Diamonds may be a girl's best friend but the beauty, rarity and fascinating lore of this precious substance has intrigued man throughout the ages. In this intriguing book, Leo P. Kendall uncovers the ways in which diamonds influenced the world. Included are the fabulous and compelling stories of the colonialist Cecil Rhodes, the De Beers mines, the world's major source of diamonds and Darya-i-Nur, the 185 carat stone with a history that carried it from the Moguls to the Iranian treasury. All the major diamond finds of the centuries are examined and described in detail. From the 'Queen of Diamonds', the Koh-i-Noor, to Henry VIII's diamond collar. Diamonds: Famous and Fatal offers a fascinating look at the world's most precious gem.