Amsterdam

A History of the World's Most Liberal City

By: Russell Shorto

Narrated by: Russell Shorto

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

An endlessly entertaining portrait of the city of Amsterdam and the ideas that make it unique, by the author of the acclaimed Island at the Center of the World

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 16th-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 from the building of its first canals in the 1300s, through its brutal struggle for independence, its golden age as a vast empire, to its complex present in which its cherished ideals of liberalism are under siege.

©2013 Russell Shorto (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"The story of a great city that has shaped the soul of the world. Masterful reporting, vivid history - the past and present are equally alive in this book." (James Gleick, author of The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood)

"An often brilliant, and always enjoyable, investigation of liberalism's Dutch roots. Shorto is once again revealed as a passionate and persuasive historian of culture and ideas." (Joseph O’Neill, author of Netherland)

"Russell Shorto loves Amsterdam, I love this book."(Job Cohen, former mayor of Amsterdam)

Engaging, accessible, intelligent

Both engaging and accessible, the author's first person style belies the complexity of this extensive analysis of the role of Amsterdam in the history of the Western world.

Amsterdam

The richness of the story is told here in the professor’s full historical style. An amazing history.

Very, very interesting

I’m becoming interested in just about any Russell Shorto writes or narrates. Thank you! Always interesting and well researched and delivered.

Scope

If your interested in Amsterdam history, this is a narrative with great scope, with or without the liberal argument.
I've listened to it twice now. It leaves me hungry for more detail on the Dutch state system.

Great book on Amsterdam

I strongly recommend this book to gain an understanding of the city of Amsterdam and in return the making of the U.S.

Enhanced my trip to Amsterdam

I listened to this book both before and after my trip to Amsterdam. It would have been great just for all the information in it, but it is so well written too!

Worth Reading - Highly Recommended

Any additional comments?

This book is a fascinating history of Amsterdam and its origins as well as its impact on the world.
The book was very well structured - there was a fluid and ordered chronological progression from its inception to current day, but it was built on specific and more concise anecdotal clips.
It covered:
- The formation of Amsterdam, and its origins as a religious pilgrimage site
- Its role in the India Trading Companies
- The first ever stock market
- Its role as the first colonizers of New York
- Its prominent artists such as Rembrandt & Van Gogh
- Its involvement in World War II - Anne Frank's place of birth
- And of course, first place to legalize gay marriage, prostitution, marijuana etc.

Overall it did a very good job of highlighting Amsterdam's pioneering of progressive ideas including religious/cultural/racial tolerance, separation of church and state, liberalism (as opposed to a monarchy), and its open minded environment that fostered the development of these concepts.

Interesting Intro to Amsterdam

The author presented an interesting history of the "world's most liberal city". After listening to the reading I have a new understanding of the term Liberal and what that term means to the Dutch. He provides a solid story of Amsterdam through the 1950s. I think his description of the 1960s through the end timeline in his book became a little colored by the author's own political views. Still, for me the book met my goal. In preparation of a trip to the city I wanted to learn about the city's history and what makes Amsterdam unique. The book did that

Fascinating in Breath and Depth

I first started this book cramming for a family trip to Amsterdam but could not stop listening to it. The amount of information in it is unbelievable. It is written so well you might think you have your own personal tour guide to the city who can bring in the political, social, scientific and moral histories into one story with a sprinkling of quirky details. This book is anything but a dry, information book on the city. It captivated me and got me to think about what forces shape a city, country and its people.

Extraordinary

This book was so much more than I expected. An incredibly well-told history of Amsterdam and beyond. It covers culture, politics, customs, people, economics, engineering, trade and more. I understand Dutch and European history better as a result. The author reads with feeling and humility. Loved it.