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Books can inspire all sort of things, travel being one of them. This is a selection of books to inspire you to visit The Netherlands.
Books to Inspire You to Visit The Netherlands
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .
Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
The House of Dolls by David Hewson
Anneliese Vos, sixteen-year-old daughter of Amsterdam detective, Pieter Vos, disappeared three years ago in mysterious circumstances. Her distraught father’s desperate search reveals nothing and results in his departure from the police force.
Pieter now lives in a broken down houseboat in the colourful Amsterdam neighbourhood of the Jordaan. One day, while Vos is wasting time at the Rijksmuseum staring at a doll’s house that seems to be connected in some way to the case, Laura Bakker, a misfit trainee detective from the provinces, visits him. She’s come to tell him that Katja Prins, daughter of an important local politician, has gone missing in circumstances similar to Anneliese.
In the company of the intriguing and awkward Bakker, Vos finds himself drawn back into the life of a detective. A life which he thought he had left behind. Hoping against hope that somewhere will lay a clue to the fate of Anneliese, the daughter he blames himself for losing . . .
Amsterdam Tales by Paul Vincent
In this volume Paul Vincent presents a compelling collection of prose fiction, memoirs and anecdotes centring on Amsterdam from the seventeenth to the twenty-first century. His selection offers a rare insight into the history and culture of the city. The subjects range from Rembrandt to the persecution of the Jews in World War 2, from barricades in a working-class district during the Depression to a writer’s unhealthy obsession with a massage parlour.
These eighteen newly-translated tales give the reader, and the traveller, a tantalizing glimpse of the Amsterdam that lies beyond the tourist guidebooks.
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rotterdam
True locals Saskia Naafs & Guido van Eijck selected 500 addresses and facts about Rotterdam that few people know and presents them in lists of 5, alongside beautiful photographs.
Guido and Saskia’s favourite addresses include a former harbour warehouse turned daily fresh market where you can sample a perfect locally roasted coffee or a homemade cider, a bright red light vessel ship where you can attend an intimate concert, or a former subtropical swimming paradise where your can grow your own oyster mushrooms.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
A deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl.
First published over sixty years ago, Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl has reached millions of young people throughout the world.
In July 1942, thirteen-year-old Anne Frank and her family, fleeing the occupation, went into hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse. Over the next two years Anne vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such close quarters, and her thoughts, feelings and longings as she grows up. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 1944, they were all betrayed.
The Light of Amsterdam by David Park
It is December in Belfast, Christmas is approaching and three sets of people are about to make their way to Amsterdam. Alan, a university art teacher, goes on a pilgrimage to the city of his youth with troubled teenage son Jack; middle-aged couple Marion and Richard take a break from running their garden centre to celebrate Marion’s birthday; and Karen, a single mother struggling to make ends meet, joins her daughter’s hen party.
As these people brush against each other in the squares, museums and parks of Amsterdam, their lives are transfigured as they encounter the complexities of love in a city that challenges what has gone before.
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Those eyes are fixed on someone. But who? What is she thinking as she stares out from one of the world’s best-loved paintings?
Johannes Vermeer can spot exceptional beauty. When servant girl Griet catches his eye, she soon becomes both student and muse. But then he gives her his wife’s pearl earrings to wear for a portrait, and a scandal erupts that could threaten Griet’s future.
Lonely Planet Pocket Rotterdam
Lonely Planet’s Pocket Rotterdam is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you.
Delve into experimental galleries and street art, explore Rotterdam’s world-class architecture and urban design, and check out the latest stars in the city’s foodie scene – all with your trusted travel companion.
Get to the heart of Rotterdam and begin your journey now!
Why the Dutch are Different by Ben Coates
Stranded at Schiphol airport, Ben Coates called up a friendly Dutch girl he’d met some months earlier. He stayed for dinner. Actually, he stayed for good.
In the first book to consider the hidden heart and history of the Netherlands from a modern perspective, the author explores the length and breadth of his adopted homeland and discovers why one of the world’s smallest countries is also so significant and so fascinating. It is a self-made country, the Dutch national character shaped by the ongoing battle to keep the water out from the love of dairy and beer to the attitude to nature and the famous tolerance.
Ben Coates investigates what makes the Dutch the Dutch, why the Netherlands is much more than Holland and why the colour orange is so important. Along the way he reveals why they are the world’s tallest people and have the best carnival outside Brazil. He learns why Amsterdam’s brothels are going out of business, who really killed Anne Frank, and how the Dutch manage to be richer than almost everyone else despite working far less. He also discovers a country which is changing fast, with the Dutch now questioning many of the liberal policies which made their nation famous.
Amsterdam: Marco Polo GuideÂ
Explore Amsterdam with this handy, pocket-sized, authoritative guide, packed with Insider Tips. Discover boutique hotels, authentic restaurants, the city’s trendiest places, and get tips on shopping and what to do on a limited budget. There are plenty of ideas for travel with kids, and a summary of all the festivals and events that take place in the Dutch capital. Let Marco Polo show you all this wonderful city has to offer.
Narrow houses leaning against each other at slightly crooked angles, a cyclist crossing a bridge on a squeaky bicycle, people sitting out in the sun in front of the corner cafe and enjoying their coffees; in the distance the jolt of a tram lumbering along the Leidseplein. This is Amsterdam!
What helped inspire you to visit the Netherlands?
Let me know in he comments.
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