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- Recommended reading for those on the Diamond Essence path...
- A Great Teaching
- Powerful, Simple and Profound...What a Book!
- Almaas's Diamond Approach.
- Transcripts Of A Truly Integral Transpersonal Body Of Work
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Diamond Heart, Book One: Elements of the Real in Man (The Diamond Heart Series , No 1)
A. H. Almaas
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The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being, an Object Relations Approach (Diamond Mind)
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Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond Approach to Inner Realization
ASIN: 0936713011
Release Date: 2000-09-05 |
Amazon.com
First in the four-book Diamond Heart series, this collection of essays--taken from transcripts of seminars A.H. Almaas delivered over a several-year period--is an effective introduction to the Diamond Approach of inner realization. Lamenting that human suffering is due to not living up to one's human potential, Almaas proceeds to lay out in detail a uniquely modern and strictly logical path to enlightenment--its purpose to regain one's palpable human essence. Carefully leading the reader through stages of increasing depth and subtlety, he reveals hidden self-knowledge. Chapters with simple titles such as "Value," "Truth," and "Trust" open doors to realizations that result in relief from existential angst. If you have ever felt you were missing something you couldn't quite name, chapter 2--"The Theory of Holes"--is worth the price of admission. --Randall Cohan
Book Description
This four-volume series presents a collection of talks given by Almaas on topics such as faith, commitment, nobility and suffering, truth and compassion, allowing, and growing up. Through these talks, Almaas offers valuable guidance and advice for those on a spiritual path, and he explores the challenges and psychological barriers faced by those seeking self-realization.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended reading for those on the Diamond Essence path..........2006-12-20
There's no doubt Almaas is a very conscious teacher. His written work and speeches are a testament to that.
The book, Diamond Heart, provides a decent introduction to those considering the Diamond Approach. If you're doing the Diamond Essence work then it's likely you'll have it, if you're not, this would give you some valuable insights into 'the work' to assist you in making your decision. For someone who wants to pick up a book and apply it though, you're not really going to be in luck here as the Diamond Approach is much more extensive than this book can impart and requires substantial, consistent application over many, many years under the guidance of a trained teacher. The Diamond Approach is Almaas' work, based on the elements of several spiritual traditions including Sufism, Buddhism, Zen and others and also some aspects of psychology. Many people, I think, will arrive at this work through Ken Wilber and this book is as good an introduction as you can get.
Almaas has written / talked(!) extensively and has produced some truly deep (and lengthy) volumes. This volume is a collection of essays from speeches he has given over several and is very much an enjoyable and enlightening read. It includes topics such as Trust, Essence, Allowing, Giving up, Truth, Faith and Compassion amongst others. It will give you much to reflect upon, however, for practical application, you're going to find it partial and lacking as that's not its intent.
A Great Teaching.......2005-07-21
Years ago, my then Zen teacher, Joko Beck, was recommending that her students read A. H. Almaas's "Diamond Heart" series. She said that his work helped her articulate the connection between the ego and the absolute. Whether or not someone wishes to pursue this particular path, this is an amazing book. Teachers often say that "we are love (or compassion, peace. . .)." Almaas helps us understand what that actually means.
Powerful, Simple and Profound...What a Book!.......2005-06-14
A friend mentioned this book to me at a party and I took a chance on it and WOW. This book is so valuable. The most important relationship you'll have in your life is the one with yourself! This is a journey, one you can't afford not to take, and affording it has nothing to do money, it's your life.
Almaas's Diamond Approach........2002-09-13
This is the first book in A. H. Almaas's four-part Diamond Heart series of teachings, and as such, it offers a good introduction to his integration of Sufism, Zen, and Vajrayana Buddhism with Gurdjieff and modern psychology into what he calls "the Diamond Approach" to realizing our full potential. "We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty," Almaas observes in the book's Preface, "but most of us seldom participate in this real world, being aware rather of a world that is mostly strife, suffering, or meaningless" (p. i). According to Almaas, this is because we are not realizing and living our full potential. The collection of teachings compiled here (based on talks Almaas delivered in both Colorado and California), thematically linked by the "essence" of what is real in each of us, have the power to change the way you live your life.
