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In The City Of Bikes: The Story Of The Amsterdam Cyclist (2013)

by Pete Jordan(Favorite Author)

3.67 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0061995207 (ISBN13: 9780061995200)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Harper Perennial

review 1: 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 clandes... moretinely. 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
review 2: Somewhat odd book, not quite history, not quite memoir, but a mash-up of both. Interesting enough read by an amateur historian obsessed with enumerating and counting things (number of pregnant women spotted on bikes? Got you covered. Number [and types] of chairs carried on bikes by Amsterdammers? No problem, he's counted it for you.).Probably would have liked more memoir, and a heavier editing hand on the history.All things considered though, after he describes Amsterdam and its cyclists, I think I'd rather move to Copenhagen. less

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