The Undutchables: An Observation of the Netherlands, Its Culture And Its Inhabitants [Paperback]

Colin White (Author), Laurie Boucke (Author), Rusty Haller (Illustrator), Gerald Fried (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Nothing is more interesting than to see yourself through the eyes of an outsider.

The UnDutchables is a very revealing treatise about us... This book in a very exact yet funny way discloses all the secrets about us that we really would have preferred to keep to ourselves. In other words, they hang out the dirty linen...

The authors have clearly looked much farther than wooden shoes and tulips... Even the way we stir sugar in our coffee has not escaped their notice and not until you read this book from cover to cover do you understand how much our behavior, that we consider as completely normal ourselves, borders on insanity for a non-Netherlander.

Everything in it is true, and only the humor with which it is written makes it at all palatable for us.

A fine little work, then, that will be around for years. -- Johannes van Dam, Het Parool, May 26, 1990 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: White Boucke Pub; 5 edition (December 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888580321
• ISBN-13: 978-1888580327
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #749,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth hurts sometimes, December 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Undutchables: A Observation of the Netherlands : Its Culture and Its Inhabitants (Paperback)

Being Dutch and not having lived there for 25 years, I had to get this book when I heard of it. It was money well spend. I laughed so hard sometimes that I cried. I bought a copy for my mother who still lives in the Netherlands, she didn't think it was very funny, but I told her that the truth hurts sometimes. I still go back "home" on a regular basis with my family and after reading this book I look at my fellow Dutchmen through different glasses. My husband is American, he read the book and says that he sees some of those things in me, so even after 25 years I'm still Dutch and proud of it. The book is great fun, but you have to have a sense of humor and take it with a grain of salt. I recommend the book to anyone who is Dutch or who knows someone Dutch.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must-read!, March 24, 2000

By 

Sarah Hainley (Irving, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Undutchables: A Observation of the Netherlands : Its Culture and Its Inhabitants (Paperback)

Two days ago, I returned from my 4th trip to the Netherlands in the last year. My boyfriend is Dutch, and while I was there, one of his friends gave me this book. I laughed so hard I nearly cried (especially with the part about Dutch toilets-how true it is!). My Dutch friends are always telling me, "If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much!" and even they found this book to be an almost completely accurate portrayal of themselves and their society. After spending as much time there as I have, I can tell you honestly that the Dutch are a very unique people, but incredibly endearing as well. Their idiosyncracies will grow on you, and this book uncovers them all!

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for living in The Netherlands!, November 22, 2004

By 

Kat - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Undutchables: An Observation of the Netherlands, Its Culture and Its Inhabitants (Paperback)

I lived in the Netherlands for a few years (in Leiden) and found this book to be an essential in surviving there as a foreigner! The Dutch are extremely friendly and hospitable, but take some getting used to as I'm sure my odd American characteristics bewildered them as well. (Example: The Dutch do not pepper their sentences with words such as, "great, "awesome, WOW...")
The book explains every bewildering characteristic of this strange and fascinating country from the weather to the pot to the Red Light District to the lack of seasoning in the cuisine. The Dutch are a proud people and every reason to be so. They live in one of the most beautiful and liberal countries in the world. Now if only the sun would shine would more...