Upon moving to Amsterdam, I added Russell Shorto, whose books on Amsterdam and New Amsterdam (aka, New York) have been praised by critics worldwide.
McCullough
McCullough
McCullough
McCullough
McCullough
McCullough
McCullough
Admittedly, I've been so busy reading fiction and writing and doing mom stuff that I just got around to reading this darling by Shorto, which has been on the bucket list for three years:
I now have such a better understanding of Amsterdam's contributions to the modern world. And I'm stunned by some of Shoto's personal anecdotes, which eerily mimic my own experience here in Amsterdam. I've paid so much closer attention to my surroundings because of this book.
As we all hopefully know, New York was settled and founded by the Dutch. We are in the process of moving from Amsterdam to what was once called "New Amsterdam" before English settlers took it over from the Dutch and named it after a city back in England: York.
I mentioned in a previous post that I figured my bucket list would beget an even bigger bucket list. Shorto has written another widely acclaimed work about the Dutch islandcalled Manhattan, and this book, of course, is now on my reading bucket list. You can count on the fact that I'll be reading this one before I land in my new home.
Finally, as mentioned above, Robert K. Massie is one of my favorite authors. I read his book on Peter the Great way back in the early 90's, and DS gave me his book on Catherine the Great when it first came out in 2011.
Regrettably, I never got around to it. It's been on my reading bucket list (and on my nightstand) ever since. It may not be on my Dutch bucket list, but I did finally get around to starting it recently.
I'm half-way through, and wouldn't you know it, but the Hermitage Museum here in Amsterdam (sister museum to the world famous Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia) is launching a new exhibit all about you-know-who: Catherine the Great. It starts June 18. Guess what I've added to my bucket list?
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