Call number
Genres
Publication
Vintage (2014), Edition: Reprint, 368 pages
Pages
368
Description
History. Travel. Nonfiction. HTML: 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 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 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..… (more)
Awards
Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
368 p.; 8 inches
ISBN
0307743756 / 9780307743756
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User reviews
LibraryThing member stellarexplorer
Don’t be fooled by the subtitle. This is a headlong, breathless history of Amsterdam. But the heart of its project is global and abstract. Shorto, an American living in the city, traces the origin of the concept of liberalism in Amsterdam. Liberalism here is roughly defined as an ideology
Shorto tells a foundational story about the origins of liberalism in Amsterdam: the struggle to reclaim land from the sea required communal effort unlike conditions elsewhere in Europe. Reclaimed land became the property of individuals who were free to rent, buy or sell it. The sense of communal affiliation was enhanced, and individualism simultaneously strengthened. Feudalism thus never became entrenched in the Netherlands as the dominant economic form. I will tell you what Shorto does not: the story is a myth, with elements of reality. I am not qualified to weigh in on the proportions of the two. Scholars differ in accounting for the economic circumstances of the Amsterdam of the Middle Ages, leading into the early modern era. But it is an effective story, one that makes for a coherent, if fanciful, narrative of what came after.
The rest of the book is a colorful romp through the last four centuries in Amsterdam through the lens of liberalism and the emergence of the individual. The exploits of the Dutch East India Corporation which enriched the city; the development of a stock market which afforded the small-fry the chance to get a piece of the action; Rembrandt’s depiction of the primacy of private individual experience; Spinoza’s revolutionary rejection of religious authority and the grounding of belief in human reason, something over which institutions hold no monopoly. And we are treated to the author’s account of the dissemination of these values through a variety of channels. Notable among these are a “Dutch-invasion” account of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and its subsequent influence on the world through emerging English power; and the Dutch role in the establishment of New York and the spread of its ideas to the New World.
I can quibble over the details. Shorto has fallen in love with Amsterdam, and has a tendency to romanticize it. How much of Dutch tolerance and liberalism is deeply-held principle and how much expediency? What about the dark side of capitalism, if Amsterdam is its parent? But this is a colorful story well-told. One cannot but emerge impressed with the dynamism of the story, and the power of the city’s history and influence.
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centering around the priority of the individual and the core value of human freedom. Shorto wants to convince us that these ideas originated in Amsterdam’s early history, were honed and amplified during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, and then bequeathed to the world where they have played a outsized role ever since. However persuasive this considerable claim – and it succeeds in no small measure – the book takes the reader on a ride that is not confined to the intellectual. This history of an idea is the backbreaking work of a community reclaiming land from the sea, the voyage over distant seas to the riches of exotic Java, and the tolerance that allowed the Jewish Baruch Spinoza to dwell and blaspheme as a minority in the Protestant city.Shorto tells a foundational story about the origins of liberalism in Amsterdam: the struggle to reclaim land from the sea required communal effort unlike conditions elsewhere in Europe. Reclaimed land became the property of individuals who were free to rent, buy or sell it. The sense of communal affiliation was enhanced, and individualism simultaneously strengthened. Feudalism thus never became entrenched in the Netherlands as the dominant economic form. I will tell you what Shorto does not: the story is a myth, with elements of reality. I am not qualified to weigh in on the proportions of the two. Scholars differ in accounting for the economic circumstances of the Amsterdam of the Middle Ages, leading into the early modern era. But it is an effective story, one that makes for a coherent, if fanciful, narrative of what came after.
The rest of the book is a colorful romp through the last four centuries in Amsterdam through the lens of liberalism and the emergence of the individual. The exploits of the Dutch East India Corporation which enriched the city; the development of a stock market which afforded the small-fry the chance to get a piece of the action; Rembrandt’s depiction of the primacy of private individual experience; Spinoza’s revolutionary rejection of religious authority and the grounding of belief in human reason, something over which institutions hold no monopoly. And we are treated to the author’s account of the dissemination of these values through a variety of channels. Notable among these are a “Dutch-invasion” account of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and its subsequent influence on the world through emerging English power; and the Dutch role in the establishment of New York and the spread of its ideas to the New World.
