Cambridge is renowned for its ancient university, architectural splendour and groundbreaking discoveries. From its early beginnings as a market town on the edge of the Fens it emerged as an internationally renowned centre of learning and innovation, and is today one of the world’s leading technology hubs. In Quirky Cambridge author Susie Boulton delves deep into the lesser known but fascinating tales, traditions and characters from the city’s past and present. Readers will meet the stable owner Thomas Hobson who presented his customers with the original ‘Hobson’s choice’, discover the Grasshopper Clock designed to show irregular time with no hands or numerals and the Eagle pub across the road, where Francis Crick and James Watson announced they had discovered ‘the secret of life’ – the structure of DNA. Packed with humour, surprise and historical insight, the book throws a fresh perspective on a city often viewed through a purely academic lens. This fascinating insight into Cambridge will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the city’s quirky history.
