A funny, tell-all memoir from the New York Times' most controversial restaurant critic.

Learn about the gem called a sapphire.

Angel-in-training Ella helps an injured bunny in this third magical book of the whimsical new Angel Wings series! The first angel in Ella’s grade has earned her sapphire halo—and Ella’s friends aren’t far behind. But Ella still has several halo points to collect, and she doesn’t want to be the last to earn her sparkling halo. When a magical bunny with an injury is brought to the school, nasty angel Primrose jumps at the opportunity to care for it. But all Primrose really cares about is collecting more halo points than anyone else. It’s up to Ella to take responsibility for the bunny, a task that she doesn’t mind at all. Ella loves animals! But will she ever get enough halo points to earn a sapphire halo of her own?

From the dawn of time, ruby and sapphire have both attracted and fascinated humans in ways that few other items could.While objects of desire are found throughout the natural world, physical beauty is too often ephemeral. From the allure of a man, woman, flower or butterfly, through the fleeting moments of a sunset, there is little that lasts and practically nothing that can be passed down to our descendants. The exception is precious stones. Not only are they the most durable creations of mother nature, but their visual splendor is truly eternal.In this companion to his 2013 book, Ruby & Sapphire--A Collector's Guide, Richard Hughes examines these gems from the gemological standpoint, delving into these gems not just from the aesthetic, but also from the scientific point of view.The product of nearly 40 years of firsthand experience, it covers every aspect of the subject from A-Z. History, sources, prices, quality analysis, synthetics and treatments, everything is here. Ruby & Sapphire--A Gemologist's Guide represents the most comprehensive book ever written on a single precious stone. With over 1000 photos, maps and illustrations and 3500 references, it is nothing less than a tour-de-force of gemological scholarship.

Reproduction of the original: The Three Sapphires by W.A Fraser

In The Blue Sapphire of the Mind, Douglas E.

Women of African Ancestry Shine With the Beauty, Value, and Uniqueness of Precious Jewels. If any race of women should recognize that their value is far above rubies, pearls, and sapphires, says author Terri McFaddin, it is those of African ancestry. Like precious gemstones formed within the earth, we have endured hard times, the heat of adversity, and intense pressures, and have come out of the fire as a rare and beautiful treasure. We have made tremendous progress in the struggle for racial equality. Yet many women of color do not fully understand their true worth and God-given potential. Exploring vital biblical truths, Sapphires and Other Precious Jewels empowers us to recognize and fully embrace the qualities that make us precious, valuable, and strong–sapphires of great price. Explore the Treasured Qualities of Black Women Through the Twelve Jewels in the Breastplate of the High Priest. As you examine the scriptural principles drawn from Exodus 28, you’ll discover, perhaps for the first time, that your beauty is both natural and spiritual, that God created and affirms your beauty and uniqueness, and that he calls you to demonstrate and celebrate the extraordinary ways in which you are fearfully and wonderfully made. From the Trade Paperback edition.

By the second half of the twentieth century, a new branch of materials science had come into being — crystalline materials research. Its appearance is linked to the emergence of advanced technologies primarily based on single crystals (bulk crystals and films). At the turn of the last century, the impending onset of the “ceramic era” was forecasted. It was believed that ceramics would play a role comparable to that of the Stone or Bronze Ages in the history of civilization. Naturally, such an assumption was hypothetical, but it showed that ceramic materials had evoked keen interest among researchers. Although sapphire traditionally has been considered a gem, it has developed into a material typical of the “ceramic era.” Widening the field of sapphire application necessitated essential improvement of its homogeneity and working characteristics and extension of the range of sapphire products, especially those with stipulated properties including a preset structural defect distribution. In the early 1980s, successful attainment of crystals with predetermined char- teristics was attributed to proper choice of the growth method. At present, in view of the fact that the requirements for crystalline products have become more str- gent, such an approach tends to be insufficient. It is clear that one must take into account the physical–chemical processes that take place during the formation of the real crystal structure, i.e., the growth mechanisms and the nature and causes of crystal imperfections.

Tragedy and heartbreak drive Dana McComb to a Caribbean island where she sets about to becoming a hermit. Settling into numbness seems to be the only way to suppress the psychic visions that once showed her the death of her soul mate. A failed rebound relationship leaves her even more intent on losing herself in the loneliness of her isolated house on the hill. With her middle-aged, beef jerky obsessed Tom cat, Dana vows to live a life devoid of ups and downs. Making fun of her own state of mind, she and her best buddy start "The Love Sucks Club" which is really just a euphemism for sitting around bitching about their own bitterness about love. Trying to stay wrapped in her own misery starts to fail when Dana's pesky younger sister and a host of other island misfits insist on poking into her best laid plans for comfort. When a new woman shows up on island, bringing back Dana's visions, she is suddenly besieged by night terrors, vivid hallucinations, and panic attacks. Half-convinced she's going crazy, Dana tries to shut out her past with increasing difficulty. Aware that it may be the only way to put her dead lover to rest, Dana begins a journey that could either shatter her life or save it.