I can quibble over the details. Shorto has fallen in love with Amsterdam, and has a tendency to romanticize it. How much of Dutch tolerance and liberalism is deeply-held principle and how much expediency? What about the dark side of capitalism, if Amsterdam is its parent? But this is a colorful story well-told. One cannot but emerge impressed with the dynamism of the story, and the power of the city’s history and influence.
Show Less
LibraryThing member VGAHarris
Ordinarily, reading the biography of a city can be rather tedious, but this is an exception. Amsterdam is the home to individual and social liberalism and how those strands meshed makes for an interesting narrative. Because it has been widely (and justifiably) hailed as a city practicing tolerance,
On occasion, during periods of religious turmoil, and certainly during World War II, Amsterdam strayed from its noble traditions but it has managed to adapt and redefine itself in the post-war era and become again, a mecca of liberalism; sometimes, it could be argued, even being too tolerant and liberal.
Much of the narrative focuses on earlier centuries when The Netherlands were liberated from Spanish control and ongoing religious strife to became a center of finance and trade. Indeed, even moreso than England, they became the first " modern" country in terms of establishing corporations and successfully mixing private commerce with government coordination. Although its influence and power would wane, the first wave of " globalization" can be traced to the stock companies that were nurtured there. Translated into English, those companies are known as the Dutch East India Company, and Dutch West India Company.
Exploration and trade influenced culture, and the march of liberalism was on. How liberalism became transformed over the centuries still speaks to contemporary political and social dialogue. This work is highly recommended for anyone interested in the roots and tradition of liberalism, and it concludes with a poignant and powerful anecdote.
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Amsterdam was a laboratory for many of the values that defined the Enlightenment. Its influence has been immense and America would be among the many beneficiaries.On occasion, during periods of religious turmoil, and certainly during World War II, Amsterdam strayed from its noble traditions but it has managed to adapt and redefine itself in the post-war era and become again, a mecca of liberalism; sometimes, it could be argued, even being too tolerant and liberal.
Much of the narrative focuses on earlier centuries when The Netherlands were liberated from Spanish control and ongoing religious strife to became a center of finance and trade. Indeed, even moreso than England, they became the first " modern" country in terms of establishing corporations and successfully mixing private commerce with government coordination. Although its influence and power would wane, the first wave of " globalization" can be traced to the stock companies that were nurtured there. Translated into English, those companies are known as the Dutch East India Company, and Dutch West India Company.
Exploration and trade influenced culture, and the march of liberalism was on. How liberalism became transformed over the centuries still speaks to contemporary political and social dialogue. This work is highly recommended for anyone interested in the roots and tradition of liberalism, and it concludes with a poignant and powerful anecdote.
Show Less
LibraryThing member WaltNoise
Shorto’s book is well-written and an enjoyable read, but it is not a conventional history. If you need a chronological account of Amsterdam’s history, you’ll need to go elsewhere. What Shorto has produced is an anecdotal history rooted in the geography of Amsterdam and his own experiences
While not a guidebook, this would be a delightful book to read in Amsterdam. Seated by a canal or in a plaza, you can look around and ponder Shorto’s thoughts on the doings of William of Orange or Anne Frank in the buildings that surround you.
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there. If you are familiar with Dutch history, Shorto will provide innumerable insights, particularly into the themes of Dutch independence and tolerance.While not a guidebook, this would be a delightful book to read in Amsterdam. Seated by a canal or in a plaza, you can look around and ponder Shorto’s thoughts on the doings of William of Orange or Anne Frank in the buildings that surround you.
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LibraryThing member pnorman4345
A sequence of 6 or so stories from the history of Amsterdam. These stories are interesting, even stimulating, but they are not gone into deeply. In most cases he tells about the beginings of movements and then sketches how the struggles played out.
LibraryThing member Kathleen828
This is a perfectly workman-like, popular history of the city of Amsterdam. Since I know little about it, I learned a great many interesting facts about the city, about famous people who have lived there and about the social and historical conditions prevailing at various times during its
Mr. Shorto’s uses the theme “liberalism” as the prism through which he examines this history. I did not find it a compelling unifier. I thought he was stretching the definition to allow himself to tell the history and I would have preferred it if he had just recounted the city’s story.
It seems to me that he wished to differentiate this volume from the many others written about European history in general and Amsterdam/The Netherlands in particular. I don’t think it was necessary for him to do so.
