"Spanning centuries of ground-breaking science, bitter rivalry, outright fraud, and self-delusion, The Diamond Makers is a narrative centered around the brilliant, often eccentric, and controversial pioneers of high-pressure research. This blend of dramatic personal stories and extraordinary scientific advancesand devastating failures - brings alive the quest to create diamond. Scientists have harnessed crushing pressures and scorching temperatures to transform almost any carbon-rich material, from road tar to peanut butter, into the most prized of gems."--BOOK JACKET.