In the City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist – A Love Letter to Dutch Cycling Culture and History

by Pete Jordan

Pete Jordan, author of the wildly popular One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States, is back with a memoir that tells the story of his love affair with Amsterdam, the city of bikes, all the while unfolding an unknown history of the city's cycling, from the craze of the 1890s, through the Nazi occupation, to the bike-centric culture adored by the world today

Pete never planned to stay long in Amsterdam, just a semester. But he quickly falls in love with the city and soon his wife, Amy Joy, joins him. Together they explore every inch of their new home on two wheels, their rides a respite from the struggles that come with starting a new life in a new country. 

Weaving together personal anecdotes and details of the role that cycling has played throughout Dutch history, Pete Jordan’s In the City of The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist is a poignant and entertaining read.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel, Cycling, Memoir, Urban Planning, Bicycles

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2012

Reviews

[Artnoose McMoose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Pete in Portland in the summer of 1999. He was zinester-famous, being the publisher of Dishwasher Zine, chronicling his itinerant dishwashing lifestyle.

Fast forward to 2013 and I got this book as he came through Pittsburgh on a book tour.

This book is partly about his move to Amsterdam because of the cycling culture there, but mostly about the rich history of cycling in that tiny country. It's a very interesting read, on both the personal and historical counts. My favorite parts were the chapters devoted to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and its effect on cycling.

I would actually give this book four and a half stars if I could. I would only take that half-star off because of the frequent reference to beautiful women on bicycles.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books that go into depth on relatively obscure topics, like Mark Kurlansky's "Salt." I enjoy learning about what fascinates an author and making connections to disparate fields of knowledge. So I'm all for a deep dive into unknown waters. After reading this book, I can say that I know far more about cycling in Amsterdam than I ever wanted to know, but as a reader who respects an author's passion, here are the big take aways: people love to ride bikes in Amsterdam; lock your bike if you don't want it thrown into a canal; it's possible to fall in love with a place simply because of how people there get around. I salute author Pete Jordan's passion for cycling and for Amsterdam. However, this book could have been way shorter and gotten its ideas across. Or it could have been far more personal (the personal chapters were engaging) and less detailed on the micro-politics of the Amsterdam city council's cycling debates. Or it could have put Amsterdam into a larger context about cycling in cities. But it plodded along in a chronological fashion decade by decade through the history of twentieth century cycling in Amsterdam. I should have stopped reading after the first 150 pages or so. But sometimes I can't help myself. I did make it to the end, and Pete Jordan's easy prose helped, but his editor should have intervened.

[John Dishwasher John Dishwasher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Superficially this truly amusing book is about the history of the bicyclist in Amsterdam. But it was impossible for me to read through its hilarious anecdotes without being reminded that human beings express themselves through all mediums, not just the arts. Lovers hold hands while riding bikes there. People carry ladders on their shoulders, or potted plants on their handlebars, or their dogs in a basket. There are the incorrigible wiles of the bicycle thieves to consider, and the never-ending flouting of traffic laws, and the mystery of why so many bikes end up in the canals. The military even develops a bicycle corps. As of the writing of ‘City of Bikes’ Amsterdam had more bicycles than residents. The book traces how this happened, from the invention of the bicycle up to 2012. To me, though, the story is as much a celebration of the human spirit, and its endless hunger for expression, as it is of the Amsterdam cyclist.

[S̶e̶a̶n̶]

I picked this up at the library for several reasons. One, I love bikes and I think a return to the heyday of cycling (with a simultaneous turning of our collective back on the nefarious automobile) would yield a more peaceful, harmonious way of life. Two, I've visited Amsterdam and was struck by the cycling culture there, as well as the general layout of the city. Three, I occasionally corresponded and traded zines with Pete Jordan back when he was known simply as Dishwasher Pete and was working his way around the U.S., attempting to wash dishes for pay in all 50 states. At the time he was publishing zines documenting his experiences, which were written in a highly personable style. And while he makes an effort to utilize that style in this book, it's not really possible to maintain it given the vast amount of information he's trying to convey. There are long stretches of the book that are just paragraphs of quotes from primary source material. Plenty of this is interesting, but on the whole the approach didn't engage me enough to want to read the entire book cover to cover.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I am not a cyclist. I visited Amsterdam and spent many hours watching the bicycle traffic with great fascination. It is impressive to see peak drive times and busy intersections. The style of bikes, the various ways passengers are transported, all varieties of clothing, are all entwined in the commute. Initially it seems so random and out of control, yet from an American perspective of gas guzzling consumerism, it's absolutely beautiful.

