A friend recommended Bryce Courtenay's “The Power of One” at a time when I was in the doldrums. No novel could have worked better to lift my spirits.

Set in South Africa during the Second World War, it is a coming-of-age story of Peekay, a precocious 5-year-old child. While the world was being terrorized by Hitler, Peekay was terrorized by the Judge (an older peer) in boarding school for being a rooinek (English speaking South African). His abject helplessness, given his pint-size stature and age, was juxtaposed against the comfort he drew from his African wet nurse and a pet rooster he affectionately named Grandpa Chook. Part I of the story was told with a generous dose of sweet childlike humor even as Peekay learned through his humiliation that “in each of us there burns a flame of independence that must never be allowed to go out” and that “as long as it exists within us we cannot be destroyed”.

The novel also attests to the power of significant others who can make a difference to disadvantaged individuals and contribute to resilience. Peekay had three mentors who shaped his ambition, nurtured his talents, and taught him independence. The power of one germinated from a mustard seed sown by Hoppie Groenewald, a boxer who helped little Peekay realize that “small can beat big.” Hoppie launched Peekay’s dream to become the welterweight champion of the world. A German professor, von Vollensteen (Doc), gave him piano lessons and stretched him intellectually. Geel Piet, a Cape Colored prisoner, coached him in boxing. What is truly lovely is the way diversity was celebrated in the novel. Despite racism that pervaded South Africa at that time, there were exhilarating moments when the bond between the non-natives and the tribes in South Africa grew tentatively and then gathered strength. It was best expressed in Doc’s composition and presentation of the Concerto of the Great Southland, dedicated to all the prison tribes. In this, the power of one took on a whole new dimension.

Part II, however, was less convincing. Peekay as portrayed in his adolescent years had a maturity that seemed unreal and excessive even for a precocious youth. His social confidence was also out of sync with his sheltered experience of having been socialized solely in the company of adults.

Part III was satisfying although a tad disappointing. But what I found touching was Peekay’s friendship with Rasputin, the non-English speaking Russian timber man who worked the copper mines. There was poetic justice when Peekay avenged the untimely death of Grandpa Chook. But what became of Peekay’s long held dream? Perhaps, the fulfilment of this dream was implied. Perhaps, what was more important was for the power of one to culminate in that one defining moment when Peekay finally stood up to the Judge.

There were gems for living strewn throughout the novel. When I was feeling down, it was good to be reminded by Peekay’s nanny that "Sadness has a season and will pass." I also appreciated what Doc told the weeping boy Peekay when they first made their acquaintance in the hills, "No matter what has happened bad, today I'm finished from being sad. Absoloodle!"

“The Power of One” is “absoloodly” inspiring. A story exceeedingly well told.

3 - 3.5 stars

This novel makes an appearance in the top ten of the most loved novels in Australia, so my high expectations were justified. I feel I should have loved this, but I didn't. I should have loved it because it addresses racism, antisemitism, tribalism; it shows some disdain for religious beliefs while praising the power of knowledge and education - all these aspects, and more, should have made me go ga-ga over this novel.

The Power of One is pretty aptly named, it's also my main issue with this novel. You see, the protagonist of this novel, Peekay, whom we meet as a five-year-old and whose adventures we follow until he's eighteen, seems to possess many powers: excellent ability to learn different languages; ability to learn to play the piano; sporting abilities which turn him into a champion boxer; high IQ, which allowed him to outperform everyone at school etc. With the help of mentors he runs clandestine letter exchange services for the mostly black men in prison; at sixteen he establishes an after-hours school to teach black kids, in spite of the law which prohibited black schools in white communities.
And of course, he always wins his boxing matches, even though he was facing taller and heavier opponents. Speaking of boxing, there's sooooooo much of it. I personally find boxing reprehensible.

There isn't anything Peekay can't do. He's perfect! He's the best at everything. He sees no colour, has no prejudices, no hang-ups, he's selfless and incredibly empathetic, breaks barriers, enlightens and helps so many. He's a saint! A white knight with no armour.

Another problem, The Power of One is too long, even though it's easy to digest given it's dialogue rich and action packed. I don't know why I somehow expected it to be more literary.

Overall, I enjoyed and appreciated this novel and can definitely see why so many love it.

The lack of restraint when dishing out Peekay's virtues and because its somewhat simplistic portrayal of race and tribal relations, I'm only giving this 3 - 3.5 stars.

It's a long time since I read this but I remember very clearly comparing the treatment of White Boy as Hero in this book to Huckleberry Finn, and feeling outraged by the puerile lack of genuine empathy for the fate of South African blacks.

