Download or read book Flight of the Diamond Smugglers A Tale of Pigeons Obsession and Greed Along Coastal South Africa written by Matthew Gavin Frank and published by Liveright Publishing. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Unforgettable. . . . An outstanding adventure in its lyrical, utterly compelling, and heartbreaking investigations of the world of diamond smuggling.” —Aimee Nezhukumatathil For nearly eighty years, a huge portion of coastal South Africa was closed off to the public. With many of its pits now deemed “overmined” and abandoned, American journalist Matthew Gavin Frank sets out across the infamous Diamond Coast to investigate an illicit trade that supplies a global market. Immediately, he became intrigued by the ingenious methods used in facilitating smuggling particularly, the illegal act of sneaking carrier pigeons onto mine property, affixing diamonds to their feet, and sending them into the air. Entering Die Sperrgebiet (“The Forbidden Zone”) is like entering an eerie ghost town, but Frank is surprised by the number of people willing—even eager—to talk with him. Soon he meets Msizi, a young diamond digger, and his pigeon, Bartholomew, who helps him steal diamonds. It’s a deadly game: pigeons are shot on sight by mine security, and Msizi knows of smugglers who have disappeared because of their crimes. For this, Msizi blames “Mr. Lester,” an evil tall-tale figure of mythic proportions. From the mining towns of Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth, through the “halfway” desert, to Kleinzee’s shores littered with shipwrecks, Frank investigates a long overlooked story. Weaving interviews with local diamond miners who raise pigeons in secret with harrowing anecdotes from former heads of security, environmental managers, and vigilante pigeon hunters, Frank reveals how these feathered bandits became outlaws in every mining town. Interwoven throughout this obsessive quest are epic legends in which pigeons and diamonds intersect, such as that of Krishna’s famed diamond Koh-i-Noor, the Mountain of Light, and that of the Cherokee serpent Uktena. In these strange connections, where truth forever tangles with the lore of centuries past, Frank is able to contextualize the personal grief that sent him, with his wife Louisa in the passenger seat, on this enlightening journey across parched lands. Blending elements of reportage, memoir, and incantation, Flight of the Diamond Smugglers is a rare and remarkable portrait of exploitation and greed in one of the most dangerous areas of coastal South Africa. With his sovereign prose and insatiable curiosity, Matthew Gavin Frank “reminds us that the world is a place of wonder if only we look” (Toby Muse).

Download or read book My Life as a Diamond written by Jenny Manzer and published by Orca Book Publishers. This book was released on 2018-09-25 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A heartwarming, funny, fast-paced story about the bravery it takes to live as your true self, no matter the cost. Ten-year-old Caspar "Caz" Cadman loves baseball and has a great arm. He loves the sounds, the smells, the stats. When his family moves from Toronto to a suburb of Seattle, the first thing he does is try out for the local summer team, the Redburn Ravens. Even though Caz is thrilled when he makes the team, he worries because he has a big secret. No one in this city knows that before Caz told his parents he was a boy, he lived a very different life. It's nobody's business. Caz will tell his new friends when he's ready. But when a player on a rival team starts snooping around, Caz's past is revealed, and Caz worries it will be Toronto all over again. Will Caz's teammates rally behind their star pitcher? Or will Caz be betrayed once more? The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Download or read book The Sprawl written by Jason Diamond and published by Coffee House Press. This book was released on 2020-08-25 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For decades the suburbs have been where art happens despite: despite the conformity, the emptiness, the sameness. Time and again, the story is one of gems formed under pressure and that resentment of the suburbs is the key ingredient for creative transcendence. But what if, contrary to that, the suburb has actually been an incubator for distinctly American art, as positively and as surely as in any other cultural hothouse? Mixing personal experience, cultural reportage, and history while rejecting clichés and pieties and these essays stretch across the country in an effort to show that this uniquely American milieu deserves another look.

Download or read book Diamond Painting Log Book written by Log Book Diamond Painting and published by . This book was released on 2020-01-16 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Original Diamond Painting Log Book is great to help you keep track of your projects, whether you're starting on your first diamond painting or are hooked and want to do them every spare moment you have. It's a fun way to look back and see what pictures you did, where you purchased them from, the dimensions, if you kept them, sold them, or gave them as gifts, and many other details to help you track your hobby. Makes a perfect gift for the diamond painter 120 pages, white paper Glossy paperback cover 6x9 inches