[Jessica Offenberger (Lipowski) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read “In The City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist” by Pete Jordan yet, I highly recommend it. Whether you are specifically interested in Amsterdam or are fond of biking, it is a good read. I am an expat, just like Pete, and I have been biking in this city for four years now. Yet through Pete’s research and words I learned so much about Amsterdam and the biking culture. I have many pages bookmarked, noting interesting facts that I want to share with others. Sometimes when I mention certain stories and quotes to the Dutch, they are surprised to learn something new about their country. I especially love how he weaved in his own memories and reflections, adding this personal touch. He keeps the story exciting despite its length, writing about history in a creative, captivating way. At a certain point, I didn’t want to put it down. It is clear how much research and time he put into this book, for which I commend him.

[Benjamin]

Amsterdam sounds cool. I'd like to visit there someday.

[Shelly♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part travel log and part history, Pete Jordon takes readers on a trip through the streets of Amsterdam on bike, sharing at the same time, his family's permanent relocation to the city. Filled with humorous antidotes and historical details of how crazy this city is for cycling, it offers a stark contrast to America - the city of cars.

Overall, this was an enjoyable account for anyone who loves quirky travel stories. Pete's search for the perfect biking city in the USA had fallen short and a study opportunity in Amsterdam affords him the perfect opportunity to find the city of his dreams. Just off the plane, he walks into a bike shop to buy "Brownie" - the first of many bikes.

The part that is so amazing about this story is the biking subculture of Amsterdam, and how it developed and evolved. People are crazy about their bikes! Even during WWII, cyclists offered soft resistance to the Nazis through a variety of means - and never got over the German's pilfering their rides. Many more idiosyncrasies and the history behind them dot the pages of this book. The Dutch do love their bicycles!

I liked the story of Pete and Amy Jo, and their decision to remain in Amsterdam. I wished they had shared a bit more of that journey. Jordan did a great job of intertwining the history of the city with their own personal experiences. But as the primary characters of this adventure, I would have liked to get to know them a little more - especially Amy Jo. Watching them grow and change through their time in the city, was rather like watching Amsterdam itself fall in love with cycling.

Recommend for: Biking enthusiasts and lovers of unusual travel books or anyone who might want to peek at Amsterdam through the lens of a bike lover.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is worth reading if you're willing to skim (or maybe skip entirely) Pete Jordan's chapters about himself and his own biking experiences. The really interesting stuff was all the fascinating things he shares about the history and culture of biking in Amsterdam: the tradition of "troublesome" Amsterdammers who buck rules and authority and have, decade after decade, stood up for their rights; the role of bikes as a form of both oppression and resistance during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s; why bikes became so important in the Netherlands and why cars became king in the U.S. -- all that stuff was really interesting.

Not so: his own anecdotes as an American living and cycling in Amsterdam. I'm guessing someone advised him to sprinkle in his personal experiences to give the non-fiction work some heart and context, maybe to create a connection with the author. It mostly serves to alienate him. I have a healthy interest in bikes, but this dude is obsessed, and it's hard to relate to. What I found most irritating, though, was his downright smugness about the things he knows about Dutch history that the Dutch themselves didn't know. He sounds like he's bragging. Jordan also tends to overdo the details, including data he's collected that no one should collect, ever (e.g. counting how many passing bikers had decorative flowers on their bikes, and then breaking down that number by gender). More isn't always better.

Definitely worth reading if you stick to the historical chapters.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful. This book really needed a strong editorial hand. I borrowed it from the library because I was intrigued about how cycling became so popular in one of my favorite cities. The TOC also hints at the importance of bikes during WWII. Alas.

