A Brief History of Netherlands

This book fills a void since I was unable to find any other history book of this country, unlike most other European nations. It does read something like a 9th grade history book in places with lots of detail. However it gives an incredibly-researched account of the entire history of this country within the context of European and even world history. The author notes on page 231: "Geography dictates, as it always has, that the Dutch play an active role as global traders and financiers." The final chapter summarizes the social and political issues of the last 50 years which mirror many of the same issues faced by the U.S., making this chapter very relevant to our current events. Who would enjoy this book? 1. Someone who likes to read history, biography, and non fiction. 2. Someone of Dutch descent desiring to learn more about their heritage. 3. Someone expecting to travel to Europe and wanting to brush up on its history.

I learned much about the Netherlands history. It made me proud of my dutch heritage. If you want an easy and quick overview of dutch history I suggest to read this book.