Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World

Name: Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World
Price: 12.22 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (1407 reviews)
Author: Aja Raden

by Aja Raden

Nonfiction

4.4 (1,407)

4.4 stars from 1,407 reviews. Top 86% of Nonfiction books we track.

$12.22KU18% off peak

Last checked: May 20, 2026

Read free with Kindle Unlimited

Price history: $1.99 – $14.99

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $1.99 – $14.99

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Perfect for you if...

You're curious about how seemingly small objects—gems, jewels, trinkets—have upended empires and shaped entire civilizations.
You enjoy history that connects the dots between art, science, economics, and human psychology without feeling academic.
You love a book that explains the 'why' behind luxury: why we crave beauty, how desire gets weaponised, and what that says about us.

Maybe not for you if...

You want a straightforward how-to guide for jewelry appraisal or a technical gemology textbook.
You prefer linear, chronological history without digressions into cultural tangents and human obsession.
You find yourself fatigued by pop-science explanations or narrative history that jumps between time periods.

About this book

Stoned explores the history of human desire and how societies determine what is precious. Jeweler and scientist Aja Raden examines eight jewels and their role in shaping history, investigating what makes a stone valuable and why humans are drawn to beautiful things. Jewelry has long represented wealth and power, influencing cultural movements, political dynasties, and wars. The book connects historical events across time—from the diamond engagement ring's link to the GI Bill, to the cultural significance of green-tinted jewelry, to how glass beads were traded for Manhattan, to the role of a coveted necklace in the French Revolution. Raden combines pop science and historical narrative to explain these connections and humanity's persistent attraction to rare and extraordinary objects.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $14.99

Price has dropped 21 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 105 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #26K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.4★ from 1,407 reviews

Gaining approximately 3 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.4 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

Based on past patterns, a price drop could happen soon. It typically goes on sale every 105 days and the last drop was 120 days ago. Typical discount: 87% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.