Download or read book When You Give a Duke a Diamond written by Shana Galen and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He had had a perfectly orderly life...until she came along William, the sixth Duke of Pelham, enjoys his punctual. securely structured life. Orderly and predictable—that's the way he likes it. But he's in the public eye, and the scandal sheets will make up anything to sell papers. When the gossips link him to Juliette, one of the most beautiful and celebrated courtesans in London, chaos doesn't begin to describe what happens next. Juliette is nicknamed the Duchess of Dalliance, and has the cream of the nobility at her beck and call. It's seriously disruptive to have the duke who's the biggest catch on the Marriage Mart scaring her other suitors away. Then she discovers William's darkest secret and decides what he needs in his life is the kind of excitement only she can provide. The first in a sparkling Regency romance trilogy from acclaimed author Shana Galen following a glittering trio of celebrated courtesans whose fortunes depend on the ton believing the rumors about their mysterious lives. Celebrate the 80th birthday of Regency Romance with great books from Sourcebooks Casablanca! Jewels of a Ton Trilogy: When You Give a Duke a Diamond (Book 1) If You Give a Rake a Ruby (Book 2) Sapphires Are an Earl's Best Friend (Book 3) Praise for Shana Galen: "BRILLIANT AND SEXY! Once you start a Shana Galen book, you won't put it down until you reach the end." —Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked in Your Arms "Her engaging characters and strong plotline enhance the spirited dialogue and sense of adventure." —RT Book Reviews

Download or read book Becoming A Diamond written by Sivad Johnson and published by . This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Becoming A Diamond: The Strongest, Most Valuable Version of You is an inspirational, self-help book with reflections from the author Sivad Johnson's dynamic life and career of service. The reader journeys with him from his early work into his heart for art, through his dedication to fighting fires and saving lives, to his remarkable practices of discipline. The author serves up "defining" and "refining" thoughts in each chapter. He outlines phases with "visions" to evolve into a metaphorical diamond while trekking life's labyrinth of decisions. An avid storyteller, Sivad Johnson appeared on stage at The Moth GrandSLAM, Mainstage, and The Moth Radio Hour nationally. As a keynote, panelist, and member of Toastmasters International, he spoke to youth groups, students, and adults. He also shared messages on T-shirt designs and YouTube. The week before Sivad's earthly departure, he and his daughters visited his sister's family. One goal was to have her begin editing this book, which he had just completed writing.

Download or read book The Diamond Empire written by K'wan and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2017-10-10 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diamonds and Pearl each try to claw their way to the top of the New York street scene, and back to each other.

Download or read book The Secret Diamond Sisters written by Michelle Madow and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2014-03-01 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Savannah. Courtney. Peyton. The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

Download or read book The Diamond in the Window written by Jane Langton and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1973-10-31 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eddy and Eleanor discover a secret attic room in their extraordinary house.

Download or read book Diamond Willow written by Helen Frost and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). This book was released on 2016-09-06 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There's more to me than most people see. Twelve-year-old Willow would rather blend in than stick out. But she still wants to be seen for who she is. She wants her parents to notice that she is growing up. She wants her best friend to like her better than she likes a certain boy. She wants, more than anything, to mush the dogs out to her grandparents' house, by herself, with Roxy in the lead. But sometimes when it's just you, one mistake can have frightening consequences . . . And when Willow stumbles, it takes a surprising group of friends to help her make things right again. Using diamond-shaped poems inspired by forms found in polished diamond willow sticks, Helen Frost tells the moving story of Willow and her family. Hidden messages within each diamond carry the reader further, into feelings Willow doesn't reveal even to herself. Diamond Willow is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Download or read book Diamond written by Jessie Keane and published by Hodder & Stoughton. This book was released on 2022-02-03 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *** THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER *** 'A brilliant historical crime read' Bella 'This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole' My Weekly 'A rollercoaster of crime, revenge and murder' The Sun BEHIND EVERY STRONG WOMAN IS AN EPIC STORY... In the early years of the last century, a desperate young girl changes her name and flees the confines of her brutal, dominating gangland family in London. Now calling herself 'Diamond Dupree', she goes to Paris to become an artist's model but the world there is different to what she had supposed it would be and she soon falls on hard times. When she manages to escape at the end of the First World War, she leaves behind her a mystery - and a dead man. Back home in London, she reluctantly re-joins the Soho family 'firm' she'd once been glad to leave behind. Having grown tougher during her time in Paris, she soon becomes a force to be reckoned with, a feared and respected gangland queen. But then she meets Richard Beaumont, the youngest son of a wealthy aristocratic family, and sparks fly. But can she escape the long arm of the law and the hangman's noose, when the crimes of her past finally catch up with her? For fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers, as well as viewers of Peaky Blinders, this is historical crime fiction at its most compelling. 'No one delves into the underworld like Keane!' Woman's Weekly 'A gritty and enlightening read' Yours 'Authentically gritty' Crime Monthly

Download or read book Three of Diamonds written by Anthony Horowitz and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-05-05 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What would Tim Diamond, the world's worst private detective, dowithout his quick-thinking brother Nick? The bumbling detective and his kid brother are at it again in these three hilarious, fast-paced mysteries. Whether it's finding out who flattened a philanthropist with a steamroller in The Blurred Man, outsmarting Parisian drug smugglers on a vacation gone miserably wrong in The French Confection, or catching the murderer behind a deadly class reunion in I Know What You Did Last Wednesday, there's never a dull moment with this crimesolving duo around. Find out if Nick can get to the bottom of these mysteries before Tim messes everything up, or worse, gets them both killed.

