Amsterdam by Russell Shorto
An endlessly entertaining portrait of the unique city of Amsterdam, by the author of the acclaimed Island at the Center of the WorldUpdated Edition with a New Preface for Amsterdam's 750th Anniversary
Tourists know Amsterdam as a picturesque city of low-slung brick houses lining tidy canals; student travelers know it for its legal brothels and hash bars; art lovers know it for Rembrandt's glorious portraits.
But the deeper history of Amsterdam, what makes it one of the most fascinating places on earth, is bound up in its unique geography-the constant battle of its citizens to keep the sea at bay and the democratic philosophy that this enduring struggle fostered. Amsterdam is the font of liberalism, in both its senses. Tolerance for free thinking and free love make it a place where, in the words of one of its mayors, "craziness is a value." But the city also fostered the deeper meaning of liberalism, one that profoundly influenced America: political and economic freedom. Amsterdam was home not only to religious dissidents and radical thinkers but to the world's first great global corporation.
In this effortlessly erudite account, Russell Shorto traces the idiosyncratic evolution of Amsterdam, showing how such disparate elements as herring anatomy, naked Anabaptists parading through the streets, and an intimate gathering in a sixteenth-century wine-tasting room had a profound effect on Dutch-and world-history. Weaving in his own experiences of his adopted home, Shorto provides an ever-surprising, intellectually engaging story of Amsterdam.
Russell Shorto is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and the author of five novels. His writings have been translated into fourteen languages and have received several accolades. He was the director of the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam from 2008 to 2013.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780307743756 |
| ISBN 10 | 0307743756 |
| Title | Amsterdam |
| Author | Russell Shorto |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Random House USA Inc |
| Year published | 2014-08-12 |
| Number of pages | 368 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |