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Cambridge novels

Hiya, anyone read any good novels set in Cambridge? Pref around the uni but I guess most stories set in the town would feature it since it seems to dominate the area. I got given Frederic Raphael's 'The Glittering Prizes' as a well-done present (set at St John's, my *assuming i get the grades* college!). I'm at the horrible stage of being totally fed up with school and Alevels and the cold and being broke, and I want something to excite me about Cam, which is my main source of comfort most times ('ah well, my boyfriend may have dumped me, but i got into cambridge!.. sometimes it works!).
So anyone read anything good set in Cambridge?

Reply 1

CamSPSer

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge#Fiction

Reply 2

parsleythelion

1

I was thinking this the other day - there seem to be far fewer set in Cambridge than in Oxford (my hometown.)

Reply 3

Loocy

I read a Kate Atkinson novel a while ago set in Cambridge... I think it was called Case Histories. Not set around the uni much, but it was quite good anyway. :smile:

Reply 4

FadeToBlackout

15

Porterhouse Blue is perhaps the most famous one...

Reply 5

Segat1

16

Not forgetting the brilliant May Week was in June by Clive James...... who I will emulate one day :biggrin:

Reply 6

clueless101

Theres that really famous film set in cambridge with Michael Cain in....cnt remember wat its called tho!

Reply 7

pbdj

Most of Tom Sharpe's books are worth a read, especially with his wit. (I know Porterhouse Blue has already been mentioned)

Reply 8

FadeToBlackout

15

ChickFormerlyKnownAsSegat1

Not forgetting the brilliant May Week was in June by Clive James...... who I will emulate one day :biggrin:

Ooh, yes, I read that. It was very good.

I did deliberately stop myself from reading any Cambridge books before A-Level results so as not to get my hopes up. Then I read a load, and on my second day here went to Heffers and bought Porterhouse Blue, sort of as a symbolic rite of passage as it were.

Reply 9

clueless101

Theres that really famous film set in cambridge with Michael Cain in....cnt remember wat its called tho!

Educating Rita- thats what I meant. Its a book too i think. Although I haven't read/seen either.

Reply 10

Hashshashin

13

clueless101

Educating Rita- thats what I meant. Its a book too i think. Although I haven't read/seen either.

It's not set in Cambridge though. :p:

Reply 11

clueless101

Hashshashin

It's not set in Cambridge though. :p:

hmm thats what i meant, I wasnt sure! Even though my mum told me it was :confused:

. Oh well!

Reply 12

Bryllyg

1

I heard that play, "High Table, Lower Orders" on Radio4 last year - it was quite good but now I'm going to be convinced all of the fellows are secretly wishing to murder each other :s:

I listened to it at work, which considering I worked on a farm last year it was a bizarre clash between the senses - my ears were telling me I was wondering around lovely Cambridge, everything else was reminding me I was up to my knees in squawking chickens :rolleyes:

Reply 13

Segat1

16

FadeToBlackout

Ooh, yes, I read that. It was very good.

I did deliberately stop myself from reading any Cambridge books before A-Level results so as not to get my hopes up. Then I read a load, and on my second day here went to Heffers and bought Porterhouse Blue, sort of as a symbolic rite of passage as it were.

Oooh, Heffers!! I can remember going there when I was 8 and buying The Chronicals of Narnia with my pocket money - I was so effed off when I arrived here to discovered it was now McBooks. Dammit. :mad:

Reply 14

oldthrashbarg

7

disobedience

Hiya, anyone read any good novels set in Cambridge? Pref around the uni but I guess most stories set in the town would feature it since it seems to dominate the area. I got given Frederic Raphael's 'The Glittering Prizes' as a well-done present (set at St John's, my *assuming i get the grades* college!). I'm at the horrible stage of being totally fed up with school and Alevels and the cold and being broke, and I want something to excite me about Cam, which is my main source of comfort most times ('ah well, my boyfriend may have dumped me, but i got into cambridge!.. sometimes it works!).
So anyone read anything good set in Cambridge?

Hum..., these revolve around Cambridge but are not all set there as such:

Dirk Gently's Holisitc Detective Agency, Douglas Adams
The Liar, Stehen Fry
Porterhouse Blue, Tom Sharpe