Closed Curtain: Lives of De Wallen

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Usual Travel Guide...
Review: As a visitor, tourist and occasional resident of Amsterdam I have visited, gawked at and passed the time of day in the infamous Red Light District of "de Wallen" of Amsterdam. Mr Harris and Ms Bird have captured in print and image what is one of the most intriguing and bizzare neighborhoods ever to be found.

The book is an easy read both in content and style. The sights, sounds, and occasionally the smells of de Wallen emanate through every page. Mr Harris creates a strong factual and personal picture of a vibrant neighborhood often overlooked as little more than a seedy underside of life. Ms. Bird's sketches, paintings and photos contrasts the dark desperation and sadness of life behind the windows to the street carnival of lights and action.

As a practical tourist guide it covers all the essentials. There are accurate reviews of bars, clubs, casinos, eateries and coffeeshops catering to all tastes and persuasions. The addition by Mr Harris of the political and historical realities that have created de Wallen make this more than a travel guide; it is like living a bit of the life.

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Usual Travel Guide...
Review: As a visitor, tourist and occasional resident of Amsterdam I have visited, gawked at and passed the time of day in the infamous Red Light District of "de Wallen" of Amsterdam. Mr Harris and Ms Bird have captured in print and image what is one of the most intriguing and bizzare neighborhoods ever to be found.

The book is an easy read both in content and style. The sights, sounds, and occasionally the smells of de Wallen emanate through every page. Mr Harris creates a strong factual and personal picture of a vibrant neighborhood often overlooked as little more than a seedy underside of life. Ms. Bird's sketches, paintings and photos contrasts the dark desperation and sadness of life behind the windows to the street carnival of lights and action.

As a practical tourist guide it covers all the essentials. There are accurate reviews of bars, clubs, casinos, eateries and coffeeshops catering to all tastes and persuasions. The addition by Mr Harris of the political and historical realities that have created de Wallen make this more than a travel guide; it is like living a bit of the life.

Rating:
Summary: A cold, hard, and close look at the sex trade
Review: Closed Curtain: Lives Of De Wallen by journalists Bruce Harris and Michelle Bird is a cold, hard, and close look at the sex trade in the Red-Light District of Amsterdam. Families, prostitutes, gays, drugs, and police are all part of the complex fabric that is Amsterdam's most infamous neighborhood. Illustrated with black and white photographs and sketches, Closed Curtain is an eye-opening examination of a stringent subject, and leaves almost nothing to speculation. This "red-light district" expose is explores the historical connections between feminism and sex workers' rights, as well as historical and contemporary attitudes of the Dutch towards homosexuality. Highly recommended for students of international studies with respect to the economics of the adult sex industry and the politics of human sexuality.