I hardly know where to begin writing this review. This book had been on my to-read list for a long time. I finally decided to take the plunge and listen to the Audible version, narrated by the fantastic Humphrey Bowers (who really brought SHANTARAM to life also). And now it's over. Twenty hours spent getting to know the wonderful Peekay, and now I'm done? This is one of those books that isn't really over when you finish it. It stays with you and the characters live on inside your head.That's really the highest compliment I can pay a book.

The story is so hard to describe without making it sound simplistic. It is a coming of age story, a tale of friendship and history and love. It's the kind of book I already know I will find myself recommending to all sorts of people. I can see it appealing to young and old, men and women, which is a rare thing to come across. There is such humanity and thoughtfulness in this story, it's got humor, but a great depth, too. Since it is told by a boy, growing into young adulthood, he sees a lot of the political and social strife of the South African people though the eyes of a child, which adds such a strong emotional element to the story.

I feel a bit at a loss now, and don't quite know what to pick up next. I think it will have to be something entirely different, for it to have a chance, and for me not to compare it unfavorable to THE POWER OF ONE.

Needless to say, once I have let some time pass for this story to sink in, I will be seeking out Bryce Courtenay's many other books. I only wish I could write to him, and tell him how much I enjoyed his book, sadly he passed on two years ago. As I understand it, this story was largely autobiographical, which makes it that much more fascinating. Highly recommended!!

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n  “… the power of one – one idea, one heart, one mind, one plan, one determination.”n

The fictionalized biography of Peekay, a young man born into a profoundly racist WW II South Africa, is so compelling, so graphic, so gut-wrenching, so moving and so gripping, it is all but impossible to believe that it is Bryce Courtenay’s debut novel. Like Jeffrey Archer’s KANE AND ABEL, Herman Wouk’s THE WINDS OF WAR or Khaled Hosseini’s THE KITE RUNNER, Peekay’s personal story is credible, moving, and unfailingly interesting. At the same time, like Lawrence Hill’s THE BOOK OF NEGROES or Richard Wright’s BLACK BOY, the endemic, deeply rooted racism is stomach-churning, disturbing and shocking – whites hate blacks, Pentecostal Christians hate Jews, South Africans hate Brits, Nazis hate everyone who isn’t Nazi. 1930s and 1940s apartheid South Africa is a dangerous, violent, distressed and, frankly, very ugly country that exemplifies hatred but Peekay, despite the blockades lined up in front of him, is determined to rise above it all. With the help of black men and women, his eyes are firmly fixed on the welterweight boxing championship of the world.

And the writing was beyond brilliant. Peekay’s friend and mentor, Doc von Vollensteen, was imprisoned for the temerity of having been born German at a time when Hitler was ravaging Europe. The prison concert scene, for example, in which Doc debuted his piano composition “Concerto for the Great Southland”, sung by the black inmates in a polyglot male chorus of mixed tribal languages, was one of the most moving segments of writing that I’ve ever clapped eyes on.

THE POWER OF ONE and its sequel TANDIA comprise a rather daunting 1400 page epic but I was simply astonished at how quickly the opening novel sped by. Despite its length, I was sorry to see it end but I’m looking forward to cracking the metaphorical binding on the sequel.

Highly, highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

After two years of thinking about this novel after I wrote the review below, I have upgraded to five stars. It was that impactful for me.

The Power of One is a semi-auto biographical coming of age story set in South Africa during the 1940’s.

PK is an English boy who endures a great deal of abuse from the Boer children, some of whom are Nazi sympathizers until he is taught to box. He is an exceptional student who later befriends Doc, a German professor who is a great pianist but who is confined to the local prison for the duration of the war. The professor teaches PK many valuable life lessons including the piano but boxing and excelling at schoolwork remain his true passions.

This is a great novel for the first 2/3 of the book essentially covering the period when PK is age 5 to 12. PK is the ultimate underdog throughout the first half. He becomes a local boxing champion and always displays a great deal of humanity towards Zulus and seemingly anyone who is not part of the power structure in those awful conditions that made up Apartheid. Returning home from boarding school to live with his grandpa and mother, PK first meets and later visits Doc at the prison when he is incarcerated. PK knows three languages which is uncommon even for adults. With the help of the professor and Geel Piet, a Zulu prisoner with a huge heart, PK helps smuggle letters in and out of the local prison. Along with his boxing prowess he becomes a real hero to the prisoners. This does not escape the notice of some of the racist guards although they don’t suspect PK, one guard does suspect a clandestine activity. There are incidents that follow that are quite sad and I won’t spoil but rest assured the incidents are masterfully told.

