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Stoned
Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World | Aja Raden
As entertaining as it is incisive, Stoned is a raucous journey through the history of human desire for what is rare, and therefore precious. What makes a stone a jewel? What makes a jewel priceless? And why do we covet beautiful things? In this brilliant account of how eight jewels shaped the course of history, jeweler and scientist Aja Raden tells an original and often startling story about our unshakeable addiction to beauty and the darker side of human desire. What moves the world is what moves each of us: desire. Jewelrywhich has long served as a stand-in for wealth and power, glamor and successhas birthed cultural movements, launched political dynasties, and started wars. Masterfully weaving together pop science and history, Stoned breaks history into three categoriesWant, Take, and Haveand explains what the diamond on your finger has to do with the GI Bill, why green-tinted jewelry has been exalted by so many cultures, why the glass beads that bought Manhattan for the Dutch were initially considered a fair trade, and how the French Revolution started over a coveted necklace. Studded with lively personalities and fascinating details, Stoned tells the remarkable story of our abiding desire for the rare and extraordinary.
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This is the story of the history of gemstones. Everything from Faberge eggs, to Mikimoto‘s patented pearl culturing process, to how Taylor‘s diamond and the Hope diamond had roots with Marie Antoinette. There are also stories about Elizabeth I, the Spanish thirst for New World emeralds, and the invention of modern wristwatches, among other tales. Interesting stuff! #audiobook

#pop21 #rockgemormineralintitle

Cinfhen hoping to read this one 👉🏽 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen doesn‘t sound like my kind of book, but I hope you enjoy it! 4y
DogMomIrene I‘m loving the title. Clever👏🏼 4y
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CarolynM Stacked🙂 I just LOVE to look at beautiful jewellery 4y
Megabooks @DogMomIrene isn‘t it? 😃😃 4y
Megabooks @CarolynM I hope you enjoy it!! 4y
106 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Megabooks
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Finally getting to this #audible title I‘ve had in my queue for years for a #pop21 prompt. I‘m enjoying the history of gemstones more than I thought I would.

I‘ve put Shuggie aside for a couple of days. It‘s a lot to handle!

Who am I missing in the tag??

Cinfhen @KarenUK ❤️❤️ 4y
Cinfhen I still haven‘t completed this one yet.... 4y
BarbaraBB Agree on Shuggie! I‘m about halfway and there seems no end to all darkness and disappointments. 4y
See All 12 Comments
Megabooks @Cinfhen thank you! 😘 I‘ve done 27 at this point. Shuggie (B&W cover) and this will be 28 and 29. 👍🏻 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB right? It is so sad!! I just feel overwhelmed at times. 4y
Cinfhen You‘re on a roll 🎲🎲 4y
Cinfhen Even though Shuggie was so sad, I cared so deeply for him. And I thought Shuggie was able to find the light even when it was so dark...Shuggie has wormed his way into my #ToB21 heart @BarbaraBB @Megabooks 4y
Kalalalatja I think I‘ll finish Shuggie today, and I can‘t deal with how sad the story is. But I can‘t stop listening either @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen @Kalalalatja @BarbaraBB yes definitely!! I‘m very invested In Shuggie‘s life. I‘m glad to know there‘s hope though! 4y
Cinfhen Oh, I‘m so glad we‘re all on board the Shuggie train 🚂 @BarbaraBB @Kalalalatja @Megabooks I can‘t remember if @KarenUK has read Shuggie??? I feel like Karen would be in the love camp💕 4y
KarenUK No not yet, but definitely going to....💕 @Cinfhen (edited) 4y
94 likes12 comments
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Lea
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I really liked part 1 the best - it talked about the history of gems and their values - and how/why they got that way. Part 2 and 3 are more history of the world related to gems - emeralds, pearls, etc. It was also interesting but less so for me. #readwomen #audiobook

15 likes1 stack add
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iread2much
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A lot of this book was rehashed from Jewels a secret history, but the part about watches was new and very interesting and while a lot of her stuff on Russia and Faberge was taken right out of another book, the extra bits of Russian history were fun to read. As was all the extra stuff on pearls and their ties to the modernization of Japan. A good book, easy to read, but the authors constant need to try to be funny was kind of irritating. 3.5/5

12 likes1 stack add
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anhistorianabouttown
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Happy to share Stoned for #recommendsday - a genuinely funny, interested, and fascinating look at why we are fascinated ourselves with jewelry! #history #historian #style

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anhistorianabouttown
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No shit Marie and Louis weren't ready... Stoned is thoroughly entertaining #noshit #ineptroyals #history

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anhistorianabouttown
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"Gemstones are, in fact, just colorful gravel." My journey to educate myself on all things style related is pretty profound #style #fashion

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BookmarkTavern
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Jewelry is #fashion, right? 😉Microhistories are so much fun. #readingresolutions @Jess7

10 likes1 stack add
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umbrellagirl
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Yay!
Both
Yes
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#ssgpthisorthat
@miralunasbooknook

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melissarochelle
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Really though...I have not gotten much reading done today.

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melissarochelle
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Trying to squeak in some reading today, but Evie isn't really allowing it.

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Exia
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Exia
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Exia
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Exia
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triskeleseeker
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I know Zero about Russian history - I should really remedy that. Trying to come to terms with reading slowly this week - it's probably going to be par for the course until this PhD is done - oh well. I'll live vicariously through y'all's posts until then 😜

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triskeleseeker
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Reading slowly this week, and enjoying the snarky yet informative Stoned. This section on Good Queen Bess and her thing for pearls is particularly fun as I am reminded of what a badass she was in so many ways.

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triskeleseeker
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Meet Cricket, part-Pekingese super-mutt. She also answers to "Critter". Note the snaggletooth, which is my favorite of her features. We just got back from a walk while listening to Stoned on audio. Currently enjoying the bit on shell beads, which incidentally are central to my dissertation research.

Liberty ❤️ 8y
8 likes1 comment
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triskeleseeker
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Glad to know my pathetic lack of willpower isn't my fault 😂

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triskeleseeker
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Having a bit of a magpie moment, but since real baubles aren't in the budget right now, I thought I'd read about them instead.