Sketches From Memory: A Rugby Memoir

Stuart Barnes has spent over forty years in rugby union, and his book Sketches from Memory combines autobiography with an objective and off-beat study of the sport. It abandons chronology to present his memoirs as an alphabetical soup, allowing the reader to complete the book in sequence or flick from one letter to the next without losing the thread. It is an honest, insightful, funny, and wise study of the game, exploring its myriad enchantments, controversies, and world-famous characters.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 07 February 2019
Publisher: Birlinn General

Stuart Barnes has dedicated over forty years of his life to rugby union, earning a reputation as one of the most controversial playing names during the English amateur era and now as a controversial observer in the media. With over two decades of broadcasting and journalistic experience, Barnes has been a prominent figure in both television and print.

Sketches from Memory is a captivating blend of autobiography and an objective analysis of the sport. The book spans from Barnes' childhood in the 1970s to the transition to professionalism in the 1980s and 1990s, encompassing the present day. Barnes departs from the traditional format of a sports book, abandoning chronology to allow past and present to intertwine. His memoirs are presented as an alphabetical soup, with the letters of the alphabet serving as the narrative's guide rather than numbers, dates, and years. This unique approach allows readers to complete the book in sequence or casually flip through the pages, maintaining a seamless thread.

Sketches from Memory is a refreshing, beguiling, and absorbing exploration of rugby union. Barnes delves into the game's myriad enchantments, controversies, and iconic characters, offering a unique perspective that sets it apart from other books. Honest, insightful, funny, and wise, this book provides a fascinating study of rugby union, uncovering its intricacies and captivating the reader with its rich tapestry of experiences.

Weight: 532g
Dimension: 238 x 163 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781909715714