Power of One

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Summary: Read This Book!
Review: It's got five stars, more than 170 reviews and is the only book I have ever made my entire family read...

The beauty and the pain of South Africa wrapped around the soul of a little boy that you will ache to take into your arms, to take up his burdens, to pat his head and say "Everything will be all right." Instead you'll tear through the chapters growing to love him, those that are close to him and the potential of the land he represents. Expect to cry, to laugh and end up smiling and exhausted... then go looking for someone, make them read it and begin a sharing process that is simply magical.

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Summary: The Power of One
Review: The Power Of One Brice Courtenay

The Power of One is based on the life of a small young African boy named Peekay. After his mom goes to an insane asylum he is shipped away to a white boarding school. He is harassed because he was suckled by the wrong colored breasts, according to the whites. As he achieves each of his goals, he meets different people who become his friends forever. Peekay overcomes the challenges of racism to grow into the welter-weight champion of the world.

I think The Power Of One is a great book because it is focused on the racism some blacks took and what they had to go through. It also shows that if you keep up on your dreams you will someday achieve them.

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Summary: Excellent Moving Story
Review: What an amazing piece of literature! This book is a riot of emotions that sweep you up and transport you deep into the clash of apertheid in South Africa. Your empathy towards the main characters is astounding, as you read you suddenly find that your body is reacting to the book with out you realising. As Peekay fights so your fists are clenched, as he learns so too is your brow furrowed and as he hurts you find that you can not see the page for the tears.

I have read a hell of a lot of books in my time, and as a hardened reader I find it difficult to get one that inspires so much feeling in me. The Power of One did. I read it when I was quite young, and was glad that I did. It opened my eyes up to the problems in South Africa, made me understand a little more about what had actually happended out there and is still apparent today. I would recomend that all secondary school children read this book.

All in all if you are looking at these reviews to see whether or not you will buy this book, I would whole heartedly recommend that you do. You woill not be dissapointed. (However if you do, ensure that you haven't anything planned for a few days, as you will not be able to put it down!)

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Summary: We could do with a few more "Tadpole Angels." Absoloodle!
Review: This book qualifies as one of the best novels I have ever read. I am forlorn that I finished it yesterday. Apart from being exceptionally well written, with characters of flesh and blood, it was definitely uplifting in this world of senseless viciousness and greed, showing how courage and single-minded intent can succeed against the odds. I think I fell in love with the natural "goodness" of the central character, Peekay. Peekay's charisma is polished by his natural strength as a leader amongst men. He is loved by all sorts of men, Africans, Africaans, English, German, Jewish - with all the contradictions that this implies... When he is oppressed and bullied, he finds a way to overcome his weakness or small size and outwit the bully to come out on top. When he is priveleged, it is natural to him to be generous and fair spirited. Thus he becomes a cult warrior hero, the Tadpole Angel, to the "People."

I was intrigued that the loss of his only friend at the age of five, Granpa Chook, a native chicken, was one of the milestones of his life. My only regret was that he did not search for his beloved Zulu nanny and find her earlier.

This is not only a good read, it is a must read. If only we had a few more Peekays stewarding the world, then I would be more confident of a healthy and peaceful outcome to the future of humanity.

Rating:
Summary: The Power of One
Review: The Power of One is the greatest book I have ever read. It is the perfect mixture of action and drama. It is so inspirational to see Peekay constantly winning. If you are looking for good quotes, definitely check this out. I'm sorry I can't write this review well enough to make anyone want to read it. Heck, I wouldn't read this book after my review, but I really feel like you would be misssing out if you didn't at least try it.

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Summary: good book
Review: This is meant to be a short review because most of the good things have already been said. I feel obliged to add, however, that The Power of One is one of the very few novels that have made me sacrifice sleep.

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Summary: Peekay; deliciously fresh
Review: My Mother gave me a copy of "The Power of One" on an occasion when I had run out of reading material. Since my reading tastes differ quite markedly from my Mother, (Mills and Boon), I fully expected to throw the book away after the first few chapters. What actually happened was I could not stop reading it. In the end I finished it at about 5am the next morning after going without sleep. It is terrific.

The story is set in South Africa as we follow the life of a small English boy by the name of Peekay. As his Mother suffered a breakdown following the death of her husband, Peekay was raised mostly by his native nanny. As a result he eventually learned to speek English, Afrikaans, and Zulu.