There was way too much about the author, too much gee whiz, and the style was sloppy. The worst thing, though, was the way Jordan trivialized the Dutch privation during the war. It was as if the confiscation of bikes was the worst the Dutch had to endure during the occupation! Yes, he does mention the Hunger Winter, and occasionally, Anne Frank, but somehow, there was more passion about the state of cycling.

Badly done. And no, I didn't read the whole thing.

[Annmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about the history of cycling in Amsterdam, the eponymous city, written by an American cycling aficionado. He writes extensively about the current status of city biking in Amsterdam, bike theft, the history of the politics of bicycling there, incorporating details about the German occupation during WWII, etc., so you'd better have an interest o you'll drown in the details. It was fairly engagingly written, for all that, because he writes from personal experience living there with his wife, another cyclist.

[Jonna Higgins-Freese · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was definitely some good stuff here, but not enough for a book -- it felt like an incomplete reworking of the research papers he was writing for his urban planning program. Jordan's own stories of his Amsterdam bike riding experiences were solidly interesting and well written, but as for the decade-by-decade history of bike riding in the city -- meh.

[Aaron Worley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to move to Amsterdam

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book uses way too many quotes to illustrate its points. Often three or four quotes in a row to illustrate the exact same point, so I ended up skipping some.

Apart from that, I generally enjoyed the book. It felt too long in some places, as if the author wasn't willing to part with any of his research even if it didn't add much to the book. But in other places I loved every bit, and it didn't feel long at all.

The book included some interesting history of Amsterdam, particularly during WWII, and made me more keen to ride my own bike. I can't wait to visit Amsterdam now, and see the city of bikes for myself.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book very much, both because the subject and the way it was handled was appealing (to me) and also because I think it is well written. I was confused however by title - I only understood what it meant properly after I had read 50 pages or so. In particular, "the story of the Amsterdam cyclist" can be understood as "a social history of cycling in Amsterdam" - "the Amsterdam cyclist" is meant to indicate Amsterdam cyclists in general from the 1890s to today. (Probably this confusion is just my problem.)

The blurb on the back cover states, "Part personal memoir, part history of cycling, part fascinating street-level tour of Amsterdam, In the City of Bikes is the story of a man who loves bikes-in a city that loves bikes." But really 90 percent of this book (which is almost 400 pages of text plus 40 pages of notes) is a history of urban cycling as transportation in Amsterdam, and to some extent in the Netherlands more generally. There is some comparison to cycling (and use of cars) in the United States, but not so much as to seem polemical. The "tour of Amsterdam" referred to in the blurb is, I think, incidental to the history of cycling for the most part (and that's fine).

The personal memoir aspect is ten percent or less of the book and mostly at the beginning and end of the book and the beginning and end of chapters. The transitions from the memoir portions to the more purely historical narrative are smooth and the style is consistent and at least for me; I was just as interested in both parts. Everyone has read a nominally "travel" book where it feels like the author is padding his or her experiences with "historical context" and the shifts from the personal travel anecdotes to the "history" portions are clunky - there is none of that here.

In fact, even though this could have been reworked as academic work on cycling history, it is far more pleasant (and just as instructive) to read the way it is, with the unobtrusive memoir sections providing helpful context by providing an understanding of "where the author is coming from."

When I got this book in my hands, I was a little doubtful - looking at a 400+ page book entirely on cycling in Amsterdam I wondered if it could really be something I would be drawn into and enjoy. Well, that turned out to be no problem - I liked it a lot.

My only slightly negative comments are minor. The chapters about cycling in Amsterdam in World War II are interesting but of the entire book it was the one part that seemed a little long. It was somewhat surprising that the "modern era" (the 1980s on) is dealt with in about twenty pages at the end (although there are mentions of modern Dutch cycling throughout, when I think about it). Having read this, I somewhat oddly feel I can tell you more about policies for Dutch cycling in WWII than today. Hmm.

It was also odd that the author's one previous book credit is writing a "memoir" of his experiences washing dishes (professionally!) in all fifty states. I regard such "listicle" type books as an artifact of our time (although I'm probably wrong about that) and not a good one. That doesn't mean I don't read such books from time to time, but many of them seem like clever ideas and don't read well - anyway, it wasn't exactly a hint in my mind of what is in this book.

