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Orange Sky, Rising Water: The Remarkable Past and Uncertain Future of the Netherlands
From climate change to far-right politics, a captivating look at the Netherlands’ modern challenges—and a homage to the timeless ingenuity of the Dutch.
From deeply unpromising marshy beginnings, the Netherlands grew into a naval, imperial, artistic, cultural, economic, scientific, agricultural and footballing superpower. How did it get there?
Journalist Nicholas Walton paints a vivid portrait of one of the world's most remarkable places. Drawing on interviews and his own years living in the Netherlands, as well as Dutch history and popular culture, he tells a story of floods and riots, engineering brilliance and wartime treachery. Through ten walks around their towns and cities, fields and beaches, he reveals how the Dutch built a system that organised politics and tamed the water. But now, the country faces an unpredictable sea levels are rising, and extreme weather is swelling the rivers that cut across this flat land. At the same time, farmers are protesting with their tractors on the streets and voters are voicing their discontent over everything from immigration and inequality to a dysfunctional housing market.
Amid the existential challenges of the twenty-first century, Orange Sky, Rising Water asks whether the extraordinary Dutch success story can continue--or will the country, its people and its way of life be swept away?
From deeply unpromising marshy beginnings, the Netherlands grew into a naval, imperial, artistic, cultural, economic, scientific, agricultural and footballing superpower. How did it get there?
Journalist Nicholas Walton paints a vivid portrait of one of the world's most remarkable places. Drawing on interviews and his own years living in the Netherlands, as well as Dutch history and popular culture, he tells a story of floods and riots, engineering brilliance and wartime treachery. Through ten walks around their towns and cities, fields and beaches, he reveals how the Dutch built a system that organised politics and tamed the water. But now, the country faces an unpredictable sea levels are rising, and extreme weather is swelling the rivers that cut across this flat land. At the same time, farmers are protesting with their tractors on the streets and voters are voicing their discontent over everything from immigration and inequality to a dysfunctional housing market.
Amid the existential challenges of the twenty-first century, Orange Sky, Rising Water asks whether the extraordinary Dutch success story can continue--or will the country, its people and its way of life be swept away?
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 9, 2026
I initially encountered the videos on YouTube that accompany the book, whilst seeking inspiration for walking in The Netherlands, owing to a family connection which makes us regular visitors there.
If you have any interest in the Netherlands this is a must read. I found the (largely unknown to me) factual context particularly compelling, supported by testimonies during discussions with a number of authentic, credible individuals and covering historical, political, business and social issues. Importantly for me that was all succinct, measured and never over-bearing.
At the same time this is a palpably fond analysis of the people, their psyche and Dutch culture, many elements of which resonated and caused more than an occasional grin.
Well written and with a nice turn of phrase. Excellent.
If you have any interest in the Netherlands this is a must read. I found the (largely unknown to me) factual context particularly compelling, supported by testimonies during discussions with a number of authentic, credible individuals and covering historical, political, business and social issues. Importantly for me that was all succinct, measured and never over-bearing.
At the same time this is a palpably fond analysis of the people, their psyche and Dutch culture, many elements of which resonated and caused more than an occasional grin.
Well written and with a nice turn of phrase. Excellent.
December 13, 2025
This is the second book I have read about the Netherlands, and both books held my interest all the way to the end. The Dutch will need all of their famous engineering expertise in the years ahead, because their country is extremely vulnerable to climate change. They have enacted some social policies that the US. has considered but not approved on a national level. Their experience is instructive! Because of their long history and very limited landmass, the country acts as a pressure cooker to force the society to find solutions to social conflicts or collapse. They still have deep scars from World War II. Recommended with 4 stars 🌟.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews