It is interesting to consider Amsterdam's current tensions in the light of the struggles Spinoza witnessed between tolerant rationalism and religious nationalism, which ended with the lynching in 1672 of his political heroes, the De Witt brothers, and the end of Holland's Golden Age.If the book has a weakness, it is that Mr Shorto often overstates his case.
Now 71, Ms Childs recalls the "controversial" premiere of "DANCE", a collaboration with Sol Le Witt, an artist, and Mr Glass.
Katarina Witt, a German ice-skater, also failed in a high-profile comeback bid.Perhaps Mr Armstrong can be more like Michael Jordan.
In a sport hankering for a recognisable face and ambassador in the mold of Ms Witt, Ms Kim was the obvious candidate.
Back in the 1960s the American Peggy Flemming finished first in three consecutive World Championships; starting in 1984 Germany's Katarina Witt won four of the next five.
Ms Witt said she was "stunned", while Ashley Wagner, an American who finished seventh, warned that "people don't want to watch a sport where you see people fall down and somehow score above someone who goes clean".
Mr Brandenburg released the software that enabled PC users to digitise their CDs for free, a move that Mr Witt believes "catalysed a golden age of copyright infringement that decimated the music industry" and made him extremely rich.
Mr Witt notes that customers of next-generation streaming services, such as Spotify, tend not to pirate, but nor, as Mr Barrow suggests, are they paying as much for their music.
William the Silent was the first political leader ever assassinated with a gun, as long ago as 1584, and the de Witt brothers were literally torn apart by a mob in The Hague in 1672.
In July, Karsten Witt, a mild-mannered German record company executive hired by the South Bank Centre, announced that he would be leaving the post of chief executive at the end of the year.
Nevertheless, her mark had been made: with victories in seven European championships (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006), she had broken the records of the legendary Sonja Henie and two-time Olympic champion Katarina Witt.
