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The “Why The Dutch Are Different: A Journey into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands” if anyone is looking for a primer on the Netherlands and Dutch culture this is the book for you. Ben Coates is the author of this book. This book gives you information and history about the Netherlands while being funny and entertaining. The author explores the length and breadth of his adopted homeland and discovers why one of the world’s smallest countries is also so significant and so fascinating. It is a self-made country, the Dutch national character shaped by the ongoing battle to keep the water out from the love of dairy and beer to the attitude to nature and the famous tolerance. Ben Coates investigates what makes the Dutch the Dutch, why the Netherlands is much more than Holland and why the colour orange is so important. Along the way, he reveals why they are the world’s tallest people and have the best carnival outside Brazil. He learns why Amsterdam’s brothels are going out of business, who really killed Anne Frank, and how the Dutch manage to be richer than almost everyone else despite working far less. He also discovers a country which is changing fast, with the Dutch now questioning many of the liberal policies which made their nation famous. Overall, Ben Coates has done a good job of putting together this travel book.