For an American reader interested in cycling for transportation as an alternative, this book is a gentle (and I guess extensive) historical introduction or overview. While it is obvious that the author has a point of view and what that point of view is, the book is not written to hit the reader over the head with that.

The Publishers Weekly blurb states, "the readers will understand that the bike is to Amsterdam what the car is to America" - yes, and will understand in a helpful way why.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was meticulously researched and did an excellent job of exploring how many successive layers of culture can develop around a method of transportation that is not cars. It provided a glimpse into an alternate reality that I found refreshing. Most interesting to me was the story of how so many elements of car culture got established that we take for granted today, like filling up city centers with people's large idle hunks of personal property. It makes no sense, and the cascading effects on urban design and the climate are catastrophic.

I enjoyed the examination of bike theft in Amsterdam, and the self-perpetuating cycle that got baked into the culture as a result of people expecting cheap bike prices. The best part of the story involves the Nazi occupation and how the Dutch fought back in so many ingenious ways to keep their bikes from being taken away to serve the German army.

At times the book was a bit disjointed and uneven in its coverage of the decades leading up to now. There was also an emphasis on the male gaze that I found a bit off-putting. The author ogling all those "pretty girls in skirts showing their muscular legs on bikes" and they don't even seem to mind!

[Tuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

neatly written history of bikes in amsterdam and holland, and travel autobio of moving and living in amsterdam from usa. dutch having a fairly unique take on bicycles, city life, transportation, peoples's rights, OTHER peoples's rights, and how best to balance freedom, liberty, compassion, openmindedness, fairness, justice, there-ya-go-ness, personal responsibility.

so: no helmets really used much ; multiple locks used and still huge bike thief problem ; infrastructure constraints (not enough room not enough money) overcome by sheer bull headedness (lots of bike ways, but not enough, lots of cars, but they must wait there turn, cold nasty weather but just bundle up)
interesting history like when nazis took over and shut things down, partisans used bikes to move clandestinely. also, during '60's there was a lot of direct action, only nominally about bikes, but as a practicality, bikes were involved, and now? bikes everywhere.

this book needs way more pictures, maps, biblio, etc

[Beth G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book but I think you would have to have an interest in biking and urban planning or at least the history of Amsterdam to enjoy it. You learn about the role that biking played in Amsterdam's history and an American bike fanatics' personal experience living there.
I am not ready to move yet but I certainly want to visit soon.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just started this book. It's an easy, light read. It's annoying that he feels the need to comment on the beautiful women and girls on bikes so much. It feels sexist and uninteresting, tbh. But I used to love biking and would love to go to Amsterdam some day so I'm looking forward to learning more about the culture.

[Carla]

Definitely made me want to visit Amsterdam. Not so much with wanting to start cycling more.

[kyrsis · Rating 1 out of 5]

read this only bc i had to and it although it was well written and fairly easy to follow, that is if u didnt fall asleep bc of all of the info, it simply had no flavor. i truly believe the author himself believes he was funny and entertaining but he wasnt. im glad to have been able to read abt how certain pieces of amsterdams history were impacted and shaped by their bike culture but thats about it. i could have done without so many lengthy anecdotes about his own life. i also could have done with many of his opinions and views towards certain things--such as how he regarded his janitorial job and how his tone changes when he mentions the amount of immigrants that take on such jobs, as if they were beneath him. overall the author ruined this book for me. i want to take out his kneecaps.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely blends history of bikes in Amsterdam with the author’s own story of living in that city. Well researched and often surprising. Sometimes a bit over written hence the 4 star. For anyone who like history and bikes it’s a good read.

[Elin Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante inzichten van een 'outsider' over de fietscultuur in Nederland. En hoe dit is ontstaan. Helemaal omdat ik al zolang ik zinnen kan maken ook fiets. Maar zo'n 700 pagina's was naar mijn mening overkill.

