Lapidarium

The Secret Lives of Stones

By: Hettie Judah

Narrated by: Nina Wadia

Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world,this audiobook is a beautiful collection of true stories about sixty different stones that have influenced our shared history

The earliest scientists ground and processed minerals in a centuries-long quest for a mythic stone that would prolong human life. Michelangelo climbed mountains in Tuscany searching for the sugar-white marble that would yield his sculptures. Catherine the Great wore the wealth of Russia stitched in gemstones onto the front of her bodices.

Through the realms of art, myth, geology, philosophy and power, the story of humanity can be told through the minerals and materials that have allowed us to evolve and create. From the Taiwanese national treasure known as the Meat-Shaped Stone to Malta’s prehistoric “fat lady” temples carved in globigerina limestone to the amethyst crystals still believed to have healing powers, Lapidarium is a jewel box of sixty far-flung stones and the stories that accompany them. Together, they explore how human culture has formed stone, and the roles stone has played in forming human culture.

Critic reviews

"A beautifully illustrated collection of insightful essays...[Lapidarium] elegantly mixes archaeology, mythology, literature, and philosophy"--Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*

Amazing!

While I am definitely a rock lover, this book goes more in depth than I ever expected. The history of discoveries, the wars and battles around them, and so much more. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Lovely Bite-Sized Stories

Wonderful combination of geology, cultural analysis, and history in small but memorable chapters. The book is written well and read well, and it leaves you thinking about the stones we encounter

Lovely stories of Earth herself

The stories explore both rock and mineral life from the beginnings of earth to our modern times. A fascinating journey through Lapidary.

fascinating history

great narrative of the history of the use of stone and crystals to balance the science - leading to an informative and entertaining listen.

Erudite author and extraordinary narration

After reading Aja Raden’s trainwreck of a book, I didn’t pick up a new book on gems for many years. Recently I found this title and also Helen Molesworth’s which looked amazing to me. I haven’t been disappointed to return to a subject that is no less than a lifelong obsession.

This book was a real treat. It has bite-sized essays and observations on mineralogy and gemology. It’s a good book when you just want a little something to listen to. That is, the chapters are discrete and you can jump in anywhere. Though it’s been criticized for not having a coherent narrative, that is just what I enjoyed about it, the series of essays format. In that way she reminded me of G.F. Kunz in his popular books, but Judah’s is far better organized.

Judah’s intelligence is sharp and her broad erudition evident throughout. I was never bored and learned mineralogical facts I was unaware of before, The interweaving of cultural and biographical stories with political events and science make this more interesting than the average book on stones.

Nina Wadia’s beautiful voice and pronunciation were an absolute joy to hear. It was so refreshing to listen to a narrator who is competent, pleasant, and has cultural literacy.

In fine, here’s a perfect pairing for anyone who loves gems, minerals, and history.