a "gem" of a book.
I liked it's organization, the stories of the people and the gems themselves and the myths surrounding them. An enjoyable and informative read ( )

I thought this would be a book about the history of jewels. Instead, I got a travelogue with heavy, heavy religious overtones and a specific worldview. Back to Aja Raden it is. ( )

Very interesting book. ( )

I remember reading this my senior year of high school because Clemson's honors college application asked what the last book you read was, and this was it- so definitely November some time. I really like this quirky histories of specific objects- scientific properties, cultural significance, economic import of today. Might do a more thorough review if I reread it. ( )

This was a really fascinating book, each chapter telling the in-depth story of the history of each particular gemstone. I would recommend it for anyone interested in jewelry and/or microhistories. Amber, pearls, jet, peridot, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and diamonds were all covered. My only complaint would be that I wish more stones had been covered; for example amethysts or citrines or really anything in the quartz family. ( )