G. Merritt
Transcripts Of A Truly Integral Transpersonal Body Of Work.......2002-08-29
Diamond Heart Book 1 is the first in a series that comprises a certain body of knowledge of the teachings of the school created by A.H. Almaas (a pen name). There are two complementary "lines" in the series: Diamond Heart and Diamond Mind. The Diamond Heart series, currently 4 volumes, is a selection of essays and transcripts from the teaching, and is non-clinical in it's language. I found the relatively conversational style to be excellent as a companion to the Diamond Mind series books which are rather technical and clinical in their use of pschoanalytic and psychodynamic language. The books in each line roughly parallel one another in content: the material in Diamond Heart vol 1. deals with much of the same material in Diamond Mind vol 1., The Void (and another Almaas title "Essence"). Reading them together gives one a much deeper understanding of the material. Imagine reading the clinical text and then going to hear the speaker at a seminar workshop or vice versa.
What is unique about this overall body of material is that it is truly integral in its approach. In that regard, it is similar to Ken Wilber's multi-volume uberwork of Integral Psychology drawing from both Eastern spiritual disciplines and Western psychological theories and practices. Almaas' material is very specific and uses examples from his students work in psychological and spiritual development to give you something to relate to in your own life and growth work which I found extremely helpful for anchoring understanding.
If the following ideas are appealing then this material is for you: When we are born we are our true selves as Essence and Being. Over time and through exerience in relation to our parents, family members, peers, and the world at large we develop a protective structure called the Ego. In the developmental process, we not only lose contact with our Essence, but begin to identify with our Ego structure as our real self. This state of affairs contributes to much of our suffering in life. In the East, enlightenment is seen as coming through the dissolution of the Ego, while in the West the integration of the Ego is seen as the final development of the adult individual. Almaas shows that both are right but incomplete in that each has something to contribute to the other. The work is about disidentifying from the Ego through techniques of psychodynamic work in order to dismantle it, while at the same time reconnecting with and developing those aspects of our original Essence in order to become a fully realized adult human being. Wonderful work.
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Diamond Heart, Book Two: The Freedom to Be (The Diamond Heart Series , No 2)
A. H. Almaas
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Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond Approach to Inner Realization
ASIN: 0936713046
Release Date: 2000-09-05 |
Book Description
We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty. But most of us seldom participate in this real world, being focused rather on the parts that are mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness. The situation is basically due to our not realizing and living our full human potential. This potential can be actualized by the realization and development of human essence. The human essence is the part of us that is innate and real, and which can participate in the real world. The series of books Diamond Heart are transcriptions of talks given by A. H. Almaas to inner work groups in Colorado and California.
Customer Reviews:
A Heart that shines........2002-09-13
This is the second book in A. H. Almaas's four-part Diamond Heart series. "We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty," he observes in the Preface to this book, "but most of us seldom participate in this real world, being aware rather of a world that is mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness" (p. i). In the series of twelve inner-work teachings collected here (e.g., "Hanging Loose," "Acceptance," "Love," and "Being Oneself"), Almaas integrates Sufism, Zen and Vajrayana Buddhism with Gurdjieff and modern psychology into what he calls "the Diamond Approach" to self realization, and as the book's subtitle suggests, into "the freedom to be." This is a "Heart" that shines like a diamond.
