Russell Shorto Libri

Tourists see Amsterdam as a charming city with canals and brick houses, while students know it for its legal brothels and hash bars, and art lovers admire Rembrandt's portraits. However, the city's rich history is deeply tied to its geography and the ongoing struggle of its citizens against the sea, which fostered a unique democratic philosophy. Amsterdam embodies liberalism in two senses: it promotes tolerance for free thought and love, and it has significantly influenced political and economic freedom, impacting even America. The city was a refuge for religious dissidents and radical thinkers, as well as the birthplace of the world's first global corporation. In this insightful narrative, Russell Shorto explores Amsterdam's evolution, connecting seemingly unrelated elements like herring anatomy and Anabaptists to its historical significance. Through his personal experiences in his adopted city, Shorto presents a captivating and intellectually stimulating account of Amsterdam, tracing its journey from the construction of its first canals in the 1300s, through its fight for independence and golden age as an empire, to its contemporary challenges regarding its cherished liberal ideals.

It was situated on a perfect natural harbour at the mouth of a great river leading into a huge new land. Manhattan Island was to grow into the most powerful city in the most powerful country in the world. extraordinary history. It tells how a wilderness populated only by wolves and native tribes became the melting pot from which developed the free-trade, multi-cultural and upwardly-mobile spirit of New York that in turn would shape the whole American nation.

With the skill of a seasoned journalist and the passion of an amateur sleuth, Russell Shorto offers a radical revision of the gospel story: a new composite of Jesus that is based on scientific research?and supported by some of our most conservative religious scholars. A vivid and sometimes shocking reconstruction of the life and times of Jesus, Gospel Truth will change the way we see Jesus forever

A fascinating intellectual adventure story from the acclaimed author of Amsterdam and The Island at the Center of the World.

Family secrets emerge as a best-selling author dives into the history of the mob in small-town America

With the skill of a seasoned journalist and the passion of an amateur sleuth, Russell Shorto offers a radical revision of the gospel story: a new composite of Jesus that is based on scientific research and supported by some of our most conservative religious scholars. A vivid and sometimes shocking reconstruction of the life and times of Jesus, Gospel Truth will change the way we see Jesus forever.

From the author of the acclaimed history The Island at the Center of the World, an intimate new epic of the American Revolution that reinforces its meaning for today. Russell Shorto’s work has been praised as “first-rate intellectual history” (Wall Street Journal), “literary alchemy” (Chicago Tribune) and simply “astonishing” (New York Times). In his epic new book, Russell Shorto takes us back to the founding of the American nation, drawing on diaries, letters and autobiographies to flesh out six lives that cast the era in a fresh new light. They include an African man who freed himself and his family from slavery, a rebellious young woman who abandoned her abusive husband to chart her own course and a certain Mr. Washington, who was admired for his social graces but harshly criticized for his often-disastrous military strategy. Through these lives we understand that the revolution was fought over the meaning of individual freedom, a philosophical idea that became a force for violent change. A powerful narrative and a brilliant defense of American values, Revolution Song makes the compelling case that the American Revolution is still being fought today and that its ideals are worth defending.