Download or read book Summer with My Sister written by Lucy Diamond and published by Pan Macmillan. This book was released on 2016 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summer With My Sister is a fascinating tale of family secrets and hidden rivalries by bestselling author Lucy Diamond. Polly has always been the high-flier of the family, with the glamorous city lifestyle to match. Clare is a single mum with two children, struggling to make ends meet in a ramshackle cottage. The two sisters are poles apart and barely on speaking terms. But then Polly's fortunes change unexpectedly and her world comes crashing down. Left penniless and with nowhere else to go, she's forced back to the village where she and Clare grew up, and the sisters find themselves living together for the first time in years. With an old flame reappearing for Polly, a blossoming new career for Clare and a long-buried family secret in the mix, sparks are sure to fly. Unless the two women have more in common than they first thought?

Download or read book Amber Dusk written by Lyra Selene and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2018-11-27 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a magical world where the sun never sets, a gifted girl dreams to be in the royal court but once inside, she may not be prepared for the drama. Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d’Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies. So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers. But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to seize what should be her rightful place, she’ll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay . . . Lyra Selene weaves a lush and thrilling story of sacrifice, secrets, and star-crossed love set in a Parisian-inspired world where the sun never sets in this remarkable YA fantasy debut. Praise for Amber & Dusk “A shimmering tapestry of language, woven through with soaring beauty and subtle menace.” —Sara Holland, New York Times–bestselling author of the Everless series “Full of riotous color, fantastical locations, and surprising plot twists.” —School Library Journal

Download or read book A Diamond in the Dust written by Frauke Bolten-Boshammer and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-10-23 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The powerful true story of how one woman turned outback dust into a diamond empire. Within minutes of landing in Kununurra, Frauke Bolten had made up her mind to get on a plane back home to Germany. It was 1981 and the dusty frontier town was no place for a woman. However, Frauke stayed, determined to help her husband carve out a new life farming. Tragedy struck just three years later when Friedrich took his own life and she was left to raise their family alone. Twenty-six years after she sold her first necklace off the back porch, Kimberley Fine Diamonds in Kununurra is now home to one of the world’s largest collections of Argyle pink diamonds, with a client list that includes Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Frauke is credited for not only pioneering an industry, but for putting the tiny outback town and its precious diamonds on the map. A Diamond in the Dust is a tale of love and loss, hardship and heartache, but ultimately the inspiring story of how a young girl from Germany overcame tragedy to pioneer a diamond empire in one of the most unforgiving terrains on earth.

Download or read book Searching for John Hughes written by Jason Diamond and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-11-29 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Searching for John Hughes is Jason Diamond’s hilarious memoir of growing up obsessed with the iconic filmmaker’s movies. From the outrageous, raunchy antics in National Lampoon’s Vacation to the teenage angst in The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink to the insanely clever and unforgettable Home Alone, Jason Diamond could not get enough of John Hughes’ films. So, he set off on a years-long delusional, earnest, and assiduous quest to write a biography of his favorite filmmaker, despite having no qualifications, training, background, platform, or direction. In Searching for John Hughes, Jason tells how a Jewish kid from a broken home in a Chicago suburb—sometimes homeless, always restless—found comfort and connection in the likewise broken lives in the suburban Chicago of John Hughes’ oeuvre. He moved to New York to become a writer of a book he had no business writing. In the meantime, he brewed coffee and guarded cupcake cafes. All the while, he watched John Hughes movies religiously. Though his original biography of Hughes has long since been abandoned, Jason has discovered he is a writer through and through. And the adversity of going for broke has now been transformed into wisdom. Or, at least, a really, really good story. In other words, this is a memoir of growing up. One part big dream, one part big failure, one part John Hughes movies, one part Chicago, and one part New York. It’s a story of what comes after the “Go for it!” part of the command to young creatives to pursue their dreams—no matter how absurd they might seem at first.

Download or read book Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things written by Rachelle J. Christensen and published by Peachwood Press LLC. This book was released on 2015-07-13 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

She’s sworn to solve an unthinkable theft, but her promise could get her killed. Can a master of design unpick a nuptial nightmare?

Wedding planner Adrielle Pyper believes wholeheartedly in happily ever after. Desperate for a fresh start since the horror of her best friend’s murder, she makes the move to a posh resort town and revels in attracting famous patrons. But she fears the honeymoon is over when someone steals a priceless imported dress…

With her new celebrity clients’ marital bliss at risk, the sharp-minded beauty takes her own vow to unravel the thread of the gown’s glittering secret. But with irresistible hunks in every pew and terrifying threats delivered to her door, her keen eye for clues could lead her to a deadly altar.

Can Adrielle crack the case before she ties a fatal knot?

Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things is the delightful first book in the Wedding Planner cozy mystery series. If you like heart-racing romance, thrilling twists, and heroines strong in snark, then you’ll love Rachelle J. Christensen’s charming tale.

Buy Diamond Rings are Deadly Things to undo a crooked engagement today!