G. Merritt
Customer Reviews:
Heart & Diamond reviewed.......2002-03-23
I am familiar with Edward Conze's translations and comments on the Diamond and Heart Sutras primarily through the 1958 edition of this work. First of all, these are scholarly translations and commentaries. The commentaries are logical and precise, as they need to be to get at the heart of the teaching, in particular, of the Heart Sutra. Conze states, correctly, that to understand the Heart Sutra one has to understand something about Abhidharma concepts. The Abhidharma texts represent early schools of thought in India regarding consciousness and read like a Sears catalog of psychological elements put into a moral context and including conditioned and unconditioned dharmas. The Heart Sutra is in part a response to Abhidharma; one which goes beyond it. Abhidharma is considered the "dry bones" of Zen for good reason. Nevertheless, there are equally good reasons why Shunryu Suzuki told his students at San Francisco Zen Center to study with Conze (advice which was followed). The Heart Sutra is such a pure and intense condensation of wisdom that the effort to understand it is repaid tenfold by even small glimpses of its meaning. It is paradoxical that the teaching of "form is emptiness, emptiness is form,"etc., is amenable to a logical approach, yet Conze is very effective at demonstrating that, at least for those of us who have not attained wisdom-that-goes-beyond (prajna), this is precisely the path to take. His analysis of the Sanskrit in the context of Buddhist logic unlocks a very fruitful path for following the meaning of the Heart Sutra. An openminded approach to Conze's translation and commentaries, applied with some determination and perseverance, is well worth the effort, both with the Diamond and the Heart Sutras, though perhaps more so with the latter. What hits us in the face at first as flatly contradictory reveals itself to be something more than we can imagine. Shunryu Suzuki told us that the "No" in the Heart Sutra is far more positive than any "Yes" could ever be. I haven't seen another approach to the Heart Sutra in print that equals Edward Conze's.
a review is not a review, therefore it is called a review.......2001-10-12
Manual of Zen Buddhism has a better translation of both these Sutras. I am also very
appreciative of the Shambhala translations by Price and Mou-lam that doesn't have the
Heart Sutra but has a translation of the Platform Sutra coupled with the Diamond Sutra.
The problem I have with this translation is that after very much enjoying the
Price/Mou-lam translation I thought it might be worth while to have a translation of the
Heart and Diamond in one volume. I had seen this translation so decided to look into it
and felt immediately uncomfortable by the decision to venerate the Buddha. The Buddha
of course was an average wealthy householder who became enlightened. In other words,
he was a somewhat regular human being. In this translation he is usually translated as "The
Lord." In both the Suzuki and Price/Mou-lam translations he is usually referred to as "The
Buddha" or "The World-Honored One" or the "Tathagata" (thus-come, or thus-gone).
Also, this is the only one of the three translations that has someone else, as a servant,
arrange the Buddha's seat after he returns from begging for his meal. A small point, but it
is very touching to think of the Buddha as being humble. This is just the beginning of my
problems with this translation. For instance, the Diamond Sutra is relatively short, so why
not have the complete Sutra and then have the Sutra with commentary like Sheng-yen
does with the translation of the Sutra of Complete Enlightenment. All in all a terrible job.
Wisdom gone, gone beyond........2001-06-12
The Prajanparamita ("Perfection of Wisdom") consists of thirty-eight books composed between 100 B.C. and A.D. 600, including the Diamond and Heart Sutras, "two of the holiest of the holy" (p. xxviii) Buddhist scriptures. German translator Edward Conze first introduced these sutras to the English-speaking world in 1958. The Diamond and Heart Sutras "lead us to the very summit of existence," he writes. "Up there the air is rather rarified, and we are bound to feel somewhat dizzy at times" (p. 38). And like a raft allowing us to cross a great stretch of water, they carry us to a place of "No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables, or objects of mind" (p. 97).
The Diamond Sutra is said to cut "like a thunderbolt" (p. xxix), and the Heart Sutra is the "heart or essence of the Perfection of Wisdom" (p. xxi). They look deeply into "experience beyond the rigidity of concept," recognizing "the interdependence of all beings" (p. xix)and, at times, they will cause your head to reel as your mind does somersaults! Although Conze comments on these sutras phrase by phrase, he acknowledges his commentary is not intended to convey "the spiritual experience which a Sutra describes. These only reveal themselves to persistent meditation. A commentary must be content to explain words used" (p. 7). The realization of these teachings results in compassion (p. xix).
In her excellent Preface to this new edition of Conze's translation, Judith Simmer-Brown notes that "the wisdom of the Prajnaparamita sutras is mind expanding" (p. xv). I am not competent to comment on Conze's translation, and I do not presume to understand these sutras. However, I recommend this book for anyone interested in exploring the Buddhist concepts of emptiness and the absolute nature of reality, or for anyone interested in the pursuit of wisdom--"with the concern for the meaning of life, with its search for ends, purposes and values worthy of being pursued, with its desire to penetrate beyond the appearance of things to their true reality" (p. xxviiii).
