The Embarrassment of Riches

I’ll admit, I approached *The Embarrassment of Riches* expecting a dry treatise on 17th-century trade routes. Instead, I got a masterclass in how to make history *sing*. Schama’s thesis—that the Dutch were both dazzled and terrified by their own success—could feel abstract, but he grounds it in vivid, sometimes darkly comic details. The chapter on the cult of cleanliness (where scrubbing floors became a moral crusade) had me laughing out loud, while the sections on slavery in the colonies sobered me up fast. That’s the book’s genius: it balances satire with gravity, and Cooper’s narration mirrors that tone perfectly. His voice has a sardonic edge, like a professor who’s seen too much to be impressed by piety, and it suits Schama’s skewering of Dutch self-mythology. That said, this isn’t a casual listen. At over 20 hours, the pacing drags in the middle during dense passages on theological debates (even Cooper’s best efforts can’t make predestination thrilling). And while Schama’s digressions are usually delightful, a few—like the deep dive into funeral customs—feel indulgent. Still, the audiobook’s production is flawless: clear audio, no distracting edits, and Cooper’s ability to voice-quote primary sources without slipping into caricature is a standout. If you’re a history buff who craves substance over simplification, this is a treasure. Just don’t expect to breeze through it on your commute—this is the kind of book that demands pauses to google paintings or shake your head at humanity.