Shorto is an interesting writer with a pleasant voice and I would have read this anyway without the hook of liberalism to lure me. Perhaps Shorto felt that Amsterdam’s reputation as “the world’s most liberal city” would attract those interested in lurid accounts. That is not necessary. As I said in the beginning, this is a perfectly fine short history and is worth reading if you are interested in European history as I am.
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history.Mr. Shorto’s uses the theme “liberalism” as the prism through which he examines this history. I did not find it a compelling unifier. I thought he was stretching the definition to allow himself to tell the history and I would have preferred it if he had just recounted the city’s story.
It seems to me that he wished to differentiate this volume from the many others written about European history in general and Amsterdam/The Netherlands in particular. I don’t think it was necessary for him to do so.
Shorto is an interesting writer with a pleasant voice and I would have read this anyway without the hook of liberalism to lure me. Perhaps Shorto felt that Amsterdam’s reputation as “the world’s most liberal city” would attract those interested in lurid accounts. That is not necessary. As I said in the beginning, this is a perfectly fine short history and is worth reading if you are interested in European history as I am.
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LibraryThing member ftong
Shorto beautifully weaves together anecdote, interpretation and historical fact from Amsterdam's history since the first settlers worked together to build canals. He repeats the main message (that liberalism had its roots in the individualism and collectivism required by the landscape) an
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exasperating number of times, but does make his point well. Show Less
LibraryThing member jcbrunner
Russell Shorto has written a splendid book about New Amsterdam, about early Dutch New York. This is his tribute to Old Amsterdam that he proclaims "the world's most liberal city", "liberal" in the neoliberal sense added with a bit of European conscience. Shorto's Amsterdammers are honorary or even
While he could rely on a good background in US history for his account of Dutch New York, he often proclaims Amsterdam's uniqueness in Europe whereas many other great cities displayed just the same behavior. A true historian is not a blind lover. While I could have done without being informed about Shorto's personal life and divorce, the city's history and the vignettes of some of its past and present are described with charm.
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better Americans cherishing free markets and tolerance above all. Unfortunately, such a teleological approach is bad history as actual history does not fit into neat boxes. In order to not see the blemishes of his love, Shorto either ignores it (such as the tiny fact that Spinoza spent most of his productive life outside of Amsterdam that had kicked him out - though not burned at the stake as could have been the matter elsewhere) or is simply unaware about most of European history. Another problematic aspect common in histories about capital cities that guide their whole nation (e.g. Paris/France) is the constant switching between Dutch national and city history. The Hague and other cities thus make frequent guest appearances but their relationship in terms of liberalism etc. isn't elaborated.While he could rely on a good background in US history for his account of Dutch New York, he often proclaims Amsterdam's uniqueness in Europe whereas many other great cities displayed just the same behavior. A true historian is not a blind lover. While I could have done without being informed about Shorto's personal life and divorce, the city's history and the vignettes of some of its past and present are described with charm.
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LibraryThing member joeydag
An entertaining, light history presents Amsterdam as an amazing place. I've read "The Island at the Center of the World", a history of Manhattan by the same author and found it enjoyable. He connect Amsterdam and the colony that the Dutch founded in a way that highlights his strengths and
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weaknesses as an historian. There is a documented couple that left for the colonies from Amsterdam. The author uses this fact to connect the current descendents of that couple, they number more than a million, to the ideas that flowed from Amsterdam to the rest of the world, and they are powerful ideas - religious tolerance, democracy, economic growth. I hope to read more by Russell Shorto Show Less
LibraryThing member kukulaj
There was very little about tulips in this book! Rembrandt painted a portrait of Dr. Tulp, which was an important step in the growth of Rembrandt's success. Dr. Tulp gave himself that name to promote his own career. Shorto's book covers almost a millennium of history so clearly it can't be very
His main theme is the "two liberalisms" - liberalism as in laissez faire capitalism, and liberalism as in labor laws, safety nets, multiculturalism, etc. I don't think he every really reconciles these or makes their relationship very clear. But these two points give him a kind of coordinate framework on which to pin the various topics he discusses. It's an effective device.
Was the English Magna Carta the birth of liberty or was it the water committees in the Netherlands? OK, maybe it was the Athenians. Anyway, the importance of Amsterdam in world history is very likely unfamiliar to many people, as it was to me. Shorto makes a strong case for this importance. Probably we can learn some lessons to help us manage the space of possibilities covered by terms like liberalism and liberty. Shorto doesn't really provide this instruction, but he does point us in the direction of some rich history.