Edit: okay het was iets minder dan 700 pagina's, maar het voelde wel zo ; )

[Malin Friess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete Jordan grew up in Pittsburg commuting by bicyle in the snow. He realized he didn't belong in the midwest when at one point he was so excited to see just one other bicycle track in the snow on his ride home from work (hoping he had found another cyclist) only to realize the tracks were his own. Pete tried bicycle friendly cities like Davis, California and Portland, Oregon...but found his home in Amsterdam (The City of Bikes)..and goes on to tell his family's story of living above a bike shop against the canals of Amsterdam and the greater history of why Amsterdam became a bicyclist heaven.
Amsterdam is flat as a pancake (except for a few canal crossings), densely populated, has narrow streets, and a mild climate..all perfect for cycling. Pete is the kind of author I would love to meet. He has a fondness for old bikes, beat-up, barely held together... the kind that bike mechanics in the states snub their noses at..but Pete finds kindred spirits in Amsterdam. He finds a job as a janitor and his wife becomes a bike mechanic. They live out their dream of owning their own bike shop and living above it. They have a son and Pete buys a bike seat that rests between the rider and the handlebars and they travel Amsterdam with his son pointing the way (note..put the children up front if you can..better view than your back).
In Portland Peter was excited to see 19 cyclist in 30 minutes. In Amsterdam 19 cyclist ride by in 30 seconds. Everyone rides. Infants ride in seats with windshields, babies ride in slings attached to their parents chests. Women sit side saddle behind their husbands with their legs dangeling comfortably and flowers decorating their bikes. Men and Women "dink" on bikes holding hands and kissing. And the bikes are nothing like the polished racing bikes in America. Pete was fascinated by these old heavy clunkers the Dutch rode. Suit and tie closed businessman rode unbashedly in beat-up old bikes held together with tape, rubber bands...and the city was quiet. And people were happy. And they stepped on and off their bikes like ballerinas.
Pete goes into the history of bikes in Amsterdam. He follows the problem of theft (the railings in Amsterdam are covered 4-5 bikes thick..all locked at least twice) to attempts of a free bike program. Pete discusses pneumatic tires and stryrofoam and wooden tires to alleviate the problem of flat tires. He looks back in the Nazi takeover and theft of bikes. He has a chapter on bike fisherman (those who dredge the canals of Amsterdam to find bikes).
Many people would be healthier and happier (I am the days I commute to work by bicycle) if they got out of cars and on to bicycles. Pete and the city of Amsterdam have recognized the wonderful contribution of bicycles. 5 stars! I got to visit Amsterdam.

Now as a former dishwasher..on to his next book....Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in all 50 states!

[Todd Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author Pete Jordan comes to Amsterdam to learn about biking.

In this book, he gives you a history of biking there from the cycling craze in the 1890s to Nazi occupation and then to the bicycling movement of the 1960s to today.

He originally planned to live there for a semester of college but fell in love with the city. He decided to stay and raise a family there and his son now enjoys biking here also.

I enjoyed reading about biking and its history in the country. Also, his family life and then the biking culture in Amsterdam, with all different walks of life on bikes from nuns to pregnant women and from the queen to the poor.

If you want to understand the biking culture in Amsterdam then this book fits the bills.

