What is it?
Eccentric Cambridge, published by Bradt Travel Guides, is a pocket-sized guide to what is unusual, off-the-wall, off the beaten path and quirky in Cambridge England.Author Benedict le Vay is opinionated, and amusing as he delivers information about the arcane to the downright silly all with the tone of a somewhat curmudgeonly uncle who has terrible taste in puns.
Although this book has maps and some suggested tours, it is more of a quirky and amusing gift than a really useful guidebook.
What's In it?
Though 276 pages long, the book has a small, neat format (about 4.5 x 5.5 inches and 5/8 inch thick), so you could pocket it for an unusual day out. But you'd have more fun sinking into a bathtub with it to peruse the quirky chapters about:
- Eccentric History
- "The defiled virgin and the patron saint of laundry"
- "The stinking ditch defence"
- Eccentric Legends
- Eccentric People
- Eccentric Colleges
So not much of the usual guidebook info?
Actually, surprisingly more than you'd expect. The chapter on Eccentric Living includes information about unusual places to eat, drink, shop and stay. Chapters include:- Eccentric walks - featuring three guided walks with maps and highlights
- Eccentric things to see or do - including lesser known museums, punting on the River Cam
- Eccentric Facts
- Eccentric Churches
The Bottom Line
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide with detailed maps, loads of restaurant and accommodation recommendations as well as bus and train timetables, this isn't the one. But it does provide several new and amusing ideas for quirky Cambridge days out and it would make:- a great stocking stuffer or small present for a friend who likes quirky books
- a book for the guest room or the downstairs bathroom
- a gift for an anglophile armchair traveler
- an original hostess present.
