The unforgettable first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga from epic master Malcolm Macdonald John Stevenson is a just a foreman when a near-fatal accident bring young Nora Telling into his life. Her nimbleness of mind and his power of command enable them to take over the working mill and rescue it from catastrophe. Together with their friends the Thorntons-who are troubled by a marriage mismatched in passion-they are willing to risk any dare, commit themselves to any act of cunning on their climb from rags to riches. The first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga, The World from Rough Stones is the epic story of two ambitious but poor young people who, at the very start of the Victorian Era, combine their considerable talents to found a dynasty and go on to fame and fortune. "A monumental saga...rich and tremendous." -Boston Globe "A saga of immense power...the most exciting since the Swanns of Delderfield and the Forsytes of Galsworthy!" -Cincinatti Times "Zestful research and Macdonald's mastery of the dialects and speech of all classes bring his novel noisily to life from the first to the last page." -The [London] Times "A powerful new novel...a successful attempt to blend fiction with authenticity. The story is rich with colourful characters, brawling, boozing, and bedding...leaves the reader waiting impatiently for the next novel in what must be a memorable series." -Yorkshire Evening Post

Founder of the largest indigenous Christian church in American history, Joseph Smith published the 584-page Book of Mormon when he was twenty-three and went on to organize a church, found cities, and attract thousands of followers before his violent death at age thirty-eight. Richard Bushman, an esteemed cultural historian and a practicing Mormon, moves beyond the popular stereotype of Smith as a colorful fraud to explore his personality, his relationships with others, and how he received revelations. An arresting narrative of the birth of the Mormon Church, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling also brilliantly evaluates the prophet’s bold contributions to Christian theology and his cultural place in the modern world.

Describes the appearance, formation, physical properties and characteristics, mining, and cutting of precious, semiprecious, and synthetic gemstones.

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance and bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

A comprehensive manual of the world's gemstones and includes more than 1,400 examples. Opposite each illustration, this text provides a description of the particular stone, including details of the properties and chemical composition which makes the stone unique. It also gives information on location of major deposits, and alternative names.

-Lavishly illustrated, Gems of the World is intended for anyone who has ever been fascinated by crystals, jewelry, and gems, from general readers to seasoned professionals. It is a fine addition to general collections.- --Booklist, on the previous edition Gems of the World is a practical and comprehensive guide to the identification and properties of precious and semiprecious gems, novelty stones, agates and crystals. This edition has been revised and thoroughly updated. Changes and new features include updated maps of recently established diamond bourses and geographical country changes, plus new gem varieties and localities where they are found, new techniques for producing synthetic gemstones and simulants, and much more. There is comprehensive information on gems: gem formation mining the diamond industry conflict diamonds ethical sourcing crystal structure (diagrams and cuts) optical and physical properties fashioning and cutting (properties and uses) gemstone cuts for diamonds buying a diamond buying colored gemstones imitation and synthetic gemstones gemstone enhancement history of gems famous diamonds caring for gemstones and jewelry a color key of 139 gemstones. The text describes the world's diamond cutting and trading centers, the -diamond pipeline- that flows from mine to retail, and information on the gemstone industry, ethical mining, conflict diamonds and the emergence of new diamond centers. The description directory of gemstones is organized by their chemical composition. The 139 profiles describe each gem's geology, chemistry, properties (such as color, refractive index, and luster), cultural use in history and its value in jewelry. Photographs show the gem as a raw crystal, in common cuts, polished for use, and in some cases, also in a piece of jewelry. Gems of the World is an ideal reference for gemologists, collectors and general readers.