G. Merritt
An insightful read.......2001-05-23
Two of the most well-known of Buddha's Sutras, the "Diamond Sutra" and "the Heart Sutra", are explained clearly and succintly in this concise volumne. Edward Conze translates directly from the original Sanskrit with care and insight, skillfully combining deeply obtuse concepts with a gentle, sensitive rye sense of humor. The piercing brevity of "The Heart Sutra" is an astonishingly remarkable 'tool' for helping us to change our behavior. It affords an opportunity for those seeking to return to their origin, to see and to understand their True Heart which is unsurpasssable, Perfected Wisdom.
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Diamond Heart, Book Three: Being and the Meaning of Life (The Diamond Heart Series , No 3)
A. H. Almaas
Manufacturer: Shambhala
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The Void: Inner Spaciousness and Ego Structure
ASIN: 0936713054
Release Date: 2000-09-05 |
Book Description
We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty. But most of us seldom participate in this real world, being focused rather on the part that is mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness. This situation is basically due to our not realizing and living our full human potential. This potential can be actualized by the realization and development of the human essence. The human essence is the part of us that is innate and real, and which can participate in the real world. The Diamond Heart series is a transcription of talks given by the author in both California and Colorado, for several years. The purpose of the talks is to guide and orient individuals who are engaged in doing the difficult work of realization.
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- A WWII love story and the soldier's letters home.
- Love, Courage and Ambition
- A Captivating Story
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An Alcove In The Heart: WWII Letters from Sidney Diamond to Estelle Spero
Estelle Spero Lynch
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ASIN: 1418475874 |
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The letters written by Lt. Sidney Diamond to Estelle Spero, his sweetheart, constitute, in the words of Andrew Carroll, editor of the best-seller War Letters, "a riveting war-time account that is also a compelling love story." Sid and 'Stelle had met and become best friends and sweethearts in early adolescence, and the way seemed clear to marriage-until Pearl Harbor. Sid left college to enlist, but, determined to maintain the closeness of their relationship despite time and distance, wrote almost every day, describing his experiences, emphasizing his belief in his country, and expressing his love for Estelle and his hopes for their future. These letters, powerful, insightful, and moving, also reflect the humor that was part of Sid's nature. He served in the South Pacific as an officer, last, in Luzon, in the battle to take back the Philippines. He received two commendations for action against the enemy in the Solomon Islands, and the Silver Star for "his indomitable courage, determination. and skill" in the fighting on Luzon.
Customer Reviews:
A WWII love story and the soldier's letters home........2005-01-02
Lynch has written a beautiful book where she chronicles the story of Estelle Spero and Sidney Diamond. The book's heart is Sidney Diamonds remarkable letters that are full of humanity, wit, and occaisonally very humourous. This is a love story, but also would have great appeal for military historians and veterans.
'An Alcove In The Heart', follows Sid and Estelle from becoming best friends and thier courtship in the Bronx, from 1939 through the war years. Sid's writes letters to Estelle from Fort Dix, Fort Bliss, and in the Pacific.
Sid served in the Army's, Chemical Warfare Service, which was a new part of the service at the time. The CWS mission was a dangerous one, to supply was to provide close mortar support for infantry.
Lynch wrote the book because "He deserves to live on. It is my hope that through his letters his spirit and the richness of his
mind and heart will shine and endure."
We'll remember. With their deeds soldiers like Sidney Diamond earned our love, respect and a place in history. Heroes, like Sid, lived what they believed, that duty and honor were not just abstract concepts.
Love, Courage and Ambition.......2004-11-24
A story of love, courage and ambition - the stuff it takes to carry on one's mission to the end. True and loyal to his country, in his letters Diamond sometimes humorized his inner feelings concerning the dangers of his military reconnaissance's, while assuring 'Stelle of his undying love for her. An extremely altruistic young leader, although eager to grow in his career, Diamond continuously expressed his need to caress and be caressed. This is a true story that leads one to wonder "what if?"
A Captivating Story.......2004-11-19
In the preface, the author states that in reading Sid's letters she "once again heard his voice". She has done a remarkable job of selecting and headlining letters and passages that succeed in bringing that voice alive, and once you begin reading, it's hard to put the book down.
