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Bryce Courtenay

The Power of One: A Novel

by Bryce Courtenay (Author)

4.6 4,485 ratings

Part of: Power of One (2 books)

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“The Power of One has everything: suspense, the exotic, violence; mysticism, psychology and magic; schoolboy adventures, drama.”
–The New York Times

“Unabashedly uplifting . . . asserts forcefully what all of us would like to believe: that the individual, armed with the spirit of independence–‘the power of one’–can prevail.”
–Cleveland Plain Dealer

In 1939, as Hitler casts his enormous, cruel shadow across the world, the seeds of apartheid take root in South Africa. There, a boy called Peekay is born. His childhood is marked by humiliation and abandonment, yet he vows to survive and conceives heroic dreams–which are nothing compared to what life actually has in store for him. He embarks on an epic journey through a land of tribal superstition and modern prejudice where he will learn the power of words, the power to transform lives, and the power of one.

“Totally engrossing . . . [presents] the metamorphosis of a most remarkable young man and the almost spiritual influence he has on others . . . Peekay has both humor and a refreshingly earthy touch, and his adventures, at times, are hair-raising in their suspense.”
–Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Marvelous . . . It is the people of the sun-baked plains of Africa who tug at the heartstrings in this book. . . . [Bryce] Courtenay draws them all with a fierce and violent love.”
–The Washington Post Book World

