Amsterdam: the roots of a tolerant city

[marmar]

Russell Shorto’s ‘Amsterdam’: the roots of a tolerant city
Russell Shorto’s “Amsterdam” looks at the history, politics and spirit of what is arguably the world’s most liberal city.

By Michael Upchurch
Special to The Seattle Times

‘Amsterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City’
by Russell Shorto
Doubleday, 354 pp., $28.95


This finely spun and illuminating history of Amsterdam explores both a city and an idea. And writer Russell Shorto is well-positioned to investigate both.

He’s an American who has lived in Amsterdam for the last five years.

He’s also the author of “The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan, the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America,” a book examining how American diversity and a significant portion of American freedoms had their roots in the colonial settlement on Upper New York Bay more than 400 years ago.



“Amsterdam,” in a sense, picks up where “Island” left off, by giving a millennium-long overview of the country that was the source for the values of colonial New Amsterdam. Shorto has an ardent appetite for understanding all he can about his new home, and he’s especially alert to how the physical fabric of Amsterdam’s city center holds the memories of figures and events from centuries past. ..............................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://seattletimes.com/html/books/2022109624_russellshortoamsterdamxml.html

[FarCenter]

1. Odd, for a city ruled by a Calvinist merchant oligarchy

Apparently the regent families had such a secure grip on political and economic power that they could be very tolerant in religious and philosophical matters.