Reviews of books about the Netherlands and expat life plus translations of Dutch-language literature
The Mobile Life - a new approach to moving anywhere by veteran global citizen Diane Lemieux and Anne Parker targets individuals embarking on their first expatriate experience. Knowledgeable about the topic from both a professional and personal basis, the authors have tackled the... More >
Fully updated and revised, this book is considered a classic guide to getting to grips with the natives. And yes, that big sky does have an impact! Doe maar gewoon dan doe je gek genoeg ? Act normally, that?s crazy enough. Nine out of ten people in the Netherlands will quote this... More >
British author David Hewson is better known for writing two novels based on the hit Danish television show, The Killing, but this time, he's in Amsterdam, with his new novel, The House of Dolls, which will be part of a series. The book follows a retired police detective who... More >
The latest novella from British author, Daniel Pembrey, is a thriller set in modern day Amsterdam. The Harbour Master escorts readers into the seedier parts of the Dutch capital in this fast-paced tale of prostitution, murder, human trafficking and police corruption. Amsterdam... More >
Published in 2013, The Hague and the best of the Netherlands by Violetta Polese and Blake Evans-Pritchard, elects The Hague, and not Amsterdam, as the focus city of the book. The rationale behind this choice is that many expats relocate to The Hague. Although a valid explanation,... More >
A historical novel about the time before the Dutch Golden Age? 'This could be hard work to wade through,' I said to myself. But as often happens when I judge a book by its cover, I was completely wrong, and it was well worth the effort. Author Richard E. Shultz has woven... More >
All the cliches are here. This book deals with the forty best-known Dutch features and stereotypes, from windmills to Cruijff and from Rembrandt to the typical toilet. Were the clog and the infamous cheese slicer really Dutch inventions? How come some Dutch masters went bankrupt... More >
A beautifully illustrated book about the Golden Age of The Netherlands. Produced to Accompany the Dutch documentary series De Gouden Eeuw. Buy this book More >
Jacob Vossestein XPat Media: €24.95 Buy this book It's a little known fact outside of the Netherlands that one third of this tiny country - if it weren't for a couple of great big hulking dijks - would be submerged under rather a lot of water. Left to Mother... More >
Books about Dutch biking culture continue to grow in popularity, with more titles appearing on the bookshelves each year. Four years ago, American photojournalist and long-term resident in the Netherlands, Shirley Agudo, published Bicycle Mania, receiving rave reviews from international... More >
Cheese. Hard, tasty, bright yellow cheese. That's what appears in many people's minds when they think of Gouda. But of course the cheese gets its name from a very historical little city in the South of Holland that's featured in The Bee's Tour of Gouda: Buzzing Through Vinita's... More >
Amsterdam's historic network of concentric canals earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2010. The impressive architecture and facades of this elegant town centre are mirrored by the luxury and chic of the building's interiors. Italian photographer Listri and author Van Ogtrop... More >
In 1632 serial thief, Adriaen Adriaenszoon (known as Aris Kindt), was sentenced to death by hanging in Amsterdam. The Anatomy Lesson is based on the events that take place on the day of his death and dissection as depicted in Rembrandt's famous painting, The Anatomy... More >
If you can master a combination of some basic English, German and a guttural noise akin to clearing your throat, then you've taken your first steps to learning Dutch. With this in mind, you will also need some patient tuition, but in the absence of that, you could do a lot... More >
The life of an expat wife in a far-flung destination has all the classic ingredients for a jolly good chick-lit novel and who better to pen the story than someone who's lived the life and turned it into an art form? Sunshine Soup: Nourishing the Global Soul, is the first foray... More >
Based on the successful blog of the same name, Stuff Dutch People Like is a very funny look at 'all things orange'. Without the slightly sour taste of some books which poke fun at the Dutch, SDPL explores the world of white leggings, the way Dutch men (including the king) pick... More >
Sammy the snail is none too chuffed when his parents announce they are moving to Japan. He's only just got used to living in Italy and he's really going to miss his playmates, so the prospect of having to make new friends in yet another country is distressing and upsetting. But... More >
The Netherlands sells itself as a country of tulips, windmills, cheese and clogs, but that is not how international workers see it. In Ready, Steady, Go Dutch, a new book by DutchNews.nl and volunteer organisation ACCESS showed clogs don't merit a mention. Nor do tulips and... More >
If you're moving to the Netherlands then be warned, Lowlanders can be a bit blunt. In fact it's fair to say that in business, as in daily life, brutal honesty and constructive criticism are dished out liberally as par for the course - which can be a bit of a shock to the system... More >
The New Explorers Guide to Dutch Digital Culture is a combination phonebook and wiki for all things digital art and culture in the Netherlands. Virtueel Platform, a Dutch e-culture knowledge institute, has put together this comprehensive guide to the companies, institutes, and... More >
