Short’s writing style, turning centuries-old history into a narrative thriller, makes the book hard to put down. Shorto argues it was the tolerant Dutch who laid the groundwork for immigrant culture, creating the first melting pot of free trade, acceptance, and a society where dozens of languages were spoken It isn’t just the unearthed history that makes The Island at the Center of the World so compelling.

‘Manhattan is where America began,’ he writes. Shorto’s central premise is that, contrary to popular belief, it was the Dutch, rather than the English, who laid the foundation for America, via their small, hardscrabble landholding known as New Netherlands. Both men will have a last impact on the island that becomes known as Manhattan. You meet Adriaen van der Donck, a young lawyer who is at odds with the director of the Dutch colony, Peter Stuyvesant. From there, Shorto draws you into a tale of politics, backstabbing, and a considerable number of untimely deaths. Published in 2004, The Island at the Center of the World starts with 17th-century English seaman Henry Hudson and his quest to find the mythical northwestern passage. American journalist Russell Shorto gives us the full picture in his accessible and riveting book, The Island at the Center of the World. But the tale is far more complicated and interesting than that.

We all think we know the story of how the Dutch purchased a little island from Native Americans for 24 dollars and then traded it to the British for Suriname. The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America Russell Shorto € 19.99 This item arrived at our Den Haag store within the past 8 weeks If not in stock, the expected delivery time to our store for this item will be 2-3 working days.

The island at the center of the world