The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America

Russell Shorto

€ 19.99

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The Island at the Center of the World chronicles the early years of Manhattan, when it was known as New Amsterdam and was a relatively short-lived Dutch colony. When the British wrested New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, the truth about its thriving, polyglot society began to disappear into myths about an island purchased for 24 dollars. But the story of the Dutch colony of New Netherland was merely lost, not destroyed. 12,000 pages of its records - recently declared a national treasure - are now being translated. Drawing on this remarkable archive, Russell Shorto has created a gripping narrative that transforms our understanding of Manhattan and early America.