Reading for the Road:
A Few of Our Favourite Books About Holland

Annik Boulva

Europe | Holland

At The Slow Road we answer to many names (wanderers, bon vivants, students of life) but first and foremost, we’re a group of dedicated travellers.

That’s why we love compiling reading lists that include those books—from novels to memoirs, and everything in between—that have really opened up our favourite regions.

In this post we’ll round up a few of our favourite books about Holland, the land of tulips and windmills.

Must-Read Books About Holland

The Undutchables: An Observation of the Netherlands, Its Culture and Inhabitants

By Colin White

A laugh-out-loud, irreverent guide to understanding Dutch character and habits through an examination of the home, money, children and politics.

Learn more on Amazon >>

The Mirror of the Artist: Northern Renaissance Art in Its Historical Context

By Craig Harbison

A concise survey of German, Dutch and Flemish art of the 16th and 17th centuries. The art historian author illuminates the important themes of the period, including realism, patronage, guilds, religious ideals, specialties and travels to Italy.

Learn more on Amazon >>

Amsterdam: A Traveler’s Literary Companion

Edited by Manfred Wolf

Organized by district, these 17 contemporary short stories by modern Dutch writers, including Cees Noote-boom and Geert Mak, are all set among the canals, cafés and neighbourhoods of Amsterdam.

Learn more on Amazon >>

Tulip Fever: A Novel

By Deborah Moggach

In 1630s Amsterdam, tulipomania has seized the populace. Everywhere men are seduced by the fantastic exotic flower. But for wealthy merchant Cornelis Sandvoort, it is his young and beautiful wife, Sophia, who stirs his soul. She is the prize he desires, the woman he hopes will bring him the joy that not even his considerable fortune can buy.

In this richly imagined international bestseller, Deborah Moggach has created the rarest of novels — a lush, lyrical work of fiction that is also compulsively readable. Seldom has a novel so vividly evoked a time, a place, and a passion.

Learn more on Amazon >>

Annik Boulva

Trip Designer Annik (pronounced “a knick”) Boulva caught the travel bug the old fashioned way, when skiing brought her to training camps in France, Argentina, Chile and beyond. Since then, she’s spent the better part of a decade guiding, researching and designing incredible adventures for B&R.