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The Power of One

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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Summary

"First with your head and then with your heart." So says Hoppie Groenewald, boxing champion, to a seven-year-old boy who dreams of being the welterweight champion of the world. For the young Peekay, it is a piece of advice he will carry with him throughout his life.

Born in a South Africa divided by racism and hatred, this one small boy will come to lead all the tribes of Africa. Through enduring friendships with Hymie and Gideon, Peekay gains the strength he needs to win out. And in a final conflict with his childhood enemy, the Judge, Peekay will fight to the death for justice.

©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
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Editor reviews

Why You Should Download This Audiobook: Good character dramas are best shared with others, like good wine on special occasions. Bryce Courtenay's wonderful story of a child coming of age in a country ripped apart by racism is such a vintage—rich and complex, an experience you'll want to talk about long after the last words are spoken.

What listeners say about The Power of One

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To sum it up in one word: Brilliant

Would you listen to The Power of One again? Why?

I have the dvd,book but now kindle version (as people whom I lent the book to pinched it) and the audio version as it is a great story that gives you various emotions whilst watching/reading or listening to the story and this version is very well read that my wife keeps asking about my expression or why I am laughing.
This is easily in my top 3 books and would certainly recommend you give it a try.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Peekay because his life is well written and you do really get into the character and wonder what is going to happen next.

What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

I like the expression in his voice as really brings some parts to live where as some other audio books just sound like its a computerised voice and boring.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There are a few points but as I wouldn't like to spoil any part of the story I'll say there are a couple of moments I did laugh or others that did get me sad (sorry I love reading and really get into stories)

Any additional comments?

When I had the book, I had lent it to a number of people to try and each person enjoyed the book and one person so much they pinched it :( so I bought the kindle version and now tried audible and have this version.

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15 people found this helpful

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Amazing

What did you like most about The Power of One?

Amazing, accurate account of growing up in South Africa and attending boarding school. Very moving and fantastic in the detail of PKs adventures...

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Exhilirating

Would you consider the audio edition of The Power of One to be better than the print version?

As a South African, this book would probably hold more reference to me than most people who read/listen to it. The Power of One is an outstanding listen in understanding the psyche of someone who lived during the apartheid regime and felt like pretty much most anyone else about the abhorrent nature of that time. This is a story of courage, of weak vs strong, David vs Goliath and most importantly, right vs wrong. Told in a mostly colloquial sense, I simply could not turn it off. Read it now!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hoppie Groenwald - his influence on Peekay's early years clearly defines the boys character for later life. His intolerence of racism, coupled with his deep-hearted perservernece inspires Peekay to become the man he does

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The fight scene between Peekay and the heir to the Zulu chiefdom

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Fight for what you believe in

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Amazing story.

Quickly warm to Peekay and the characters that he meets in his life. Great story with some laugh out loud moments and the occasional welling up with the more emotional scenes. Pleasant uplifting ending though felt a little unresolved. Overall, I'd say really excellent, as is my experience with all Bryce's books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

One of my favorite novels

A story of an orphaned white boy in South Africa prior to the rise of the Nazis.It tells of his time at boarding school as the only english boy in a Boer school. The story continues through to secondary school in the post war years.



The story is very well written and keeps the listener hooked.



The narration is excellent which adds character to the story.



Cannot rate this book highly enough. If you like a good story, you will love this.

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Completely compelling

Exceptional book narrated exceptionally well. it seemed at times more like an emselled cast.

Such was the breadth of the narration and the talent for all the different accents.

I've read this book and now listening to it being read so well brings even more depth to the storyline.

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Loved it

A gripping narrative, very well narrated. Kept me interested throughout. I would recommend this feel good book

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The Magic Remains

I first read The Power of One somewhere around 1990 whenever it was first published and found it to be magical - the power of one empowering the reader. Since then I’ve recommended the book to so many people who loved it as much as I did. Revisiting it for the first time (I never wanted to be disappointed by reading it again and it maybe not standing up to my memory of it) through this audible version was the perfect way. It has not disappointed!!!

The power of Courtney’s prose and the magic of his storytelling is only enhanced through the spoken version. Humphrey Bower’s telling of the story, his astonishing grasp of the myriad accents, and his ability to portray the emotional and magical descriptive passages with such depth is unparalleled! The combination is phenomenal! Listening to the audible now though has been enhanced for me personally because I had the opportunity of living in Africa for fourteen years after I first read the book. Hearing the accents and the descriptions of life in South Africa was like revisiting the places I now knew and loved first hand in vivid technicolour.

I also had the privilege of meeting and chatting with Bryce Courtney personally several times at various events on his return visits to South Africa while I lived there. I think he would be delighted with and proud this Audible version of his amazing book.

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Astonishing

An extraordinary, powerful story, very well read. Can’t wait to read the next in series

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One of the Best Audible Books I’ve Listened To

Totally amazing! And the narrator’s ability to bring alive so many characters with his gift of accents was incredible. I’m not sure I could have enjoyed the book quite so much if I had ‘read’ it.

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