Ben Coates, author of
Why the Dutch are Different, cycles the Rhine river from mouth to source, discovering the mark it makes on Europe.
Among the finest multi-destination books is
The Rhine . . . Coates's itchy feet paddle him steadily (after a disaster in a rowing boat) on two wheels from Holland (sleeping in dunes), past Utrecht to the German border (Arnhem redolent of war in
A Bridge Too Far) to sleepier Bonn. History shimmers across his hinterland, contested in two world wars, and his curiosity - Coates's great strength - unearths the ways in which the river shaped the destinies of those who made its ever changing banks their home.
A captivating mixture of travel and history.
A piece of nonfiction that's both a travelogue and historic account
of how the river shaped Europe.
Ben Coates discovers how the Rhine influenced history.
He conveys well the role of the Rhine in European culture and history: how it has been seen at different times as a "free-flowing conduit for goods, people and ideas" and as a battleground and frontier.
We might question the Rhine being considered 'Europe's greatest river'. But Ben Coates makes a persuasive and entertaining argument for the accolade . . . My eagerness to devour each chapter was dependent less on the overall theme of the book, but almost entirely on Coates' engaging writing style and the playful way he reveals the history of this part of Europe.
What a wonderful surprise. Amazingly talented, Ben Coates fluently uses his metaphoric skills to paint a vibrant portrait of this river's influence in weaving the tapestry of European life. [A] fascinating and compelling story.
He conveys well the role of the Rhine in European culture and history: how it has been seen at different times as a "free-flowing conduit for goods, people and ideas" and as a battleground and frontier.
The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2018
A piece of nonfiction that's both a travelogue and historic account of how the river shaped Europe.
we might question the Rhine being considered 'Europe's greatest river'. But Ben Coates makes a persuasive and entertaining argument for the accolade...My eagerness to devour each chapter was dependent less on the overall theme of the book, but almost entirely on Coates' engaging writing style and the playful way he reveals the history of this part of Europe.
Also among the finest multi-destination books is
The Rhine... his curiosity - Coates's great strength - unearths the ways in which the river shaped the destinies of those who made its ever changing banks their home.
The history is fascinating but it's the author's anecdotes and turns of phrase that keep you entertained as he progresses by bike, boat and (briefly) on the back of a cow.
Ben Coates was born in Britain in 1982, lives in Rotterdam with his Dutch wife, and now works for an international charity. During his career he has been a political advisor, corporate speechwriter, lobbyist and aid worker. He has written articles for numerous publications including the
Guardian,
Financial Times and
Huffington Post. ben-coates.com