What do tattoo King Henk Schiffmacher, Hollywood actress Halina Reijn and fashion designer Bas Kosters have in common? They are all part of the essence of Amsterdam, according to a new book which gets beneath the skin of the city.

“City guides tell you where to go and what to do. The Essence™ helps expats and visitors see why the city’s like it is, and who shapes its character.” This is how David Beckett, author of ‘Amsterdam… The Essence’ describes the difference between his book and numerous other Amsterdam books on the market.
“Nobody wants to be labelled a tourist, especially ex-pats and visitors who are looking to go beyond the cliché’s of the Red Light District and Coffee Shops. As an Englishman who had decided to settle in Amsterdam, I also looked for books that would help me understand the true nature of my chosen city.
All I could find was history books and I don’t have the patience to read 300 pages of history in black and white – and I guess many others are the same. ‘Amsterdam… The Essence’ was created as a colourful answer to that quest.“
It features interviews with 25 Amsterdammers, and over 150 photographs that capture the lives of some dynamic individuals that drive the city onwards to its future, while feeding from the richness of its history.
Famous names like former Mayor Job Cohen, Tattoo King Henk Schiffmacher, Hollywood actress Halina Reijn and Fashion Designer Bas Kosters all contributed their views: how does the city influence them, and how do they influence the city?
Lesser-known artists, such as Laser 3.14, Fya Hopelezz and Marcel Ozymantra give the ‘underground’ view of Holland’s capital. Siobhan Wall (author of Quiet Amsterdam) and Paul Spies (head of the Amsterdam Museum) share their informed insight on the places to find peace, and how best to enjoy Amsterdam’s canal circle.
“Amsterdam is a place where entrepreneurship thrives, and that atmosphere captured me too. When I learned in 2009 that my job at Canon’s head office was moving to London, I decided to take the opportunity to travel and set up my own company.
While in Buenos Aires, I came across a small book by independent author Sally Roddy, called ‘Tango – The Truth’. It was a beautiful little publication, full of great photographs and an expression of love for the city through a key element of its culture.
This inspired me to think about writing a book myself. I love Amsterdam after living here for more than 10 years, and this was a way to tell how I feel about the city.
I wrote an enthusiastic email to my father about my planned book, and he replied saying, “Nice idea, son. But every company needs more than one product.” That set me on the path to looking at creating a brand rather than just writing a book. My background is sales and marketing, and I came up with The Essence™ to communicate the spirit of my intentions with the brand. It’s about getting to the heart of things and bringing the essence – the heart and soul – of a city to life on the page.”
Beckett embraces Amsterdam’s entrepreneurial spirit in his plans for The Essence” in the future.
“My dream is to create a series of books about major cities around the world: ‘Rio… The Essence’, ‘Shanghai… The Essence,’ etc. My model was Lonely Planet and the Dummies Guide series – between the two of them, they’ve issued over 2,000 publications! LP covers every major city in the world, and the Dummies Guides cover almost every subject – there’s even a Dummies Guide to Acne!
The Essence™ could apply to business, culture, sport… My ultimate dream is to write ‘Manchester United… The Essence’! But for now I’m happy to focus on getting the story of my Amsterdam book out there, and to find other ways of giving expats and visitors stories that go beyond tourism.”