The Invention of Amsterdam: a history of Europes greatest city in ten walks
(Paperback)
Publishing Details
The Invention of Amsterdam: a history of Europes greatest city in ten walks
By (Author) Ben Coates
Scribe Publications
Scribe Publications
29th April 2025
13th March 2025
United Kingdom
Classifications
General
Non Fiction
European history
Places and peoples: general and pictorial works
Social and cultural history
Cultural studies: customs and traditions
Walking, hiking, trekking
910.409492352
Physical Properties
Paperback
384
Width 129mm, Height 198mm, Spine 23mm
Description
An essential guide to one of the worlds most remarkable, and often misunderstood, cities by the author of Why the Dutch Are Different.
When Ben Coates injures his leg and needs to rebuild his strength by walking, he finds himself presented with an exciting opportunity: to rediscover the city he has been working in for over a decade, at a slower pace. He devises ten walks, each demonstrating a different chapter of Amsterdams history, from its humble beginnings in the early 1200s as a small fishing community through two Golden Ages, fuelled by the growth of the Dutch colonial empire, two world wars, and countless reinventions.
Join Coates as he meanders past beautiful townhouses and glittering canals, dances at Pride celebrations, witnesses the Kings apology at Keti Koti, attends a WW2 memorial, gets high at a coffee shop, walks through the red-light district, and gazes in awe at Rembrandt paintings, all the while illuminating modern Amsterdam by explaining its past.
Blending travelogue and quirky history, The Invention of Amsterdam is an entertaining and sharply observed portrait of a fascinating and complicated city.
Reviews
Praise for Why the Dutch Are Different:
Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem.
* The Scotsman, Books of the Year *Praise for Why the Dutch Are Different:
A book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait
-- Bronwen Maddox * Prospect *Praise for Why the Dutch Are Different:
Vivid and informative An accomplished debut.
* Geographical *Praise for Why the Dutch Are Different:
A striking portrait of the Netherlands in the 21st century, offering a refreshing and long overdue update of the way the Dutch national character is described.
* Edinburgh Book Review *Author Bio
Ben Coates is the author of Why the Dutch Are Different and The Rhine. He was born in England in 1982 and has worked at various times as a political adviser in London, speechwriter, lobbyist, and aid worker in Africa. He currently lives in a cottage in the Dutch countryside with his wife, children, and assorted farmyard animals. Ben has also worked freelance as a journalist for outlets including Politico, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, the BBC, The Scotsman, and The Irish Times. He writes a regular weekly column for the Dutch newspaper AD.
