Cambridge: A Cultural and Literary History (Cities of the Imagination)

From its origins in the thirteenth century the University of Cambridge has attracted many notable students and teachers, both brilliant and eccentric. From Erasmus to Bertrand Russell and Wittgenstein, the university has been at the forefront of philosophical inquiry. Its colleges have been home to an extraordinary list of poets, including Milton and Wordsworth, Byron and Tennyson, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Here is to be found Henry James' "confusion of Gothic windows and ancient trees, of grassy banks and mossy balustrades, of sun-chequered avenues and groves, of lawns and gardens and terraces." Martin Garrett explores the buildings and streets of Cambridge, revealing the literature, history and personalities of this culturally rich city. THE UNIVERSITY CITY: courts and gardens, dons and students; Cambridge poets and spies; the struggle for women's colleges and degrees. THE CITY OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY: Newton, Darwin, the Cambridge physicists, the double helix. Stephen Hawking and secrets of the universe. THE CITY OF DRAMA AND COMEDY: from Latin entertainments for Elizabeth I to the Footlights and Monty Python.

Garrett, who has written widely on Renaissance and 19th-century literature, has lived in Cambridge since 1994, which might be considered a long time in, say, Phoenix. He looks at the university town from the perspective of greens and waters, beginnings, students, dons, churches and religions, women, poets, science, and performing arts. People and places are indexed.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Garrett explores the buildings and streets of Cambridge, revealing the literature, history and personalities of this culturally rich city. Illustrations & maps.