Koh-i-Noor
The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
Ratings1
Average rating3
15
The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
Ratings1
Average rating3
"The first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world....Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself."--From dust jacket.
Reviews with the most likes.
Dear William Dalrymple, I have read three of your books and your abuse of the block quote drives me insane.
Looking forward to unpacking this book more with book club, but I found the second half of the book far more engaging and eye-opening than the first. Anand's writing is much more narrative and feels less academic in its prose. I wish the last chapter had been explored more in-depth, since the current implications seem to have a greater impact on British, Indian, and Pakistani relations than I would have thought.
