The Invention of Amsterdam : a history of Europe's greatest city in ten walks - Ben Coates

The Invention of Amsterdam

a history of Europe's greatest city in ten walks

By: Ben Coates

Paperback | 29 April 2025

At a Glance

Paperback


RRP $29.99

$24.90

17%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $6.22 with

In Stock and Aims to ship in 1-2 business days
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 travelogue and quirky history, The Invention of Amsterdam is an entertaining and sharply observed portrait of a fascinating and complicated city.

About the Author

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.
Industry Reviews
'A beautifully illustrated book cover of the Dutch capital. This travelogue mixed with history provides a vivid and interesting portrait of a complicated global city.'
-Laura Hackett, The Times

'Ben Coates is the ideal companion to wander around Amsterdam with. He's witty, knowledgeable - without being overbearing - and eager to upend many of the cliches associated with the city. As someone who lives in The Netherlands, and who is married to a Dutch woman, he's keen to show you the real Amsterdam and, because you're travelling at walking speed, he has time to linger over details that most travel books overlook. Coates is excellent on what it's like to live in the city today. However, he's equally skilled at showing us Amsterdam's past. The section on the country's colonial history is both important and informative and he even manages to shed new light on the city under Nazi occupation. The Invention of Amsterdam will make you desperate to jump on the next plane or train to rediscover one of Europe's most complex cities.'
-Midge Gillies, author of Amy Johnson and Piccadilly


Praise for Why the Dutch are Different-

'Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem.'
-The Scotsman, Books of the Year

More in Sociology & Customs & Traditions

The Soul of a Woman - Isabel Allende

RRP $22.99

$20.35

11%
OFF
First Knowledges Health : Spirit, Country and Culture - Shawana Andrews
Kulin Tales Seven Seasons of the Bunurong - Sonia Marie
Rum : A Distilled History of Colonial Australia - Matt Murphy

RRP $34.99

$28.50

19%
OFF
Lonely Planet's Guide to Death, Grief and Rebirth : Lonely Planet - Lonely Planet
First Knowledges Ceremony : All Our Yesterdays for Today - Georgia Curran
The Theory of Everything Else - Dan Schreiber

RRP $34.99

$28.50

19%
OFF
Aboriginal Mythology - Mudrooroo

RRP $24.99

$24.95

Insights into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism - René Guénon

RRP $42.89

$37.90

12%
OFF
Unpolished Gem - Alice Pung

RRP $32.99

$26.95

18%
OFF
Messy Methods in Researching Religion - Linda Woodhead