{{Short description|Writer}} {{Infobox person | name = <!-- defaults to article title when left blank --> | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |35|2016|March|20}}<ref name="beckettNYT20march2016">{{Cite news |last=Beckett |first=Kathleen |date=2016-03-20 |title=The Stories of 8 Gems That Changed History |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/fashion/book-jewelry.html |access-date=2023-02-19 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }}
'''Aja Raden''' is an author, historian, scientist and jewelry designer.<ref name="beckettNYT20march2016" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lowdown on the diamond industry leaves no stone unturned |url=https://www.islingtontribune.co.uk/article/lowdown-on-the-diamond-industry-leaves-no-stone-unturned |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Camden New Journal |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Noel |date=2023-02-10 |title=Review: Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher swap homes in gimmicky 'Your Place or Mine' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-02-09/review-reese-witherspoon-and-ashton-kutcher-swap-homes-in-gimmicky-your-place-or-mine |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kenny |first=Glenn |title=Nothing Lasts Forever movie review (2022) {{!}} Roger Ebert |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/nothing-lasts-forever-movie-review-2022 |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=RogerEbert.com |language=en}}</ref> She wrote a widely-reviewed 2015 nonfiction book about the social history of gems but is more well-known for her appearance in the 2022 documentary ''Nothing Lasts Forever''.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
== Education and early career == Raden studied physics and ancient history at the University of Chicago.<ref name="beckettNYT20march2016" /> She worked for the House of Kahn Estate Jewelers in Chicago and for Tacori in California.<ref name="beckettNYT20march2016" />
== Writing and commentary on gems == ''Kirkus'' called her 2015 nonfiction work discussing the history of jewelry, ''Stoned'', "a lively, incisive cultural and social history".<ref name=":0" />
The ''Wall Street Journal'' described her appearance on the 2022 documentary ''Nothing Lasts Forever'' as "comically caustic".<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=John |title='Nothing Lasts Forever' Review: What Makes a Diamond |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/nothing-lasts-forever-review-what-makes-a-diamond-5640efc0 |access-date=2023-02-19 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=9 February 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Decider'' called her appearance "an extremely witty breath of fresh air" and said that her "go-for-broke, take-no-prisoners disdain for bullshit is inspiring".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serba |first=John |date=10 February 2023 |title='Nothing Lasts Forever' Showtime Review: Stream It Or Skip It? |url=https://decider.com/2023/02/10/nothing-lasts-forever-showtime-review-stream-it-or-skip-it/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Decider |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Variety'' called her appearance "endlessly quotable".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Debruge |first=Peter |date=2022-02-13 |title='Nothing Lasts Forever' Review: Brilliant Diamond Doc Reveals What Could Burst the Bauble Bubble |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/nothing-lasts-forever-review-diamonds-1235180591/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Indiewire called her the documentary's standout and a "natural scene stealer", saying she "radiates charisma with dramatic turns of phrase and a highly attuned bullshit meter".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dry |first=Jude |date=2022-03-17 |title='Nothing Lasts Forever' Review: Glittering Documentary Is the Diamond Industry's Worst Nightmare |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/nothing-lasts-forever-documentary-review-diamonds-1234708731/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=IndieWire |language=en}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
* ''The Truth About Lies'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Kathryn |date=2021-07-28 |title=The Truth About Lies by Aja Raden review – a history of deceit, hoaxes and cons |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jul/28/the-truth-about-lies-by-aja-raden-review-a-history-of-deceit-hoaxes-and-cons |access-date=2023-02-18 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> * ''Stoned'' (2015)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/aja-raden/stoned-jewelry/ |title=Stoned |publisher=Kirkus Reviews |year=2015 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 December 2015 |title=From Trading Beads To The First Wristwatch, A History Of Shiny Objects |url=https://www.npr.org/2015/12/14/459686327/from-trading-beads-to-the-first-wristwatch-a-history-of-shiny-objects |website=NPR}}</ref><ref name="beckettNYT20march2016" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raden, Aja}} Category:Living people Category:21st-century American jewellers Category:American historians Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)