Diamond
A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession
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Narrated by:
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Daniel Gerroll
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By:
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Matthew Hart
About this listen
The geology of diamonds explains how hard it is to find them. Diamonds are accidents of nature, carbon crystals compressed deep underground billions of years ago; parts of them, it is even thought, may predate the Earth itself. They are also elusive, carried to the surface only in slender volcanoes known as "pipes," most of which are actually barren.
Weaving science and history throughout his story, Hart follows the diamond trail around the globe - from the basement room where Gabi Tolkowsky, the world's greatest cutter, faced the 599-carat Centenary diamond, to the fog-bound smugglers' paradise of Africa's Diamond Coast, to the London sales rooms of De Beers, which manages the longest-running cartel in modern business history - encountering characters as memorable as the stones they seek.
By revealing the layers and inner workings of the diamond industry, and the inherent excitement and human drama that sustain it, Matthew Hart has captured the essence of an exotic substance and its world as surely as a diamond captures light: bending it, reflecting it, and returning it in a blaze of color.
©2001 Matthew Hart(P)2001 Random House, Inc.
Published by arrangement with Walker Publishing Company, Inc.
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- Unabridged
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How do today's most successful tech companies - Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla - design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of people around the world? Perhaps surprisingly, they do it very differently from the vast majority of tech companies. In Inspired, technology product management thought leader Marty Cagan provides listeners with a master class in how to structure and staff a vibrant and successful product organization and how to discover and deliver technology products that your customers will love.
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Great book, terrible audio wanted to ask a refund
- By Srikanth Ramanujam on 11-15-18
By: Marty Cagan
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The Butchering Art
- Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
- By: Lindsey Fitzharris
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Butchering Art, the historian Lindsey Fitzharris reveals the shocking world of 19th-century surgery on the eve of profound transformation. She conjures up early operating theaters - no place for the squeamish - and surgeons, working before anesthesia, who were lauded for their speed and brute strength. They were baffled by the persistent infections that kept mortality rates stubbornly high. A young, melancholy Quaker surgeon named Joseph Lister would solve the deadly riddle and change the course of history.
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Not one boring moment!
- By WRWF on 12-22-17
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Cosmic Queries
- StarTalk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going
- By: James Trefil, Lindsey N. Walker - editor, Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In this illuminating audiobook, Tyson and coauthor James Trefil, a renowned physicist and science popularizer, take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia - How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone? - and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories.
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Not worth it
- By Daniel Earl on 03-15-21
By: James Trefil, and others
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Ranger Confidential
- Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks
- By: Andrea Lankford
- Narrated by: Julia Motyka
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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The real stories behind the scenery of America’s national parks. For 12 years, Andrea Lankford lived in the biggest, most impressive national parks in the world, working a job she loved. She chaperoned baby sea turtles on their journey to sea. She pursued bad guys on her galloping patrol horse. She jumped into rescue helicopters bound for the heart of the Grand Canyon. She won arguments with bears. She slept with a few too many rattlesnakes. Hell yeah, it was the best job in the world! Fortunately, Andrea survived it.
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Depressing from Cover to Cover
- By Drew (@drewsant) on 04-13-15
By: Andrea Lankford
What listeners say about Diamond
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Kenneth
- 01-14-04
Informative and Entertaining
This audio book was wonderful. It is exciting, informative, and dramatic. It is more like a novel than anything else, with villians, good guys, and even a heroine. The science and engineering involved are clearly explained without useless jargon. And the narrator is perfect for the role. One of the best audio books I have ever heard. Highest rating.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Robert
- 11-24-03
A good listen
This book was very informative, I never thought diamonds were this interesting. Though it dragged on in some parts, the entire story is awesome, and teaches a lot about geology and one of the most lucrative markets.
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2 people found this helpful
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- fred
- 03-18-14
Well done history
I am interested in diamonds so the boring aspects of the book are still interesting to me. A very nice history of diamonds that does not gloss the seedy side of the trade. Tremendous characters are stranger than fiction.
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Overall
- robk72
- 02-04-03
One of the best...
A documentary with the pace and appeal of a novel, this book delves into the history and detail of the diamond industry. De Beers' control of the diamond trade remains one of the most complete monopolies in the world, yet it also remains one of the most secretive groups in the world. This work takes you on a journey, tracing some of the famous diamonds through history as well as explaining the process that creates the diamonds we see today in jewelry stores. Terrific listening material!
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Andy
- 05-13-03
a
Great story about diamonds. Where they come from, how to find them, the development of the modern diamond industry...composed of third world countries, rich companies, flamboyant characters and sleight of hand. Story keeps moving along, not a boring moment.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Kathleen
- 05-08-06
Spectacular Story
I saw the female geologist (age 25) interviewed in 2000 after the big discovery in Canada, and a discussion of this book. I was happy to find it on audible. It does not disappoint. For the negative reviews, remember most of us know nothing about that 2K ring on our finger. The real stories ranging from the infancy of African pipe to Brazil, Australia and Canada, together with the known, unknown, legal and illict tales of jewels and those whose hands they slipped through is wonderful. I especially like the knowledgeable details the author provides... it was a great listen on the way home from Mexico
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Brian
- 07-18-05
Very good and nearly comprehensive
Excellent narration of a compelling book. The author has balanced well the history, science, aesthetic, adventure, and intrigue of the diamond world over the last hundred years or so (with occasional detours farther back). I would have appreciated a little more information on some of the environmental pitfalls of diamond mining, but overall the exploration is quite fascinating.
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3 people found this helpful
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- "katwalkink"
- 09-23-13
A Fascinating Read!
Would you consider the audio edition of Diamond to be better than the print version?
I do not know since I didn't read the print version.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Diamond?
Learning how kimberlite is used to detect where diamonds may be.
Which scene was your favorite?
I love the part where they pull up a core sample with a 2+ carat diamond in it and the lead geologist sleeps with the core sample under her pillow the night before she flies home to show it to her father! A true reward for their hard work.
Any additional comments?
A fascinating way to see the journey of diamonds in the world.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Paul
- 02-27-06
A real gem
Fascinating account of this strange business, from every angle: geology, history, polishing and selling.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 08-11-21
Thorough and fascinating.
Having recently been in the market for a diamond engagement ring I read all of the web sites and watched all of the YouTube videos to familiarize myself with the world of diamonds and to become as knowledgeable as possible. This study lit the fire for my interest so, when scrolling for a new audiobook to read I stumbled upon the book, Diamonds. With good reviews I downloaded it and began reading a book unlike the numerous other stories that I read...and I was enthralled! The book explores and presents the science of diamond formation, the history of diamond discovery, mining, and trade, the geometry of diamond cutting and polishing, and the legends of the world's largest gems. While this book should be required reading for jewelers and gemologists, it is also a great read especially for anyone who owns a piece of diamond jewelry.
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