In the City of Bikes

Pete Jordan chronicles Amsterdam's evolution as a cycling capital while documenting his own experiences living in the city. His narrative spans from Amsterdam's first bicycles in the 1890s through the Nazi occupation, postwar modernization, and into the present day. Jordan investigates how Amsterdam maintained its cycling culture while other cities embraced automobiles. He explores the city's resistance movements, infrastructure changes, and social dynamics through extensive research and interviews with locals, politicians, and cycling advocates. The author interweaves his personal story of moving to Amsterdam with his wife, learning to navigate the city by bike, and becoming immersed in Dutch cycling culture. His observations as an American provide context for understanding Amsterdam's unique relationship with bicycles. The book examines how transportation choices shape urban identity and reflect deeper cultural values. Through Amsterdam's cycling history, Jordan reveals patterns of resistance, adaptation, and the ongoing tension between tradition and progress in modern cities.

Readers appreciate the detailed research into Amsterdam's cycling history and culture, with many noting the book provides context they hadn't encountered elsewhere. The personal narrative of Jordan's experiences living in Amsterdam with his family adds relatability to the historical content. Common praise focuses on: - Balance of personal story with historical facts - Insights into Dutch cycling infrastructure development - Documentation of WWII resistance movement's use of bikes Main criticisms: - Narrative can be scattered and repetitive - Too much focus on the author's personal story - Some sections drag with excessive detail Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (90+ ratings) "The historical details were fascinating but could have been better organized," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads reader states: "The wartime bicycle stories were the highlight - I wish there had been more focus there instead of the author's experiences."

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🚲 Pete Jordan spent several years working as a dishwasher in various U.S. cities before becoming an author, chronicling his experiences in the memoir "Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States" 🚲 Amsterdam has more bicycles than people, with an estimated 881,000 bikes for 799,000 residents 🚲 During WWII, the Nazis confiscated nearly 100,000 bicycles from Amsterdam residents to support their war effort in Germany 🚲 The author moved to Amsterdam in 2002 to study urban planning and became fascinated with the city's cycling culture while his wife attended art school there 🚲 Amsterdam's first bicycle path was created in 1885 along the Maliebaan, and today the city has over 500 kilometers of dedicated bike lanes