The reader becomes part of the story, involved in the lives of the two lovers separated by the horrors of war, but constantly united by the bond of their love. Though some of the references to battle, terrain, and conditions are specific to Word War II, the story could just as easily be taking place today. An Alcove in the Heart makes one realize that the emotions of love and war are timeless.
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Diamond Heart, Book Four: Indestructible Innocence (Diamond Heart, Book 4)
A. H. Almaas
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The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being, an Object Relations Approach (Diamond Mind)
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The Point of Existence: Transformations of Narcissism in Self-Realization (Diamond Mind Series, 3)
ASIN: 0936713119
Release Date: 2000-09-05 |
Book Description
We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty. But most of us seldom participate in this real world, being focused rather on the parts that are mostly strife, suffering, or meaninglessness. The situation is basically due to our not realizing and living our full human potential. This potential can be actualized by the realization and development of human essence. The human essence is the part of us that is innate and real, and which can participate in the real world. The series of books Diamond Heart are transcriptions of talks given by A. H. Almaas to inner work groups in Colorado and California.
Customer Reviews:
once again..........1998-11-30
almaas produces a lucid and masterful work. a timeless piece of concentrated vastness that reaches the outer and inner cores of one's being. though one must stay with the ride he is exhibiting to the reader, the journey is well worth it. i find myself at the end of each chapter to be in amazement how he can describe such undescribable states of being with what appears to be a benevolent ease. and the challange he presents is accepted for here is a guidemap at which to navigate with. my thanks for his pioneer efforts.
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- Diamonds and lessons in globalization
- Interesting Gem
- multifaceted intro to the diamond trade
- Great overview, but lacks follow-through
- "...as if a curtain had been ripped aside and there was the diamond business, spattered with blood, sorting through the goods."
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Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession
Matthew Hart
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
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The Last Empire: De Beers, Diamonds, and the World
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Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic
ASIN: 0802713688 |
Book Description
On a hot morning in May 1999, three Brazilian garimpeiros (small-scale miners) found a large pink diamond in the muddy waters of the Abaete River, a discovery that captivated the diamond trade. Beginning with this dramatic and revealing story, Matthew Hart takes readers on a journey far beyond the window at Tiffany's, into an obsessive, largely hidden, and utterly fascinating world.
From the fog-bound smugglers' paradise of Africa's Diamond Coast to the Manhattan offices of one of the world's most flamboyant diamantaires; from the London salesrooms of De Beers, which manages the longest-running cartel in modern business history, to a truck-parts shop fronting a diamond brokerage in Brazil, Matthew Hart has followed the diamond trail, encountering characters as memorable as the stones they seek. He recreates the modern history of diamonds, starting in 1869 when a native boy in South Africa found a large crystal on a farm, sparking a rush that brought Cecil Rhodes and Ernest Oppenheimer their glory. He chronicles the sensational diamond strike in the 1990s in Canada's Northwest Territories that has shaken the fortress of the old cartel, and profiles the audacious young female geologist Eira Thomas who, against all odds, discovered near the Arctic Circle one of the richest diamond fields in the world. He watches one of the finest diamond cutters operating on a priceless stone and portrays the lives of the countless, nameless cutters in India who have transformed the industry by making valuable the tiny stones that were once considered worthless.
Diamonds also have their dark side. "Malfeasance rustles in the background of the diamond world like a snake in dry grass," writes Hart as he documents the relentless and ingenious thievery that pervades the business and the even more damaging revelations of "war diamonds" financing brutal conflicts in Africa. The diamond world is at a crossroads, he notes, and "who will rule diamonds now and what form the once-secretive business will take are the issues of the day."
In the end, it is the stone itself that fascinates and bewitches the reader. Diamonds are accidents of nature, carbon crystals compressed deep underground millions of years ago; parts of them may even predate the Earth itself. And they are elusive, carried to the surface only in slender volcanoes known as "pipes," most of which are actually barren. 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.
Customer Reviews:
Diamonds and lessons in globalization.......2007-09-08
Though my background in diamonds - not counting some jewellery I got my better half sometime ago - is almost nil, I picked up the book because of the attractive title and jacket ... and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the journey narrated by Matthew Hart.
