Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond

British historians Dalrymple (Return of a King) and Anand (Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary) trace the complicated, bloody, conflict-laden history of the Koh-I-Noor diamond in this winning account, following the diamond’s chain of ownership through the centuries. Drawing together firsthand accounts and historical documents, the authors attempt to nail down the famous diamond’s origins, starting with rumors and legends dating back to the 16th century. The gem is invariably linked to conquest, repeatedly passing hands from one ruler and country to another: from India’s Mughal dynasty to Nader Shah of Iran to Ahmad Khan Abdali of Afghanistan, then to the Sikhs and finally into the hands of the British Empire, where it remains today. This book is equally about those who have coveted and possessed the diamond as it is about the legendary stone; dynasties rise and fall, and rumors of a curse may be well-earned: “Its owners have variously been blinded, slow-poisoned, tortured to death, burned in oil, threatened with drowning, crowned with molten lead, assassinated by their own family and bodyguards, or have lost their kingdoms and died in penury.” It’s an eye-opening, informative, and entertainingly lurid narrative; the authors virtually revel in visceral details while highlighting the colonialism and appropriation so entwined with the diamond’s history. (Sept.)