Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession
by Matthew Hart
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Book Summary Information
Author: Matthew HartEdition: Paperback
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2002-08-27
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 288
Book Reviews of Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession
Book Review: Overall good first book about diamonds...
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall this was a great read. I knew nothing about diamonds. This book was mesmerizing with its explanation of how diamonds are formed, how people search for them, and how key players in the diamond industry rose to power and ran/run their companies. It was fascinating to learn about the stories surrounding some of the worlds premier diamonds; I never knew, or cared, but now I would certainly like to see diamonds like the Great Star of Africa, the Centenary, and the Koh-i-Nor.
Unfortunately this book didn't always engage me. I was glued to the first few chapters, but as soon as we hit the exploration of diamonds in Northwestern Canada I faded away; drifting back and forth to reading and cleaning my house. The problem is, Hart is able to absorb the reader in the first few chapters by describing very clearly the history of diamonds, but as soon as the staking of Canada comes into play, the writing style changes. I felt like Hart had written two books, and I had to muddle my way through to get to the other side of it and back to the book I had been enjoying. There is interesting information to be gained in these chapters (beginning with "The Long Hunt"), but perhaps it's because I'm not into diamonds that I found the information a bit boring and too needlessly detailed compared to the previous chapters.
The book does discuss "conflict diamonds" or "war diamonds," which is mainly why I picked up this book. Unfortunately it doesn't cover enough of it. Hart discusses how easy it is for "conflict diamonds" to intermix with other diamonds so that buyer wouldn't / couldn't know their origins before they purchased the diamonds. He also discusses how companies do little to prevent "conflict diamonds" from entering their mix and selling them. And how easy it is for people working at diamond mines or for diamond companies to steel them (very fascinating, but would like to have read more about it). Hart does discuss methods that could be used to distinguish "conflict diamonds" if only companies were willing to go the extra mile.
One of the most interesting things I learned in reading this book was India's ability to profit from their cheap labor in polishing and cutting smaller diamonds. I had been reading books about offshoring jobs to India and China, and found it surprising that India had managed to gain a foothold in the diamond market as well - who knew? Another thing I learned, but not directly in this book, is that the Rhodes Scholarship was founded by Cecil John Rhodes, the founder of De Beers.
I do have to add that having read this books I am less likely to want to own another diamond.
Summary of Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession
For centuries, diamonds have symbolized wealth, prestige and love; however, behind those symbols lies a world of deceit, monopoly and war.Hart follows the diamond trail around the globe, from the basement room where Gabi Tolkowsky, the world's greatest diamond cutter, faced the 599-carat Centenary diamond, to the fogbound smugglers' paradise of Africa's Diamond Coast. He records the heroic struggle of the 24-year old woman who discovered a multibillion dollar diamond mine on the Arctic Circle and describes the company that feared her most, masterminds of the great and shadowy diamond cartel.
Combining history, science, business, and adventure, Diamond captures the essence of this priceless gem and the world that surrounds it.
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