IND READING: Amsterdam (Prompt 12 Chapter 8)

Bryson and Katz venture into Amsterdam. As a reader, this was the part of the book I was most looking forward to, considering the nightlife and reputation Amsterdam has. I was exited to hear a really good story about some crazy happening that Bryson went through. However, Bryson doesn't go into more than a few pages about the nightlife. Although he does tell a good story about how Katz scared their Amsterdam roommates away by urinating in the garbage can while under the influence, Bryson doesn't really go into that much detail. The question arises as to why Bryson omitted all of the juicy details about their nights at Amsterdam. The answer lies in the purpose of the book. Bryson's goal was to write a book about his travels in Europe and his attempt at retracing his journey years later. Going on a twenty page "Tucker Max" rant about their experiences with legal drugs and sex (or lack thereof) would completely undermine the purpose of the book. Bryson's aim is now made even more apparent, as he bases more importance on describing the setting of a region he visited than a superficial one night stand.