The Book of Fame

The Book of Fame follows New Zealand's 1905 rugby tour to the British Isles, chronicling the "Originals" team who became the first All Blacks. The narrative tracks their journey from relative obscurity to international recognition during their groundbreaking Northern Hemisphere campaign. The story is presented through a collective voice, merging individual experiences into a unified perspective of the team's encounters both on and off the field. Jones documents their matches, their interactions with British society, and their transformation from colonial underdogs to sporting icons. The novel explores themes of national identity, fame, and the power of collective achievement. Through the lens of early 20th-century sport, it examines how a group of men from a distant colony captured the imagination of the British public and helped shape New Zealand's emerging sense of self.

Readers appreciate the unique poetic prose style and rhythmic writing that captures the 1905 All Blacks rugby tour through Britain. Many note how Jones transforms a sports story into a meditation on fame, identity, and New Zealand's relationship with Britain. Readers highlight: - The experimental narrative structure - The blend of fact and fiction - The portrayal of early New Zealand culture - The accessibility despite rugby-specific content Common criticisms: - The non-traditional format can be disorienting - Characters blend together and lack individual depth - Rugby terminology creates barriers for non-fans - The poetic style sometimes obscures the story Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (204 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (12 reviews) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (28 ratings) "Like a beautiful long poem about rugby," writes one Goodreads reviewer, while another notes "the stream-of-consciousness style made it hard to follow who was who."

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🏉 The book chronicles the legendary 1905 "Originals" - New Zealand's first national rugby team to tour Britain, who won 34 out of 35 matches and earned the nickname "All Blacks." 📝 Lloyd Jones wrote the book in an unconventional style, using collective first-person narration ("we") to create a chorus-like voice representing the entire team's shared experience. 🌍 The tour transformed rugby in New Zealand from a colonial pastime into a defining element of national identity, with the All Blacks' success challenging British assumptions about colonial inferiority. 🏆 The real 1905 team scored 976 points and conceded only 59, setting a standard of excellence that has influenced New Zealand rugby for over a century. 🎭 Jones based his research on actual player diaries, newspaper reports, and letters home, weaving historical accuracy with poetic storytelling to create what he calls a "documentary novel."