Amsterdam: A history of the world's most liberal city

This book by Russell Shorto (am American who now makes his home in Amsterdam) is more than a history. It is also an examination of culture and philosophy and politics and how these evolved in a unique way, derived from Amsterdam's unique geography. It also tells how this relatively small city and country came to have an outsize impact on the developing world from the 16th to the 20th century. Amsterdam residents wrested their land from the sea, which required unrelenting cooperative activity. But they also allowed independent ownership of that land, encouraging entrepreneurship and diversity of thought and action. Early on, Amsterdam became a haven for those with different views, especially around religion, and they often had to fight off much larger and more powerful countries to maintain or regain their sovereignty. Not only was Amsterdam the home of great art (e.g., Rembrandt, van Gogh) and philosophy (e.g., Spinoza) but also of tremendous financial and trade power with the Dutch East India Company. They created the first publicly traded companies and stock market. Only once did they truly fail, when they let the Nazis take over, betraying their significant Jewish population.
Takes a while to get started, but this is a fascinating book. Laudatory and more detailed reviews from
Publishers' Weekly, The New York Times, Kirkus, and The Guardian.