The last 1/3 of the book covered PKs teenage years into young adulthood and for me were not as interesting. The child like innocence and wonder were gone after age twelve and the end of WWII. I think the story would have been perfect if he had ended there.

Bryce Courtenay, the author, was a truly gifted writer and there are some truly beautiful passages in this novel and many valuable life lessons.

I probably learned more about South Africa from this novel than any history book on Apartheid or the Boer War that I ever read.

“First with your head, then with your heart PK”

It is hard for me to find words to describe this book. I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the end, but that was only because of my desire to have it wrapped up and end with Peekay reaching his goal. But, that is not how life works and I think that is what Courtenay was getting at. I can't remember a book that I felt so invested in the character AND loved the writing. I also can't remember the last time I read a book that made me cry more than once. It was a beautiful coming of age tale that I was sad to see end and I can't stop thinking about it.

Brilliant book. One of his best and though it does begin to meander a little towards the end it is just the exhaustion setting in from a long and inspiring journey.

Of all the books I read in 2009 one stands out in the horizon of my memory, a mass market paperback with 540 pages of microscopic print which I devoured in a day and a half.
The Power of one gave me the chance to meet a part of myself that I thought I had lost forever. It rekindled a long extinguished flame of hope, it awakened a lost feeling of wonder, it gave me proof that one can make a difference.

Set in South Africa in the 1930s and 40s , The Power of one is the compelling coming-of-age story of "Peekay", an innocent English boy who very early in his life realizes that there are greater things at stake than the hatred between the Dutch Afrikaners and the English. The Second World War in Europe, the growing racial tensions and the beginning of Apartheid will influence his world and challenge his spiritual strength.
Even though the odds are stacked against small Peekay from the start, he never loses faith in the goodness of people and following the advice of several improvised but memorable mentors who will change his life, he becomes an improbable icon in boxing which will make history.

Reading this book felt magical, the story was touching in so many different ways that sometimes I had to stop reading, overwhelmed by the details and the tenderness I felt for this pure little boy who made a turbulent and full of hatred world shine with his goodwill and with his mysticism.
Peekay is one of the most inspiring characters I have ever met. He has become a part of myself, he belongs to me and to all the readers who re-learnt to believe along with him.

"The Power of One" is the story of the childhood and adolescence of a South African boy, Peekay. Set in the 1940s, the earlier Boer War, World War II, and apartheid all effect the relationships between the characters. After English Peekay was taunted cruelly by some Afrikaner (Boer) boys at a boarding school, he made it his goal to become the welterweight champion of the world someday. His first boxing mentor, Hoppie, advised him, "First with the head and then with the heart, that's how a man stays ahead from the start."

Doc, a German music teacher and naturalist, plays a father figure and good friend to the precocious young boy. Doc teaches him about observation and logic. Doc can also see mystical or spiritual expressions in nature and music. After helping some black prisoners with Doc and his colored boxing coach, Geet Piels, Peekay becomes a symbol of hope to the black South Africans. Peekay is generous in spirit, and compassionate toward those who are mistreated by prejudiced people.

"The power of one", the spirit inside Peekay, becomes stronger during adolescence, allowing him to create his own destiny. He takes a lucrative, but dangerous job to earn money to pay for university tuition. The book comes around full circle as Peekay resolves his childhood abuse and forges ahead into the future.

I enjoyed this novel with the likable, humorous Peekay who is loved by his mentors, and who gives back to the less fortunate. The book is full of adventure, and has some exciting boxing matches (and I never watch boxing on TV). The story is a journey as we follow his transformation into being a strong, intelligent man. Some events are based on the author's life. The South African politics--with the clashes between the English, the Afrikaners, the blacks, and the coloreds (mixed race)--are always in the background, giving the reader lots of food for thought.

My all time favourite book!

This is one of the most important books I have ever read. The reader really gets pulled into the life of PK, experiencing his trials and successes. There are some great laugh out loud moments, such as during his train ride with Big Hettie, and when Granpa Chook decides to express his opinion of The Judge and his Nazi party (though the surrounded circumstance is sad and grim). There are also some very dark times in his life, but these serve to prove the triumph of the human spirit and so are a valuable part of the story. One of the lessons I took away from the book was the value in accepting people how they are, no matter if their beliefs or behavior aligns with what you perceive as right or wrong. You can stay true to yourself and be kind to others without changing them.