The Rhine is one of the world`s greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial & political powerhouses of Germany & France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland & Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming & sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France & Liechtenstein, to its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture & history & finds out how influences have flowed along & across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue & offbeat history, The Rhine tells the fascinating story of how a great river helped shape a continent.