A review by amy_park
Why the Dutch Are Different: A Journey Into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands by Ben Coates
informative
reflective
medium-paced
2.0
My sister kindly bought me this book as a gift, as I have an upcoming trip to the Netherlands (coinsidently Rotterdam, where the author resides) and thought I might enjoy it before I travel. At the start the writing did pull me in but this quickly diminished due to the dry history sections and also the authors consistent male gaze and outspoken judgemental negative opinions on people.
Some parts of the book were interesting and I would say I learnt a bit about Dutch culture and its history, although the authors fleeting descriptions of women made me feel quite uncomfortable. Ultimately, the majority of the book I was bored and knowing more history sections were going to come along, put me off from picking the book up.
This was a dissapointing read, especially as it started off well as I was compelled by the easy writing style and the structure and layout. Sadly, I don't think I will read another book from the author again.
Some parts of the book were interesting and I would say I learnt a bit about Dutch culture and its history, although the authors fleeting descriptions of women made me feel quite uncomfortable. Ultimately, the majority of the book I was bored and knowing more history sections were going to come along, put me off from picking the book up.
This was a dissapointing read, especially as it started off well as I was compelled by the easy writing style and the structure and layout. Sadly, I don't think I will read another book from the author again.