The Invention of Amsterdam: A History of Europe's Greatest City in Ten Walks

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 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.

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

Ben Coates is the author of Why the Dutch Are Different and The Rhine. He was born in England in 1982 and has worked at various times as a political adviser in London, speechwriter, lobbyist, and aid worker in Africa. He currently lives in a cottage in the Dutch countryside with his wife, children, and assorted farmyard animals. Ben has also worked freelance as a journalist for outlets including Politico, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, the BBC, The Scotsman, and The Irish Times. He writes a regular weekly column for the Dutch newspaper AD.