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comprehensive. But he does a good job of picking out representative snapshots to give us the dots that show us the big picture.His main theme is the "two liberalisms" - liberalism as in laissez faire capitalism, and liberalism as in labor laws, safety nets, multiculturalism, etc. I don't think he every really reconciles these or makes their relationship very clear. But these two points give him a kind of coordinate framework on which to pin the various topics he discusses. It's an effective device.
Was the English Magna Carta the birth of liberty or was it the water committees in the Netherlands? OK, maybe it was the Athenians. Anyway, the importance of Amsterdam in world history is very likely unfamiliar to many people, as it was to me. Shorto makes a strong case for this importance. Probably we can learn some lessons to help us manage the space of possibilities covered by terms like liberalism and liberty. Shorto doesn't really provide this instruction, but he does point us in the direction of some rich history.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Richard7920
A rambling, confused justification for the author's presence in Amsterdam. As one who has resided in Amsterdam for many years this account does not begin to capture the essence of one of the world's greatest cities. Once you put it down you'll never pick it up again. Boring and aimless.
LibraryThing member Othemts
Shorto's history of the Dutch city of Amsterdam is built on a principal that the city defines liberalism in both senses of the word. There's economic Liberalism - the principle of laissez faire in free market capitalism, and there's social liberalism - which values communal action and individual
The history of Amsterdam is broad and Shorto both compresses a lot of detail and tends to overstate Amsterdam's significance, but appropriate to Amsterdam's characteristic of establishing individual identity, he focuses historical periods through the eyes of specific historical Amsterdam personages. These include:
I found this an engaging history of this fascinating city.
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liberty. While these two interpretations of liberalism are at odds with one another in much of the world, Amsterdam is a place where individual enterprise and community spirit work together surprisingly well. This may have it's origins in the creation of the city itself, literally reclaimed from the water by dint of communal work, and yet the new land became property of individuals at a time when most land was owned by royalty or the church. Shorto describes how the notable Dutch tolerance is based on the idea of gedogen, turning a blind eye rather than strictly enforcing the law.The history of Amsterdam is broad and Shorto both compresses a lot of detail and tends to overstate Amsterdam's significance, but appropriate to Amsterdam's characteristic of establishing individual identity, he focuses historical periods through the eyes of specific historical Amsterdam personages. These include:
- Rembrandt van Rijn - the portrait artist who explored human interior life
- Baruch Spinoza - rational philosopher who foresaw modernism
- Frieda Menco - a contemporary of Anne Frank who also went into hiding in Amsterdam and then to concentration camps. Shorto refers to extensive interviews with Menco
- Robert Jasper Grootveld - anarchist organizer of the Provo movement who helped make the 60s counter-culture a permanent facet of Amsterdam
- Ayaan Hirsi Ali - a feminist activist known for her outspoken opposition to Islam
I found this an engaging history of this fascinating city.
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LibraryThing member skulli99
Excellent book, worth reading if you're interested in European history and politics.
LibraryThing member EmreSevinc
Amsterdam certainly doesn't need any introduction: being one of the centers of enlightenment, intellectual freedom, scientific revolutions, and fine arts, the city deservedly attracts tourists from all over the world every year.
If you want to learn what made Amsterdam as we know it, and place it
On the other hand, you have to bear with the author and its US style of shoving "liberalism" down your throat with enthusiasm. If you can get past that, you'll have a better, contextualized understanding of this unique piece of world, and how its pioneering qualities inspired more famous parts of our world.
If you want to learn what made Amsterdam as we know it, and place it
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in its historical context, tying things to tumultuous religious-political wars and tragedies, as well as the effect of its unique geography on its collective mentality towards community organization, this book does the job very well.On the other hand, you have to bear with the author and its US style of shoving "liberalism" down your throat with enthusiasm. If you can get past that, you'll have a better, contextualized understanding of this unique piece of world, and how its pioneering qualities inspired more famous parts of our world.
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LibraryThing member Rex_Lui
More like a survey of historical Dutch than a story of city history. Dry, long, boring, uninteresting. All are the exact opposite of Amsterdam.
LibraryThing member gbelik
What an excellent history of such a wonderful city, which managed to be both a capitalist superstar at one time as well as a beacon of tolerance. Oh, if we could only emulate that combination of virtues.