Pete Jordan is all the author of Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States, which I also enjoyed.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, 400 pages of Dutch bike trivia, and, to invert Dr. Johnson, one is even more surprised to see it so well done as to see it done at all. Jordan cobbles together newspaper accounts, letters, historic documents, travel guides, and personal letters to create a light and enjoyable history of Amsterdammers and their anarchic attachment to their clunky stolid bicycles. There are celebrities: Queen Wilhelmina in exile demanding her staff get her a used cycle; Tony Blair pedaling madly ahead of other attendees at an international conference; Anne Frank wondering at the speed of riders "whizzing" by; even Audrey Hepburn smuggling newsletters during the occupation under woolen stockings.
The author punctuates all of this with occasional personal anecdotes:
"For almost an hour and a half, I followed the bike fishermen [sanitation workers who clean the canals]. While the claw operator did the actual fishing, the other crew member piloted the boat at a speed slower than a walking pace (so slow, in fact, he was able to tend to other tasks, like preparing the tea.) Along the way the number of onlookers rhythmically swelled and contracted. Whenever the fishermen had a dry spell, the crowd grew as people lingered and expectations increased. Then, when a bike was finally nabbed, the seemingly satisfied crowd would disperse. Though the claw hoisted up otehr junk -- three car tires, two scooters, a no-parking sign, a long metal pipe, a chair -- the vast majority of the time, when a catch was mae, it was a bicycle. In less than 90 minutes, I watched the fishermen land 47 bikes." (p. 331)
Most of the quoted accounts (according to the sources) are translated from Dutch, and Jordan seems to supply his own insouciant style to the speakers:
"After the announcement of Willem-Alexander and Maxima's [Zorreguieta, an Argentine] engagement, the nation took an even greater interest in the question of the woman who would be marrying the heir to the throne. And still, the question persisted: Could this foreigner cycle? When a reporter asked Maxima if she knew how to ride a bike, the soon-to-be-princess shot back, 'Yes, what do you think? I'm not from another planet. Of course I can ride a bike.' When Willem-Alexander and Maxima biked together through a Dutch town, one witness reported back to the rest of the nation: 'Maxima has a good, confident style. She doesn't look like a hesitating refugee who has mounted a Dutch bike for the first time as part of the integration process. One had on the handlebars, the other one waving. Easy peasy.'" (p. 379)

[Amy Shuff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I understand that it was a book that solely focused on bikes, but the author has a very warped sense of priorities. He gives high praise for the Dutch's response to German invasion, but doesn't recognize that they protected their bikes better than the lives of the humans around him.

[Brady Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excerpt from
a review I wrote on Forefront. Here's the first few paragraphs:

To be a cyclist in America is to be hated by mostly everyone else. I’ve been a committed urban cyclist ever since I first moved to a big city when I was 20 years old. On one of my first commutes across the city of Washington, D.C., I remember braving the center of Connecticut Avenue as I prepared to turn left, and getting so flustered that a cop pulled up to ask if I was okay riding there. I said I was, though then I really wasn’t. Now I can handle just about any street, but my attitude these days can only be described as “battle-hardened.” You shouldn’t have to be battle-hardened just to get across town. But that’s what it’s like to be a cyclist in this country.

So I began reading Pete Jordan’s In the City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist with an optimism that the book promptly squelched. I had heard that, in Amsterdam, the culture of cycling is so strong that cars actually defer to cyclists. I had also seen this photo and wanted to read about a magical place where the rules and people were so different than they are here. It sounded too good to be true and, as Jordan tells it, that’s because it is.

In the City of Bikes reveals that it is indeed much, much better to be a cyclist in Amsterdam — but not because the powers-that-be have embraced the way cycling benefits the city, nor because the city is so well designed for it, nor because non-cyclists have a respect for people on bikes. The reason Amsterdam cyclists have it better is because so many people in Amsterdam ride bikes.

[Doreen Fritz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Selected due to our recent trip to Amsterdam, this book was a delight. What is it about Amsterdam that makes one think that even after being there only 3 days that I can picture the settings described in this book? Place names evoked a memory, and so I could understand and appreciate the author's descriptions of the struggles the city has faced as automobiles invaded what was previously already a chaotic traffic jam of people and bikes. And indeed, the bikes are among the first things one notices in Amsterdam. In contrast to so many scenes in this book, the traffic appears to run smoothly, with bikes, people, trams, taxis, and cars sticking in their own spaces, for the most part. (A pedestrian must keep a sharp eye out, though, as there are separate traffic lights for the bike and for the car traffic, and both are coming from both ways!)

This book may have been the result of graduate school work, as it is full of research, quotes, statistics, etc. about bikes in Amsterdam - throughout history, with especial attention paid to the 20th century. The occupation years during WWII were most interesting.

The author was a little fanatical in his focus on bikes. But he seems to have adopted the perfect city and lifestyle to fit him and his family.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read this month by this author. I was completely liberated by the idea of someone moving to a foreign city and then proceeding to take the city's signature theme, research it to the hilt, and then write a completely delightful and engaging account. Once again--we come with so few rigid instruction books! We can write out own life!!