The Heartless Stone A Journey Through The World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire

This was a very eye opening and exposing book on the murky world of diamonds, from where they are found, how much they cost , how a single diamond can ruin one mans life and bring enourmous wealth to another. The author traveled to Africa, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Angola, India, Canada, Russia and the United States, in an effort to expose how each country is intertwined with the diamond buisness. I found it quite interesting that a single corporation known as De Beers single handedly made it a custom not only in America but in Japan and most other countries to give a diamond engagement ring to the women you wish to marry. The De Beers corporation also came up with the legendary phrase " A Diamond Is Forever". It was also shocking that some people in the world will go to extreme measures to find diamonds, from mining in small cramped spaces for hours on end to walking on the bottom of a murky river sucking air from a hose attached to a boat. If you want to read a book about the real story behind diamonds than this book is for you, this book teaches you so much about something that is so widely advertised and yet most people dont know where diamonds come from or how much they are really worth or why they cost so much. This book takes you inside the inner workings of companies and countries, almost all of which are corrupt and looking to make a quick buck. It is a great read and a very interesting book.- King Richard III