The book, peppered by anecdotes and stories, presents a great overview of the complex diamond trade. The book is as much about globalization of business as it is about shining stones for which consumers pay millions. And this is where the author creatively weaves narratives around aspects of the Business of diamonds: production and extraction, value addition during each aspect of the chain, marketing and promotion and the complexities of pricing and gobalized supply chain.
The chapter (Rosy Blue) on the Indian contribution to the modern value chain of the diamond industry was especially interesting to read. Not many of us realize that much before Indians became synonymous with the global hi-tech and software industry, Indians were already well entrenched in the international diamond trade. The parallels between the two industries are unmistakable:
* Hundreds of thousands of cutters and polishers (programmers and designers?) work offshore in back-offices
* There has been a strong ambition to move up the value chain: by gaining representation as DTC sightholders (or management consultants to Fortune 500 clients)
* The majority of foot-soldiers in the trade remain `invisible' though a few leaders are the visible face of the trade in Antwerp (and in global technology consulting)
Interesting Gem.......2007-06-30
I thoroughly enjoyed the read. A good over view of the orgin, history, exploration, marketing, and commodity of the diamond market, without the dry technical jargon. I was completely facinated by the gamble one takes by purchasing large stones in the rough, and the tedicious craftsmanship that goes into cutting and polishing a beautiful diamond. I loved the history and discussion on famous diamonds and their journey though the hands of royality, soliders, religous conflicts, and theifs. Made you stop and think, what are diamonds really worth? I would of enjoyed color photos thou!!!!!
multifaceted intro to the diamond trade.......2006-07-04
This book covers the history of diamonds and the diamond trade from a series of viewpoints. Starting with a light introduction to diamonds before the 1800's, the book's emphasis is mainly on the last 200 years. Focusing on London, Antwerp, Brazil, India, the Diamond Coast, South Africa, Canada and a little on Russia, the book gives a good introduction to the geography of the diamond trade. The book shows us the lives of diamond miners, speculators, polishers, and the middlemen that connect all of these roles together to get stone from ground to a woman's hand. The text itself reads easily, and is part history book, part travelogue, part journalistic expose.
The history of De Beers is outlined, and its connections with various governments and high-up officials is touched upon, but this book is by no means a work of muckracking. The authorship is recent enough to cover blood diamonds from Africa, but not recent enough to include mention of diamonds as a source of capital and liquid wealth by Islamic terrorists. All in all a good book but not a great one. Worth the time to read it though.
Great overview, but lacks follow-through.......2006-03-12
I came away from this book with a picture of the global market for diamonds and how it's all tied together, from the palatial desks of moguls in London to the shacks of miners in Africa. Author Hart covers it all -- how diamonds are mined, processed, marketed, stolen; the ever-weakening power wielded by the De Beers cartel; the new low-end processors in India who have changed the dynamics of the trade. He does an especially good job elucidating the complex world of "war diamonds" emnating from bloody civil-warring states like Angola and Sierra Leone.
Author Hart is well-qualified for the task, having written on diamonds for numerous publications; but his ability to initiate a really engrossing story and drop it in mid-stream without taking us all the way there was frustrating for me as a reader. There were too many times when he started with an intriguing aspect of the trade, but moved too quickly to another aspect, leaving the reader hanging. How do the garipeiros, who found the "big pink" along a Brazilian river in chapter 1, live? Who gave them their $2 million for the big pink? Was it delivered in cash in a paper bag? How did the garipeiros spend the money so fast? After Eira Thomas finds a diamond pipe in the frozen Canadian north, he ends with this: "the pipes that Thomas found... contain some 138 million carats of diamonds. The deposit will support a mine for twenty years and supply the market with an annual $400 million worth of rough" -- that's it; that's all. What happened to Eira Thomas? Did she go on to find more pipes? Exactly how do the Canadian pipes alter the dynamics of De Beer's cartel? For a book like this, the devil is in the details -- the details that provide color and texture and take the readers along for the ride. Too often, Hart leaves out the details and doesn't finish the story, leaving the reader frustrated. The book would have really been enhanced by a few color plates of diamonds -- famous diamonds, rough diamonds, tiny brown diamonds cut in India, the big pink -- even if only two page's worth. In addition, as with so many books nowadays, copyediting is below par, with some really egregious typos in the text.
