Amsterdam: A Brief Life of the City by Geert MakA magnet for trade and travelers from all over the world, stylish, cosmopolitan Amsterdam is a city of dreams and nightmares, of grand civic architecture and legendary beauty, but also of civil wars, bloody religious purges, and the tragedy of Anne Frank. In this fascinating examination of the city's soul, part history, part travel guide, Geert Mak imaginatively recreates the lives of the early Amsterdammers, and traces Amsterdam's progress from

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the children make a daring escape across the frozen canals of Amsterdam

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three unlikely heroes will discover there’s more to themselves—and more to their worlds—than meets the eye

Astounding' Helen MacDonald