“Impressive.”
–Newsday

“A compelling tale.”
–The Christian Science Monitor

Reading age

12 - 17 years
Part of series

Power of One
Print length

544 pages
Language

English
Lexile measure

940L
Dimensions

5.46 x 1.22 x 8.24 inches
Publisher

Ballantine Books
Publication date

September 29, 1996
ISBN-10

034541005X
ISBN-13

978-0345410054
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

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Sue M. Nagamoto

THE POWER OF ONE, WHEN ACHIEVED, IS POWER FOR ALL

Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2004

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Imagine this fairy tale:
A boy of English heritage is born in South Africa after the Boer war and during the rise of Nazi Germany. He suckles at the breast of a loving nanny the first 2 1/2 years of his life. Nanny provides physical and emotional nourishment. Grandpa is a male figure-head with some, but little, positive influence. Father unknown. Mother has a nervous breakdown and is sent away.
At 5 yrs of age, the boy is sent to a boarding school where he is taunted, teased and physically abused. The "Judge," (an older boy with a swastika tattooed on his arm), pronounces sins committed by the boy and punishment to follow. The boy is called "Pisskop" because he wets the bed. Pisskop learns it is better to endure the torture,and never give his tormenters the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He is a determined, precocious child of genius level intelligence. But how will he survive the mistreatment by Boer children and Nazi sympathizers?
He miraculously survives the torture for almost 2 years. Then, he is called to live with his grandpa and now cured mother. For this meeting, he must no longer go bare-foot. Tackies are bought from a Jewish man who renames him "Peekay." What kind of name is "Pisskop" for a nice little boy?
On the train ride home, Peekay meets a professional boxer. Within 24 hours, Peekay learns about boxing, sees a boxing match, and makes a definitive decision to become the welterweight champion of the world.
His mother has become a born-again Christian. His grandpa - still a figure head. Peekay walks the countryside, meets Professor Von Vollensteen - the "Doc." Doc is the fairy godfather who becomes Peekay's most devoted friend, mentor and teacher. Doc is a musician, photographer and botanist. He is later imprisoned because he is a German.
Peekay is sent to a boarding school to be educated. He is far more intelligent than peers his age. He moves upward quickly in educational ranks. He wins a scholarship to the Prince of Wales School where he meets Morris, a Jewish boy of like intelligence. They become best friends.
Peekay has, from 7 years of age, learned to fight as a boxer. He shows unusual talent and is given boxing lessons. His best coach is the multi-racial prisoner, Geel Piet. Peekay visits Doc in prison, takes piano lessons and boxing lessons. The Black prisoners call him "Tadpole Angel" - an angel sent to rescue them. They know that Peekay smuggled tobacco, sugar and rations to them. Peekay feels the "power of one" after winning a boxing match. But it is not only about winning - "the power of one is above all, the power to believe in yourself."
Peekay and Morrie test for Rhodes scholarships. The scholarship committee believes that Peekay's boxing goals make him a lesser candidate despite his remarkable intelligence and test scores. Peekay refuses Morrie's offer to pay his tuition to Oxford. Peekay goes to work in a copper mine, earns enough to pay his own way.
At the copper mine, Peekay is met by his childhood tormenter, the Judge. The Judge, in a drunken stupor, threatens to kill Peekay. Peekay is lighter and smaller, but with superior intelligence and boxing skills, he pummels the Judge in vengeance and fury. He has his revenge. He is on his way to Oxford and boxing glory.
A fairy-tale? Once tormented child conquers hatred, fear and ignorance, and spreads tolerance, love and knowledge and lives happily ever after? Simple story? End of story?
No, there is more. There is love and emotion intertwined within the bonding of Peekay and Professor "Doc" Von Vollensteen. Doc - a Darwinian character who grades the best by "an eleven of ten" - yes, "schmarty pants," "absoloodle"! You cannot help but love and laugh with them. And learn...Doc teaches Peekay to find botanical specimens. Doc's description of the cactus is priceless. Doc teaches Peekay to play the piano well, yet knows Peekay will never be a great pianist.
There is despair. You feel racial injustice. Hatred. Whites against Blacks. Boers against rooineks (Brits). Nazis against Jews. You swell with pride when young Peekay defends and helps the Blacks who are imprisoned solely because of their color.
There is humor. You laugh when fat "Big Hattie," over 6 ft. tall gets trapped between bunks in the train.
There is sadness. You cry when Geel Piet is hacked to death and there is no punishment for the crime. You feel Peekay's pain when Doc goes to his death. You feel his sense of spirituality in the atmosphere surrounding Doc's body.
There is much to learn - about the Boer war, the Crimean war, Nazis and Hitler, religion, education, boxing, botany, prison life in South Africa, Apartheid, South Africa. You'd like to learn more. Research.
Courtenay's characterizations put you there. He makes you feel. He makes you feel that even though the character named Peekay may be a Cinderfella, and the story may be a fairy tale, too good to be true, they are what life should be about. The power of one is really one person's power to improve the world. The power of one, when achieved, is power for all.
I had mixed emotions about Peekay's need for REVENGE against the Judge. Peekay was devoted to humanitarianism and justice. If revenge is a form of justice, it is a in a negative sense. But most readers would say hooray for Peekay anyway!

27 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023

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This engaging story is filled with a world of characters-wise, comical, intelligent, confused, evil-who step into the life of the philosopher-narrator. Courtenay’s protagonist journeys through a harsh, unforgiving world of racial hatred in South Africa where goodness refuses to retreat. As happens at the end of any great work of fiction, I will miss the characters I have grown to love but will carry with me the vision of loyalty, courage, perseverance, and sacrifice expressed on every page.

2 people found this helpful

First with the head, I read this book more than twenty years ago. Then with the heart, I read it again recently. Always Great!

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2023

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First with the head, I read this book more than twenty years ago. Then with the heart, I read it again recently. Always Great!

