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The Secret Lives of Stones

Fascinating stories of gemstones, rocks and minerals
By Hettie Judah
Laurence King Publishing
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
Unearth the secret lives of stones in this dazzling cabinet of curiosities exploring the fascinating stories of 25 spectacular rocks and gems. Delve into a world of gemstones, rocks and minerals to discover the golden amber that once dripped as liquid resin in prehistoric forests, capturing... Read More
Format: Hardback
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Unearth the secret lives of stones in this dazzling cabinet of curiosities exploring the fascinating stories of 25 spectacular rocks and gems.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Unearth the secret lives of stones in this dazzling cabinet of curiosities exploring the fascinating stories of 25 spectacular rocks and gems.

Delve into a world of gemstones, rocks and minerals to discover the golden amber that once dripped as liquid resin in prehistoric forests, capturing ancient creatures for eternity. Find out how deep-blue lapis lazuli has been prized for thousands of years and used to make a rare paint pigment by artists during the Renaissance, and discover the amazing magnetic properties of lodestone and how this helped Chinese sailors navigate the oceans over 2,000 years ago.

Covering geology, history, myth and folklore, renowned art-critic Hettie Judah brings the stories of stones to life, with beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Jennifer N R Smith. All stones have a story to tell — stories that can teach us about the history of the planet and our own human past.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781510231085

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 September 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Laurence King Publishing

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Jennifer N.R. Smith

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 228.0mm

Height: 296.0mm

Weight: 597g

Pages: 64

Collections

Children's Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Hettie Judah Laurence King Publishing

About the Author

Hettie Judah is a regular contributor to The Guardian, Apollo, Frieze and The Times Literary Supplement. She is the curator of the 2024-25 Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood. In 2021, Hettie worked with a group of artists to draw up the manifesto How Not to Exclude Artist Parents, now available in 15 languages. She regularly talks about art and with artists for museum and gallery events, and has been a visiting lecturer for Goldsmiths University, London and Dauphine University, Paris.

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  • The Secret Lives of Stones
    'A delightful storybook . . . a portrait of our whole world created from the contents of the ground' Literary Review 'A real cabinet of curiosities' Sunday Times From the hematite used in cave paintings to the moldavite that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen sandstone of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses,...
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  • Acts of Creation
    Hettie Judah's enthralling and important book expands a male-centred art history to include mothers as subjects and symbols, makers and myths. Jennifer Higgie One of the most electrifying and important books I have ever read. Hettie Judah takes us on a rich, comprehensive, generative, beautifully written journey through the works of art that have made the invisibility of real motherhood...
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  • Emerald
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    Lavishly illustrated and exquisitely designed, this book opens with stunning images of style icons, both historic and modern, wearing their favourite emerald jewellery. As befits a prized gemstone that is twenty times rarer than diamond, here we see together, for the first time, pieces worn by celebrities ranging from film stars to royalty, all alongside classic images of emeralds from...
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  • Art London
    Prodigies, revolutionaries, defiers of the patriarchy; drunks, rebels and impassioned immigrants; queer pioneers, paint-spattered punks and proto-feminists: there have always been artists in London. Some were celebrated in their lifetime, others were out-of-step with the spirit of their age: too radical, too subversive, too modest, too female, too foreign. Art London is more than a guidebook. It will accompany you...
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  • Frida Kahlo
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  • Lapidarium
    'A delightful storybook . . . a portrait of our whole world created from the contents of the ground' Literary Review 'A real cabinet of curiosities' Sunday Times From the hematite used in cave paintings to the moldavite that became a TikTok sensation; from the stolen sandstone of Scone to the unexpected acoustics of Stonehenge; from crystal balls to compasses,...
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