Author Description

<p>An essential guide to one of the world's most remarkable, and often misunderstood, cities by the author of Why the Dutch Are Different.</p> <p>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 devised ten walks, each demonstrating a different chapter of Amsterdam's 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.</p> <p>Join Coates as he meanders past beautiful townhouses and glittering canals, dances at Pride celebrations, witnesses the King's 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.</p> <p>Blending travelog and quirky history, The Invention of Amsterdam is an entertaining and sharply observed portrait of a fascinating and complicated city.</p>