When the unexpected happened, and the British were beaten by the
Americans, van Goens, who as we have mentioned before considered himself
half an Englishman, was very angry, and his anger directed itself
against the first persons with whom he could connect with the cause of
his annoyance. Amsterdam's secret negotiations with America had just
then been discovered, and from that moment on Amsterdam meant to van
Goens the incarnation of all those forces of influence of which he
thought most pernicious for the weal of the country. -from "The
Patriots" One of the most popular writers of all things historical in
his day, Hendrik Willem van Loon took a particular pride in this 1913
work. Filling in the blanks of the general American knowledge of the
story of Holland, this Dutch-born, American-educated author explores the
history of his native land from the perspective of one both proud of its
accomplishments and and realistic about its propects. From the political
development of the republic to its grand personages, infamous wars, and
eventual decline, this is an informative and entertaining read. OF
INTEREST TO: history buffs, readers of Dutch culture ALSO AVAILABLE FROM
COSIMO CLASSICS: van Loon's The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom (1915), The
Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators (1916), A Short History of Discovery
(1917), and Ancient Man (1920) Dutch-American author, journalist and
illustrator HENDRIK WILLEM VAN LOON (1882-1944) was the first winner of
the prestigious Newbery Medal for outstanding American children's book
for his The Story of Mankind. Acclaimed for his ability to depict
history in a lively and entertaining manner for children and adults
alike, he was a popular lecturer and radio personality, equally
comfortable on informational programs and celebrity quiz shows.
