So I'm completely fascinated by the Dutch East Indian Trading Company and want to read a really good, thorough book about it.
I used the search bar to look for suggestions but it seems different people recommend different books.
So far I've gotten: "Jonathan Israel's 1995 The Dutch Republic
Boxer's The Dutch Seaborne Empire (1965?) is a classic, but his Jan Compagnie in War and Peace (1979) is probably better.
Stephen Bown's Merchant Kings: When Companies Ruled the World, 1600-1900 (2012),
Israel's The Dutch Republic is still important, but it's a huge book and covers far more with a very European focus.
Parthesius's Dutch Ships in Tropical Waters (2014)? It's a more academic study of trade network development, but if you like that, it's something."
Assuming I can only buy one book, which one should I pick? If it helps, I'm not looking into anything specific about VOC, just a very good overview.
I'm not a historian, but as an academic librarian who does collection development, one of my favorite tactics is to check the references section of the Wikipedia article, then check local university catalogs through WorldCat to see which ones they own. I also factor in quality academic publishers as well as reviews printed in respected journals (which are often listed in the WorldCat record).
If you want to buy only one book I would probably go with Jonathan Israel's one, its big but quite comprehensive.
Just as an extra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ax_UsqQ3dc&list=PLBFFE395A18E14D1D&index=3
50 minute lecture on British and Dutch Exceptionalism by John Merriman from Yale University of his History 202 European Civilization 1648 - 1945 course.
Just a quick overview but I liked the context it gives of the mindset.
Are you English-speaking only?