Ben Coates was born in Britain in 1982. After completing a master's degree in economics, he worked as a political adviser, corporate speechwriter, lobbyist and aid worker in Britain, the Netherlands and in Africa. He is the author of the bestselling Why the Dutch are Different, and has reported for the BBC, Independent, Scotsman and Irish Times. He lives with his Dutch wife in a cottage in the countryside near Gouda.

In Why the Dutch are Different, a torch beam of scrutiny plays across the country's past and its lesser known foibles. Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem. - Scotsman - Books of the YearA book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait. - ProspectVivid and informative. Coates intertwines the nation s journey to its modern iteration with his own adaptation to the Dutch lifestyle. An accomplished debut. - GeographicalI thoroughly recommend this book. Why the Dutch are Different provides the answers to all the questions I had but didn't dare ask about the Netherlands. I eagerly sat up late into the night reading, laughing often and enjoying the ride into my adopted homeland. - DutchNewsFascinating. Thoroughly researched and well thought out, Why the Dutch are Different takes us on a journey that goes beyond red-lit windows and Anne Frank to the true depths of the country. Ben Coates's day-to-day life sits effortlessly alongside deeper dives into history and folklore. A friendly read that strikes the right balance between teaching and entertaining. - The BookbagOne of the few books on our near-neighbour, Coates gets under the skin of a nation renowned for its liberalism. - The Bookseller

Ben Coates was born in Britain in 1982. After completing a master's degree in economics, he worked as a political adviser, corporate speechwriter, lobbyist and aid worker in Britain, the Netherlands and in Africa. He is the author of the bestselling Why the Dutch are Different, and has reported for the BBC, Independent, Scotsman and Irish Times. He lives with his Dutch wife in a cottage in the countryside near Gouda.

In Why the Dutch are Different, a torch beam of scrutiny plays across the country's past and its lesser known foibles. Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem. - Scotsman - Books of the YearA book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait. - ProspectVivid and informative. Coates intertwines the nation s journey to its modern iteration with his own adaptation to the Dutch lifestyle. An accomplished debut. - GeographicalI thoroughly recommend this book. Why the Dutch are Different provides the answers to all the questions I had but didn't dare ask about the Netherlands. I eagerly sat up late into the night reading, laughing often and enjoying the ride into my adopted homeland. - DutchNewsFascinating. Thoroughly researched and well thought out, Why the Dutch are Different takes us on a journey that goes beyond red-lit windows and Anne Frank to the true depths of the country. Ben Coates's day-to-day life sits effortlessly alongside deeper dives into history and folklore. A friendly read that strikes the right balance between teaching and entertaining. - The BookbagOne of the few books on our near-neighbour, Coates gets under the skin of a nation renowned for its liberalism. - The Bookseller

Ben Coates was born in Britain in 1982. After completing a master's degree in economics, he worked as a political adviser, corporate speechwriter, lobbyist and aid worker in Britain, the Netherlands and in Africa. He is the author of the bestselling Why the Dutch are Different, and has reported for the BBC, Independent, Scotsman and Irish Times. He lives with his Dutch wife in a cottage in the countryside near Gouda.

In Why the Dutch are Different, a torch beam of scrutiny plays across the country's past and its lesser known foibles. Author Ben Coates has produced an insightful gem. - Scotsman - Books of the YearA book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait. - ProspectVivid and informative. Coates intertwines the nation s journey to its modern iteration with his own adaptation to the Dutch lifestyle. An accomplished debut. - GeographicalI thoroughly recommend this book. Why the Dutch are Different provides the answers to all the questions I had but didn't dare ask about the Netherlands. I eagerly sat up late into the night reading, laughing often and enjoying the ride into my adopted homeland. - DutchNewsFascinating. Thoroughly researched and well thought out, Why the Dutch are Different takes us on a journey that goes beyond red-lit windows and Anne Frank to the true depths of the country. Ben Coates's day-to-day life sits effortlessly alongside deeper dives into history and folklore. A friendly read that strikes the right balance between teaching and entertaining. - The BookbagOne of the few books on our near-neighbour, Coates gets under the skin of a nation renowned for its liberalism. - The Bookseller