The Secret Lives of Stones

<p><b>''A delightful storybook . . . a portrait of our whole world created from the contents of the ground'' <i>Literary Review</i></b><br><br><b>''A real cabinet of curiosities'' <i>Sunday Times</i></b><br><br>From the <b>hematite</b> used in cave paintings to the <b>moldavite</b> that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen <b>sandstone</b> of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses, rocks and minerals have always been central to our story.<br><br>3,000 years ago Babylonians constructed lapidaries - books that tried to pin down the magical secrets of rocks. In <i>The Secret Lives of Stones</i>, renowned art critic Hettie Judah explores the unexpected stories behind sixty stones that have shaped and inspired human history, from Dorset fossil-hunters to Chinese philosophers, Catherine the Great to Michelangelo.<br><br>Discover why alchemists sought <b>cinnabar</b> and <b>sulphur</b>. Unearth the mystery of the <b>tuff</b> statues of Rapa Nui, the lost <b>amber</b> room of Frederick of Prussia and the scandal of <b>Flint</b> Jack. Find out how a Greek monster created <b>coral</b>, <b>moon rock</b> explains the history of Earth''s only satellite and <b>obsidian</b> inspired the world''s favourite computer game. <br><br>Stone by stone, story by fascinating story, <i>The Secret Lives of Stones </i>builds into a dazzling, epoch-spanning adventure through human culture, and beyond.</p>