Frost (sociology, social policy, and criminology, U. of Liverpool, England) explores the social, economic, and political role that diamonds have played in Sierra Leone's development since they were discovered in the 1930s, arguing that the African country became a victim of resource predation and is now trapped in a system of corporate neocolonialism. He begins with an overview of the country's history and the role of diamonds in its development and then presents chapters examining debates over the causes of the 1991-2002 civil war, including the role of private security firms hired to protect diamond concessions, and the perspectives of diamond workers and social organizations working on "blood diamond" initiatives following the civil war. Later chapters investigate the idea of "global criminal networks" in relation to Sierra Leone, the concept of parallel global economies in relation to diamonds, and the place of the diamond trade within the broader matrix of corporate neocolonialism. Distributed in the US by Boydell & Brewer. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)