2008, ISBN: 9780060873516

Gebundene Ausgabe

Scribe Publications 30 Jun 2008. 2008. Softcover. 8vo softcover 288pp Very good. An incisive, intrepid, and habit-changing narrative investigation into the commercialisation of our most b… Mehr…

Scribe Publications 30 Jun 2008. 2008. Softcover. 8vo softcover 288pp Very good. An incisive, intrepid, and habit-changing narrative investigation into the commercialisation of our most basic human need: drinking water. Having already surpassed milk and beer, bottled water is on the verge of becoming the most popular beverage in the United States. The brands have become so ubiquitous that we’re hardly conscious that Poland Spring and Evian were once real springs, bubbling in remote corners of Maine and France. Only now, with the water industry trading in the billions of dollars, have we begun to question what it is we’re drinking and why. In this intelligent, eye-opening work of narrative journalism, Elizabeth Royte does for water what Eric Schlosser did for fast food: she finds the people, machines, economies, and cultural trends that bring it from nature to our supermarkets. Along the way, she investigates the questions we must inevitably answer. Who owns our water? What happens when a bottled-water company stakes a claim on your town’s source? Should we have to pay for water? Is the stuff coming from the tap completely safe? And if so, how many chemicals are dumped in to make it potable? What’s the environmental footprint of making, transporting, and disposing of all those plastic bottles? A riveting chronicle of one of the greatest marketing coups of the twentieth century as well as a powerful environmental wake-up call, Bottlemania is essential reading for anyone who shells out money to quench their daily thirst. ., Scribe Publications 30 Jun 2008, 2008, 0, New. The 9th breakneck thriller in the Matt Scudder series, from a master of the genre. To Matt Scudder, no one can rise above the law. But when the ex-cop is privately hired to investigate the murder of a beautiful pregnant woman, he finds himself pushed to the limits of his beliefs. With every step he takes, Scudder discovers darker and more depraved secrets. Human trafficking, snuff films, murderous fetishes: the light of humanity seems all but extinguished. In the seedy underworld of New York City, nothing is sacred and anything can be bought., 6, Smithsonian Books, USA, 2006. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good Condition (ex-library)/Very Good. First impression. Size: Octavo 8vo (standard book size). 388 pages. Text body is clean, and free from previous owner annotation, underlining and highlighting. Binding is tight, covers and spine fully intact. No foxing in this copy. Dust Jacket is in very good condition, without tears or chips or other damage. Dust Jacket un-clipped. All edges clean, neat and free of foxing. Front endpapers and title pages marked with Library stamps, but very discreetly, spine unmarked, in all other respects in very good condition throughout. The dust jacket has been protected by a removable plastic cover. In this authoritative history of the Hope Diamond (also known as the French Blue), Kurin describes how the 112-carat deep blue diamond came into the hands of Louis XIV through diamond trader Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who in turn had bought it from an Indian mine. (Although rumors persist that Tavernier took the gem from the eye of a Hindu idol, Kurin says there's no evidence to support this action--Tavernier was a respected dealer.) The diamond was recut (reducing its size by half) and kept by the French monarchy until it was stolen during the revolution. It resurfaced, unrecognizable after being cut again, in the possession of London merchant Daniel Eliason in 1812. Some years later, it came into the hands of Henry Phillip Hope, was inherited by his wife and sold to several other owners, before being donated in 1958 to the Smithsonian Institution. There its mystique is grounded by "scientific discourse" and study. During his chronicle, the author, director of the Smithsonian's national programs, describes the history of the diamond trade, how precious stones were classified, the long-circulating myth that a curse was attached to the Hope diamond and royal politics of the times, for a serious but fascinating look at cultural and gemological history. Quantity Available: 1. Category: History; ISBN: 0060873515. ISBN/EAN: 9780060873516. Pictures of this item not already displayed here available upon request. Inventory No: 3238. . 9780060873516, Smithsonian Books, 2006, 3<

2006, ISBN: 9780060873516

Gebundene Ausgabe

First edition hardcover, which is in fine condition (except for remainder mark) and signed and inscribed by the author. Please see photos for condition. Seller will carefully wrap book in… Mehr…

First edition hardcover, which is in fine condition (except for remainder mark) and signed and inscribed by the author. Please see photos for condition. Seller will carefully wrap book in bubble wrap, box it, and ship it with tracking.Since its discovery in seventeenth-century India, the Hope diamond, a glimmering deep-blue gem weighing more than 45 carats, has been shrouded in mystery and steeped in intrigue. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Richard Kurin goes beyond the speculation to reveal the truth behind a legendary stone.The Hope diamond's history is tied to the French Revolution, the machinations of British King George IV, the Gilded Age in America, and a number of adept jewelers, including Pierre Cartier and Harry Winston. In the twentieth century, the story of the Hope diamond's curse made it more famous than ever before; some six million people visit it every year at the Smithsonian Institution. But this legend, which Kurin puts to rest once and for all, is only one small piece of a long and lustrous story that moves between ancient religion and modern magic, royal power and class rivalry, revenge and greed.Kurin, a cultural anthropologist, has spent more than a decade on the trail of the legendary gem. His narrative is filled with fascinating places and people - from the fabled diamond city of Golconda to the fabulously rich heiress Evalyn McClean to Jackie Kennedy and her role in one of the Hope's few twentieth-century trips abroad. Richly illustrated, Hope Diamond works in a grand historical tradition - depicting the specific to reveal the universal., Smithsonian Books, 2006, 5<

2006, ISBN: 9780060873516

New York: Smithsonian Books, 2006. First Edition. Very Good +/Very Good+ DJ. 8vo = over 9". n/a. Printing Not Spec. White cloth hardcover with white backstrip, blue lettering on sp… Mehr…

New York: Smithsonian Books, 2006. First Edition. Very Good +/Very Good+ DJ. 8vo = over 9". n/a. Printing Not Spec. White cloth hardcover with white backstrip, blue lettering on spine. Very clean, tight binding, previous owner's stamp embossed on front free endpage. Dustjacket is clean, crisp, matte, vibrant., Smithsonian Books, 2006, 3<