Amsterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City

Price: $0.99
(as of Sep 22, 2026 18:46:18 UTC – Details)


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.
Listening Length ‏ : ‎ 11 hours and 25 minutes
Author ‏ : ‎ Russell Shorto
Narrator ‏ : ‎ Russell Shorto
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 22, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Audio
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00EIGNBF8
Version ‏ : ‎ Unabridged
Program Type ‏ : ‎ Audiobook
Best Sellers Rank: #24,476 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #19 in Europe Travel & Tourism #20 in General Europe Travel Guides #148 in Political Science (Audible Books & Originals)
Customer Reviews: 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,352) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers find this book to be a wonderful introduction to Amsterdam, with extensive research and a compelling writing style that brings the city’s history to life. They appreciate how it provides a great history told as a story, and one customer notes how the intermingling of personal anecdotes with history is delightful. Customers find the book enlightening, making them think and giving insight into the Dutch psyche, while also being an easy read.