At about the age of four he is shipped off to boarding school, where he is not only the youngest boy there but also the only Englishman amongst the Afrikaners. He therefore is subject to much bullying with only his pet Chook at his side for support. Despite a bed wetting problem, which is later solved by a great Zulu medicine man, he makes it through his time at school until his mother moves towns and calls him back to join her.

On his train journey to get there, Peekay meets a man who will become a major influence in his life. He is a fairly successful boxer who gives Peekay a methodology for dealing with life. "First with the head then with the heart", he says. Further more, he fires the small boys imagination and Peekay finds his purpose in life, to be a world champion boxer.

On his arrival into his Mother's town he finds the second major influence in his life, Professor Von Vollensteen, or Doc. Peekay is almost adopted by Doc who acts as a respite from his now born again mother and also teaches Peekay Music, Botany and a love of nature. When world war two starts the Doc is taken to prison as a German and as a result Peekay follows. This is where he meets Geel Piet. A native life term prisoner who gives Peekay a thorough grounding in the arts of boxing.

The remainder of the novel takes Peekay through the rest of his education, a romance, overseas and further towards his lifelong goal of being a boxing champion. I don't want to go into detail for fear of spoiling it for you. The plot whilst important, is almost unnecessary to enjoying this book. The style in which Courtenay writes, is beautiful. It just sweeps you away. I almost feel justified in taking some pride in this Australian Author however Bryce was born and raised in South Africa so they have an equal claim to pride.

Bryce Courtenay is an interesting man. I actually met him once in Hawaii but since this review is about his novel, I wont go into the author any further. "The Power of One" was followed by the sequel "Tandia" which finishes the story. Although to my mind it is not as good as the first. If you are going to read any of the books on this page make the first one "The Power of One".

Rating:
Summary: The Power of One
Review: This is a book you cannot read just once. Over the years, I've read it more times than I can count and each time I have walked away with something new. The recurring symobolism, the message of hope, the view into what the world could be--all of this speaks directly to my heart. But perhaps the most important thing I found in "The Power of One" is Big Hettie's words to Peekay: "Pride is holding your head up when everyone else has theirs bowed. Courage is what makes you do it." For me, that is the definition of the power of one--the ability to think for yourself and to stand alone if necessary. It is something that I try to live by. Thank you, Mr. Courtenay, for giving me words to go with it.

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Summary: An intriguing, descriptive, wonderfully written novel.
Review: The Power of One is the story of a young English boy (Peekay)growing up in South Africa during World War II. Peekay encountersmany adventures throughout his early life. He attends boarding school, makes friends with a German professor, takes boxing lessons at a prison, and becomes determined to become the next welterweight champion of the world. Something that really stood out to me in the book is how no matter how much ridicule and torture Peekay endures at boarding school for being English, he never lets his guard down and is always strong. The Power of One is a story of Peekay's survival in a prejudice time and his coming of age. The book is incredibly descriptive and interesting, which makes it difficult to put it down. I highly recommend this book to all high school students and adults.

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Summary: Trouble in Paradise
Review: Though in the popular vein, this is an original modern novel and deserves a reading for many reasons. Firstly, it is about South Africa and, to the extent that outsiders know anything about that troubled country, it serves as a lesson to what the future might hold for any nation which falls into the grip of a race war. From this point of view it is a very ugly novel. Happily, it has some highly redeeming features which make us want to read through all the trouble and strife.

Bryce Courtenay is a good writer. He is able to involve us in the story from the beginning with well-drawn characters. The central character starts the book off as a small boy, living in South Africa during the Second World War. As if the black/white race problems are not enough, we find out (those of us who didn't know) that there is also extremely bad blood 'twixt English and Boer. So when young Peekay is sent to be the lone Englishman attending an Afrikaner boarding school, he is really in hot water. Thus begins one of the most unusual educations you could wish for and how Peekay eventually manages to turn every disadvantage to his favour is part of the delight of this chronicle.

Besides being a good yarn, this book has considerable depth and we can follow Peekay quite closely as he learns all about Latin and Greek, cacti, boxing and especially, human nature. By the age of twelve, he is so well versed in these matters, not to mention the machinations of the Pentecostal Church and the workings of the South African Prison system, that he is clearly a boy apart, who may be destined for stranger things still.

If you have the slightest interest in South Africa, you will enjoy this book from many angles. It is a story about the twentieth century and one of its most pressing problems, which we have now brought forward into this one. In any case, most readers will have trouble putting it down, as it is the story of an unusual life told with passion and honesty.