"Nobody wants to be labeled a tourist - whether you're visiting, or living in Amsterdam as an expat. This book gives you the inside story on why the city is so diverse and fascinating." David Beckett, author.
Combining his own experience and that of a diverse group of locals, Beckett tells the story of the city in the words of the people who shape it. City photography by Pim Kops (of Amsterdam band De Dijk) and portrait images by Joost Van Manen show a new side of the most enigmatic city in the world.
25 Amsterdammers share their experience of life in Holland's capital - including former Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen; comedian and columnist Youp Van ‘t Hek; Hollywood actress Halina Reijn; ‘Mr Ajax’, Sjaak Swart; rapper and artist Def P; author and editor of Time Out Amsterdam, Nina Siegal; and world famous shoe designer Jan Jansen.
Other characters featured are; tattoo king Henk Schiffmacher; musical fashion superstars Shirley Hart and Bas Kosters; street artist Laser 3.14; author of Quiet Amsterdam, Siobhan Wall; head of the Amsterdam Museum, Paul Spies; and gay rights activist and performance artist Fya Hopelezz.
David explains the story of how the book developed.
“I fell in love with Amsterdam as soon as I arrived. Something about the atmosphere captured my imagination, and over the years I found my opinions and character being shaped by the city and its people. I consider this to be my home-town, and wanted to find a way to share my passion and joy for living in Amsterdam.
There are plenty of travel guides about this city - Lonely Planet and Rough Guide give comprehensive listings of where to go or what to see. What they don't answer is the most elusive questions of all - why is the city like it is, and why are the people like they are? 'Amsterdam… The Essence' is the first book to give those answers, by gathering the opinions and feelings of a diverse group.
The format we’ve created is very colourful and has as much emphasis on image as on text - showing the Amsterdam story of creative characters like Def P and Bas Kosters can't be done in black and white!
That’s why I asked Sarah Loughran from Sphere Design to come up with a format that captures the vibrant essence of Amsterdam – and she’s certainly done that!
I believe that few people like the label “tourist”, and especially a section of visitors to the city want to know something more than the obvious tourist locations. Those coming to Amsterdam naturally want to do the boat trip and see the Van Gogh museum. But there is so much more to the city than the main tourist drag of Leidseplein, Dam Square and the Red Light District.
It’s the 'underground' aspect of Amsterdam that is most vibrant, exciting and diverse - and that's the real essence of the cityEarly on, I decided my mission was to capture the heart and soul - the essence - of Amsterdam by digging into the experiences of people living here. What do they do, where do they go, why do they live here, what do they think and feel about the city?
As I talked about interviews for the book, I began to meet some creative characters from a diverse range of backgrounds and saw that they each have a unique perspective. They could tell something about the hugely varied cultural world that exists in Amsterdam, which is very much more interesting at the less-commercial level. It’s the 'underground' aspect of Amsterdam that is most vibrant, exciting and diverse, and this will feature in the book.
Equally, to learn about the city’s history and the changes it’s gone through needed interviews with knowledgeable residents who also have controversial views.
In terms of design, its focus is on readability. Over 150 photographs highlight the personal nature of the content – almost like a scrapbook of ideas and experiences.
My goal is to create something colourful, alive and absorbing that makes you want to read it even after the visit is over.
It’s been told by many locals that Amsterdammers are always interested to read what foreigners have to say about their city. So I also believe that for residents, the book can have a high value."
The first publication in The Essence™ range, Amsterdam... The Essence, is now available.