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

The Power of the Written Word

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2010

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An amazing novel written brilliantly by Bryce Courtenay, it is the story of Peekay a young boy growing up in South Africa WWII. To say that I could not put this book down is an understatement.
Courtenay has produced rich characters that come to life on the page. You cheer, cry and cringe in horror as you follow the life of Peekay and the people he interacts with. In addition, the lush, inspiring, beautiful and harsh descriptions of South Africa make the reader feel as if they are there and is not only the background of the story but Africa is the story of Peekay. The novel begins with Peekay being shipped off to a boarding school at age five. He is haraassed, tortured, and abused by the "judge" and his posse but is a survivor who is determined to live. On a semster break he encounters a man who is a boxer and shows him kindness, dignity and begins to explain the power of one. This has such a profound influence on Peekay that his life obsession after this meeting is to be the welterweight champion of the world. The power of one is really the power of believeing in yourself. To follow your dreams and to be authentic. Through a series of moving freindships with the adults in Peekay's life he begins to understand this. Doc, a brilliant musician and botanist plays a central role in his life and urges him to be himself and to show others his extraordinary intellect. He teaches him and shares in his love of Africa. As Peekay emerges from merely surviving to fully inhabiting his person he begins to understand more fully the power of one. He meets Geel Piet a man in prison who is more tortured than Peekay was in boarding school simply because of the color of his skin. He teaches Peekay how to box and Peekay in return accepts him for who he is and loves him. As Peekay finds his place through his acceptance of others he gains a mythical status with the African people in the community. He becomes the "tadpole angel" who can unite the black and white races together. His friendship with Morrie, who is Jewish, and also feels like an outsider has a profound effect on Peekay. At prep school for the first time he has a friend of his own age. Morrie finds that Peekay's immediate acceptance of him although he is Jewish amazing and the two find that they have much in common including their equal brilliance. Not only does Peekay's life change because of these friendships, but what he finds is that he has a profound impact on these people's life as well. There are many other people in Peekays life who influence it and move it and the reader is held spellbound as they watch the fine web that Cortenay has woven and marvels in the intricacies of life that can be conveyed through writing. This is a life changing book and the reader will be the better for having read it.

9 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023

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Had me from the first and kept me riveted to the end. Loved every Minute, even the most painful episode.
His trauma & pain, the trauma & pain of a nation.

One person found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Bonnie Collins

Great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2023

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Absolute brilliant

Amazon Customer

An excellent read to inspire my young student

Reviewed in Japan on January 10, 2023

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I remembered how much I enjoyed reading this book myself as a young boy. So I shared it with my students.
The wonderful story and page turning narrative has an important life lesson to help a teenage reader have the confidence to face his own challenges

G. Cranham

This is my favourite book of all time!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2022

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I first read this book when I was 13 and loved it. It’s certainly not a children’s book and I was reading adult books at that time because I was such an avid reader. I’m 50 now and over the years I’ve reread this book 5 or 6 times. It’s still my favourite book and I’m still an avid reader.

Selkie

Packs a Powerful Punch

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2017

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I started reading this book in the foyer of a Premier Inn whilst in the queue waiting to check in. It was on a small table with others (probably left in rooms) together with a collecting tin for a charity I cant remember the name of, and a note suggesting a donation of £1. I was drawn into the story from the first line! Unfortunately, I didn't pay my £1 to charity as I returned it to its table when my 'turn' came up at the desk. When I returned home, I downloaded it to my Kindle for £4.99! It was worth it, though. It reminded me of early Wilbur Smith novels, full of events and actions and larger-than-life characters. My heart went out to Peekay from the beginning. The book was full of events that would hit me like one of Peekay's uppercuts. When he was sent home on the train with no escort and a shilling wrapped in a hankie and pinned to his shirt, I could only cringe at what today's social services would make of it!! I intend to check through Bryce Courtenay's list of novels to see if there is a sequel as the reason I gave it only four stars is because I thought the ending was unsatisfactory.

5 people found this helpful

Steven Janes

One of my all time favourite books - re-read many times

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2021

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This is really one of my all time favourites, and one I have recommended to several other people (all of who loved it).

This is a book that will make you break out in a silly grin at the triumphant parts, and tear up at the sad parts. There are characters in here that you will get to know and love, and mourn for.

My only slight regret is that the sequel of the book (Tandia), which continues with Peekay's boxing career, didn't manage to capture the charm of the original. However, that is an issue with the sequel, not this book!

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