Still, this book is a great overview, and I feel that I learned a lot. Despite the limitations, anyone who loves gems, jewelry, commodities, and the romantic world of high-roller big business will enjoy this book.
"...as if a curtain had been ripped aside and there was the diamond business, spattered with blood, sorting through the goods.".......2005-12-03
p.187
This book made me glad that my wife and I twenty years ago decided to get neither the traditional diamond engagment nor wedding rings. I gave her a nice strand of pearls (probably another book out there) and we exchanged diamondless rings when we wed.
Chapter 9: Diamond Wars was horrifying in the sheer numbers of dead and maimed. Whenever teenage boys are fed drugs to go and slaughter civilians, there's more to it than idealogy, it's fed by sheer corporate earnings.
Recommended further updated reading: the reports on [...] account how the Kimberley Process, designed to eradicate the conflict diamonds, has in part been used to legitimize them.
Average customer rating:
- The only book you need if you're having twins
- A WONDERFUL BOOK FOR PARENTS OR EXPECTANT PARENTS OF TWINS!
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Heart Two Heart: Words of Wisdom from the Real Experts: Seven Mothers of Twins on Raising Twins the First Year
Julie Diamond Bobbitt ,
Shelley deMontesquiou ,
Nicole Davis ,
Stacy R Carter ,
Heidi Mark ,
Lisa Rojany Buccieri ,
Connie A Gilbert , and
Lisa Blau
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Twinspiration: Real-Life Advice From Pregnancy Through the First Year (for Parents of Twins and Multiples)
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Double Duty : The Parents' Guide to Raising Twins, from Pregnancy Through the School Years
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Twins: A Practical Guide to Parenting Multiples from Conception to Two Years Old
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The Art of Parenting Twins: The Unique Joys and Challenges of Raising Twins and Other Multiples
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Mothering Twins: From Hearing the News to Beyond the Terrible Twos
ASIN: 0595361528 |
Book Description
Twins are everywhere these days! You see them in their double strollers, at the park, on the street, in baby classes, and hogging the aisles in stores—everywhere. Since when did having twins become so popular? And how in the heck do these moms of twins do it? How do you cope when you find out you're expecting twins? And how do you get through the first year without ending up in the loony bin or bankrupt?
Unlike other books on twins, HEART TWO HEART is
written by twin moms for other twin moms. (Even the book's editor is a twin mom!) Where other books on twins focus mainly on medical issues, psychological, educational, or parenting issues, HEART TWO HEART tells twin moms what they need to know about what it's like
day to day for that first year of having twins.
Where are twin moms supposed to go to figure out what to buy in terms of twin gear?
What happens if an expectant mom of twins ends up on bedrest?
How do you feed two squalling infants at the same time-alone? What might the father of twins experience?
What kind of changes might twin moms expect from their bodies?
HEART TWO HEART tells it like it is.
Customer Reviews:
The only book you need if you're having twins.......2007-06-25
Every multiples parent has a different story and this book gives seven different perspectives. VERY practical advice from pregnancy to feedings to sleep (or lack thereof). It was the only book that I really read and continue to use as reference, as a mom to 10-month old identical girls.
A WONDERFUL BOOK FOR PARENTS OR EXPECTANT PARENTS OF TWINS!.......2006-11-22
I have to say that I read so many books while I was pregnant with my twins, but so many of them are pedantic, focusing on medical issues or issues that did not seem to apply to me and my family. What I loved about this book was the fact that all 7 writers had different experiences and all of them had their own ways of dealing with everything from childcare to what stuff to buy. The fact that I got so many points of view from so many obviously different women allowed me to make choices that made sense for me and my family. I would recommend this book to anyone who is about to have twins or who is already immersed in that first wonderful year of parenting twins. GREAT BUY!!!
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Heart-Diamond
Kathy L. Greenwood
Manufacturer: University of North Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0929398084 |
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- Edward Abbey: A Life
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