Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden Summary

Stoned explores how jewels like diamonds, pearls, and Fabergé eggs shaped history through human desire. Aja Raden ties eight iconic gems to pivotal events, such as how De Beers marketed diamonds as symbols of love and how glass beads fueled colonial trade. The book blends history, science, and pop culture to reveal how perceived value drives obsession.

Casual readers and history enthusiasts will enjoy Raden’s storytelling, while jewelry lovers gain insights into gems’ cultural impact. Though not a reference book, researchers studying consumerism or colonialism may find its case studies useful. Fans of narrative nonfiction like Sapiens or Guns, Germs, and Steel will appreciate its interdisciplinary approach.

Yes—its blend of wit and scholarship makes complex topics accessible. Raden’s background in physics, history, and jewelry design lends authority, while her “comically caustic” tone entertains. Readers praise it for reshaping how they view luxury and historical events like the French Revolution.

The book examines desire, scarcity, and constructed value. Key themes include:

• How marketing (e.g., De Beers’ diamonds) manipulates perception.
• Colonial exploitation via trade (e.g., Dutch beads for Manhattan).
• Jewelry’s role in power dynamics, like the necklace that sparked the French Revolution.

Raden’s dual background in science (University of Chicago physics) and jewelry design (Tacori, House of Kahn) allows her to dissect gems’ cultural and chemical significance. Her historical research on figures like Catherine the Great adds depth, while her industry experience critiques modern luxury myths.

Notable stories include:

• The 17th-century “tulip mania” and its parallels to gemstone speculation.
• The role of Fabergé eggs in the Romanov dynasty’s downfall.
• The 1640s Manhattan purchase using $24 worth of glass beads.

Raden argues that jewels are “90% imaginary” in value, exposing how marketing and scarcity fuel desire. Examples include recasting diamonds as romantic necessities and revealing pearls’ historical ties to imperialism. The book urges readers to question why society covets certain objects.

Raden combines academic rigor with dark humor, described as “David McCullough meets Malcolm Gladwell”. Her tone is conversational, using phrases like “glass beads bought Manhattan” to simplify complex economics. Critics praise her “endlessly quotable” prose and knack for blending pop culture with history.

Some note it prioritizes storytelling over depth, making it less suited for academic research. However, most praise its readability and originality, with Kirkus calling it a “lively, incisive cultural history”. The focus on Western narratives is a minor gap.

Raden draws parallels between historic gem obsessions and today’s luxury trends, like branding’s power to inflate worth. She likens De Beers’ campaigns to modern influencer culture, showing how desire is engineered.

Notable lines include:

• “Diamonds aren’t forever… they’re as old as the microwave oven”.
• “Real is just as flexible a concept as value”.
• “Jewels are the ultimate placebo effect”.

Unlike dry historical accounts, Raden’s work merges science and satire, akin to Mary Roach’s Bonk. It offers a jewelry-focused lens on consumerism, complementing Yuval Noah Harari’s broader theories in Sapiens.