Why The Dutch Are Different: A Journey Into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands

Why The Dutch Are Different: A Journey Into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands by Ben Coates manages to avoid all the pitfalls usually found in books where the narrator is the author himself. The book never feels self important and Coates never weavers in his determined efforts to uncover and reveal the identity of the Dutch. I can gladly liken his interesting and curious odyssey as a mix between engaging self discovery and cultural simulation.

In much the same way as John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was able to open up the streets of Savanna to outsiders through an intriguing non fiction narrative. Coates is able to expose the polite grace and subtle quality of the Dutch. While doing this lofty and difficult task in a colorful manner with a book that is packed with misadventures.

From the orange painted festivals, the author’s attempts to master the streets in his new book, a man made replica of Noah’s Ark, and the dying prostitution business of Holland, Coates dives deep into the heart of his new homeland.