{"title":"Steven Press","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the captivating world of Steven Press, an author renowned for his meticulous exploration of historical and military themes. Steven's works, including the acclaimed \u003cem\u003eBlood and Diamonds\u003c\/em\u003e, delve deep into the complex narratives of historical events, offering readers an intriguing perspective on lesser-known tales of the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSteven Press combines rigorous historical research with vivid storytelling, making his books a perfect choice for history enthusiasts and anyone keen to explore the intricate dynamics of past conflicts. His writing not only educates but also engages readers, transporting them to different times and places with rich detail and insightful analysis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore Steven Press's collection, and embark on a journey through the annals of history where each book promises a fresh discovery and an enlightening experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"blood-and-diamonds-by-steven-press-9780674916494","title":"Blood and Diamonds","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiamonds have long been bloody.\u003c\/strong\u003e A new history shows how Germany's ruthless African empire brought diamond rings to retail display cases in America—at the cost of African lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince the late 1990s, activists have campaigned to remove \"conflict diamonds\" from jewellery shops and department stores. But if the problem of conflict diamonds—gems extracted from war zones—has only recently generated attention, it is not a new one. Nor are conflict diamonds an exception in an otherwise honest industry. The modern diamond business, Steven Press shows, owes its origins to imperial wars and has never escaped its legacy of exploitation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eBlood and Diamonds\u003c\/i\u003e, Press traces the interaction of the mass-market diamond and German colonial domination in Africa. Starting in the 1880s, Germans hunted for diamonds in Southwest Africa. In the decades that followed, Germans waged brutal wars to control the territory, culminating in the genocide of the Herero and Nama peoples and the unearthing of vast mineral riches. Press follows the trail of the diamonds from the sands of the Namib Desert to government ministries and corporate boardrooms in Berlin and London, and on to the retail counters of New York and Chicago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Africans working in terrifying conditions extracted unprecedented supplies of diamonds, European cartels maintained the illusion that the stones were scarce, propelling the nascent US market for diamond engagement rings. Convinced by advertisers that diamonds were both valuable and romantically significant, American purchasers unwittingly funded German imperial ambitions into the era of the world wars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmid today's global frenzy of mass consumption, Press's history offers an unsettling reminder that cheap luxury often depends on an alliance between corporate power and state violence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000556896492,"sku":"9780674916494","price":73.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7666823482428.jpg?v=1763284602"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/steven-press.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}