Customer Reviews

Tulip Fever

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This story is full of interesting facts about the beginning of the mercantile age. It is also a story about human greed and lust and the way such sins are our downfall. It makes a nice companion to Girl with a pearl earing.

Set in sixteenth-century Amsterdam, Cornelis Sandvoort hires a painter to portray him and his wife Sophia. But Jan van Loos, the painter, and Sophia start an affair, causing trouble. I liked how this had fast chapters, and I liked the Netherlands, but I found the novel not quite interesting enough. What can I say? I'm young and easily distracted! :-) (C)

I wanted to read this book because I've just moved to Holland and wanted to get insight into tulips, painters, Amsterdam, etc. Moggach has done a lot of research to weave in 17th century Amsterdam, how people lived, the different professions of the day, as well as insight into tulipmania. The tulip auctions were the beginning of futures trading. And markets are fueled by greed and fear. This story has a lot of twists and turns. To appreciate it, one must see it from the perspectives of different characters - which Moggach uses to title each chapter. See my extended personal review on http://www.analyticalQ.com/books/default.htm - link to http://www.bonjournal.com/entries/j040515.htm I am looking for more books like this - in English - about life in the Netherlands - to read and write a review.