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The Invention of Amsterdam

A History of Europe’s Greatest City in Ten Walks

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About this listen

An essential guide to one of the world's 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 Amsterdam's history, from its humble beginnings in the early 1200s as a small fishing community through two Golden Ages, fueled 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 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.

Blending travelogue and quirky history, The Invention of Amsterdam is an entertaining and sharply observed portrait of a fascinating and complicated city.

©2025 Ben Coates (P)2025 Tantor Media Customs & Traditions Europe Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary Fishing War
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I thoroughly enjoyed Ben’s other two books and was really looking forward to this one. The story is five star but I wasn’t too keen on the narrator. His pronunciation of the Dutch words and names could be a lot better as well. Shame as for a Dutch history and Amsterdam lover who is now firmly settled in the UK, this is definitely the kind of book I would listen to over and over again!

Story great, narration not

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Abhorrent, extremely unpleasant and annoying reader's voice! Worst voiceover on the planet. Horrible nasal sounds like he had a running nose. Can't even follow the story. Rating performance minus 100 points

Worst voiceover on the planet, can't bear to listen!

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