Holland: The History of the Netherlands

by Julian Hawthorne

Holland - The History of the Netherlands is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1899. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

412 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1899

About the author

Julian Hawthorne was the son of Nathaniel Hawthorne. He wrote poetry, novels, non-fiction, a series of crime novels based on the memoirs of New York's Inspector Byrnes, and edited several collections of short stories. He attended Harvard, without graduating, and later studied civil engineering.

In 1898, Julian submitted an eyewitness account of the destruction of the United States battleship, Maine off of the island of Cuba for William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal (although it has been proven that Julian was in the United States at the time of the explosion). Hawthorne's eyewitness testimony of foul play and aggression by Spain was taken as fact and helped steer the United States towards war.

In 1908 Hawthorne was invited by a college friend to join him in Canada selling shares in silver mines that did not exist. They were tried, convicted of mail fraud, and served one year in prison.

There is also at least one other author named Julian Hawthorne, who writes about unexplained mysteries.

Reviews

[Qing Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A people prefers self-exile to slavery; and an illustrious house that seldom fails the naiton.

It's interesting to read about the ups-and-downs of this small country, prospering when it insisted on independence, degrading when it succumbed to seemingly superior power. The power of a people to decide the destiny of a nation.

It's intriguing to learn about the impact the illustrious house of Orange brings. How the ambition of Maurise overgrew to turn against his people and endanger the nation; and later how the country was near to being ruined after the stadholder left to leave the nation completely to states-general.

The Netherlands is always held to be a country of high tolerance and open mind. Some people (mistakenly) interpret that as lack of principle. They couldn't be more wrong. It's quite clear when we look at the brief description of the religious orientation of William of Orange:

His whole public conduct seems to prove that he viewed sectarian principles chiefly in the light of political instruments; and that, himself a conscientious Christian, in the broad sens of the term, he was deeply imbued with the spirit of universal toleration, and considered the various shades of belief as subservient to the one grand principle of civil and religious liberty, for which he had long devoted and at length laid down his life.

[john r baucom jr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not wonderfully done

A lot of history is covered in varying amounts of detail. Not as coherent a narrative as I had expected. It does a pretty good job of describing what a bright, industrious group of people the Dutch really are. Having been there a few times,I have always been impressed with their many hydraulic capabilities and more nobly how they honor the and open and accepting culture that elevates the Dutch to just a few of the great countries in the world.

[Acquafortis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this book from Amazon while I was in Holland.
It took me some time to read over 400 pages of names, intrigues, assassinations, princes, kingdoms and alliances that changed as quickly as today's Italian parlament. I researched quite a lot on wikipedia to get all the information to understand all the old dynasties so at the end the pages read where double the book.
Written in an old-fashioned way where personal consideration and comments added flavour and spice to the history, I really enjoyed this book. Although I still had difficulty trying to remember all the names and their various correlation and to which small or big kingdom they belonged.
I particularly savoured the last chapter or else as he calls it Supplementary Chapter where the historian summarises all of his personal views about the Dutch country and its people. And I have to say the truth I quite agree with him.
"They are, in their own degree, remarkably prosperous and comfortable; and they have the good sense to be content with their condition.
They are liberal and progressive, and yet conservative;...and they are wisely indifferent to the affairs of others" Very true..what impressed me while in Holland is that they have no curtains and if they do have them they don't use them.
"Their nature seems to partake of the scenic traits of their country; its picturesque, solid serenity, its unemotional levels, its flavour of the antique: and yet beneath that composure we feel the strength and steadfastness which can say to the ocean, Thus far and no further, and can build their immaculate towns, and erect their peaceful windmills, and navigate their placid canals, and smoke their fragrant pipes on land which, by natural right, should be the bottom of the sea"
Yes, as my Dutch friend said to me "Why complicate your existence, we are in Holland!"

[Roy Klein · Rating 1 out of 5]

A candidate for one of the worst books I've ever read.

The editing is atrocious. the sentences see disconnected. The information is partial. It contains blatant racism and unfounded opinions.

I feel I've been cheated even when this was a free ebook.