Book

In 2000, Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said, "yes" and then, suddenly, walked out of his life making Tom the owner of a used engagement ring. Instead...

Page Count
304
Genre
On Sale
04/01/2007

Book Details

In 2000, Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said, "yes" and then, suddenly, walked out of his life making Tom the owner of a used engagement ring. Instead of hitting the self-help shelves of his local bookstore, he hit the road travelling to diamond mines in Africa, Canada, India, Brazil and Russia to discover the true worth of this shining gem. He travelled to Japan to understand how diamonds were linked with engagements and delved into the history of our own American romance with the diamond ring. He gained entry to DeBeers, the London diamond merchants. He visited shopping mall jewellers with starry-eyed couples. Through all of his travels, he searched for an answer to the question "How has one stone created empires, ruined lives, inspired lust and emptied wallets throughout history?" A diamond version of Susan Orleans's The Orchid Thief, Tom Zoellner's The Heartless Stone is a journey to the cold heart of the world's most unyielding gem.

Imprint Publisher

St. Martin's Press

ISBN

9781429910125

In The News

“[A] dazzling display of intrepid reporting.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Exhaustively researched and beautifully written.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Zoellner has an eye for the telling detail, a nose for trouble, and an ability to quickly re-create a scene's mood and sense of place. Wherever he is, he puts you there. . . . A graceful, well-documented tour through decades of diamond-related lore.” —Salon.com

“An illuminating exposé of a mineral and an industry.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Still want a diamond? Before laying out your cash, Zoellner advises that you first understand its origins. . . . An informative book that's equal parts history and travelogue.” —Rocky Mountain News

“Riveting . . . A fascinating story.” —The Arizona Republic

“A sobering and well-reported look at today's diamond culture.” —The Salt Lake Tribune

“Eye-opening . . . With a sharp narrative style and wealth of detail, The Heartless Stone cuts through the sparkle and marketing to show us that a rock is what you make of it.” —St. Petersburg Times

“[Tom Zoellner's] investigation into the global diamond industry shatters the mystique with all the vengeance of a jilted lover.” —The Oregonian

“A mesmerizing guided tour full of meticulously researched history, interviews, personal stories, and reflections. The Heartless Stone is scrupulous nonfiction that reads like a novel.” —Bloomberg News

“It's got all the requisite ingredients of intriguing journalism: greed, sex, gaping economic disparities, and glamour. It's too bad it took a failed engagement to prompt this book, but Zoellner has risen from the romantic ashes with The Heartless Stone. . . . He doesn't miss a stop on the diamond road, hopping from Africa to South America to the British Isles in pursuit of the gem whose exclusivity is based only on the tight control of a few greedy individuals. That little blue Tiffany box might never look the same.” —Bookmarks magazine

“Zoellner's sharp, observant descriptions of people and places will sensitize readers to the wider processes of monopoly, smuggling, and war, all of which lurk in the background when a suitor buys a ring for his beloved.” —Booklist

“Zoellner's book is part personal travelogue, using the return of his own proffered diamond engagement ring as the starting point, and part investigative journalism. . . . The end result? A gem.” —Library Journal

About the Creators

The Heartless Stone

The Heartless Stone

$11.99