Diamonds

Set in Antwerp and London, Esther Kreitman's epic novel tells the story of the collapsing world of Gedaliah Berman, a rich but unscrupulous Jewish diamond merchant at the time of the First World War. This is an authentic account of the world of the diamond trade and the human upheaval created by the war in the two countries. The reader is taken on a journey that Esther Kreitman herself took. She was in an unhappy, arranged marriage to an unsuccessful diamond cutter, in Antwerp, and, like Berman and his family they were forced to flee to London with other Jewish refugees. Throughout the novel diamonds exert a powerful influence on the lives of all the main characters, shaping their destinies. To Berman, diamonds are more than a livelihood, he is in thrall to them, and his unbending character reflects their cold hardness. He uses the stones to dominate, and even forces the elderly suitor of his young daughter to buy his diamonds as a dowry. Heather Valencia's fine translation and excellent introduction allow us for the first time to enjoy this powerful study of a troubled family relationship at a time of momentous social upheaval. "Diamonds" was originally published in Yiddish in 1944 by W&G Foyle in London as "Brilyantn". Reviews are expected in "The Times Literary Supplement" and "The Times". It has early broadcast media and national newspaper interest. It has launch at Glsagow Limmud February 14.