A man travels to Israel to uncover a diamond’s remarkable past in this vivid historical saga from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Physician. A diamond cutter and seller from a long, respected line of precious-gem dealers, New Yorker Harry Hopeman is intrigued by the story of the so-called “Jerusalem Diamond,” a magnificent yellow jewel rumored to date back to the biblical time of … back to the biblical time of King Solomon. So when he’s asked to broker a deal that will return the legendary gemstone to Israel, he eagerly accepts.
Arriving in the volatile Middle East, Hopeman soon discovers that his assignment will be anything but easy. Representatives of the Holy Land’s three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are all laying claim to the priceless jewel that once adorned the miter of Pope Gregory, and they will do anything to possess it.
Partnering with Israeli government agent Tamar Strauss—a beautiful and courageous Yemenite war widow who inspires the visiting American’s passion as well as his respect—Hopeman is soon entangled in a web of mystery and intrigue that crosses continents and stretches back thousands of years. As the duo follows the twisting travels of the gem and the bloody conflicts it has ignited throughout its extraordinary past—a history that intertwines with Hopeman’s own family saga—the story of a breathtaking land and its people unfolds in all its drama and glory.
International-bestselling author Noah Gordon—whose acclaimed historical novel The Physician was the inspiration for the major motion picture of the same name starring Ben Kingsley— “has packed a suspense tale with religious, historical and archeological underpinnings, along with fascinating insights into an industry whose conduct is generally shrouded from outside scrutiny” (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
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I did like this book considering how many characters there were to keep track of. Will read more of his books!
A lot of interesting Jewish terms in this book…some simple & some more complex, but a good read.
an excuse to write about Israel…a far cry from The Physician which is a great book
A GOOD STORY AND A BIT OF BIBLICAL HISTORY TO BOOT
Good book with historical fiction that teaches readers about earlier
Times. It’s hard to keep up with all factors wanting the ageless treasure.
I’m a big fan of Noah Gordon’s books! He’s a great storyteller and the Jerusalem Diamond is one of his best. He delivers an in depth view of the diamond trade with fascinating history and wonderful characters. Don’t miss this one!
Enjoyed how the story moved from the past to the present. I have visited Israel so could make believe I was in the different locations of the story. Wished the hero and heroine could have ended together, but that’s the way life is sometimes.
well written.
Love the way Noah Gordon weaves history into his stories and have great confidence in the actual reality of the details in his novels. Just another fine read.
Few, if any, exceed Gordon’s story telling skill
Love these books.
Enjoyed the historical bits within the story and the information about diamonds and the diamond trade.
Interesting, suspenseful and informative