Book excerpt: The qualities of the mysterious tourmaline are unique in the mineral realm. Fourteen years went into creating this volume, including visits to scientific collections all over Europe. Phenomena gave way to outer experience, which led to inner experience and insight; the natural object gave way to natural being. A miracle of nature, the tourmaline is a precious stone, having perhaps the greatest range of figuration and coloring of any gem. The importance of this book is in its lavish illustrations and far-reaching cognitive treatment of the tourmaline. At its heart are approximately 400 color photographs by some of the best photographers. The concluding text takes a Goethean view, explaining how tourmalines came to be invested with such a panoply of meanings, which remained unacknowledged for centuries. This is a book your family will treasure for many generations.