The Power of One

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 21 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's 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

Superb Reading

Others have praised this praise-worthy novel. I wish to call attention to Humphrey Bower's reading. It really is superb. He captures a variety of accents and voices, and always with the right emotion. He pronounces words native to Zulu, Africaans, German, Latin and English without missing a beat. This triumph of a book deserved an equally good reader, and it got it in Bower.

Spectacular!

This story is gripping! I had to turn it off to get some sleep. This is my first Courtenay book but I intend on buying more!! Humphrey Bower is an amazing reader! I felt drawn into the story. His voice brings every single character to life! Amazing!! Truly, you will not be disappointed...(were there enough exclamations?) !!!!!!!!!!

Outstanding production

This is a 'must listen' audio book for a wide range of audiences. The superb narration and a excellent story make this an outstanding production.

Stunning novel for a first effort by the Author!

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

Absolutely. The story is fantastic and the introduction by the Author makes it even more amazing. It's about an African boy who went through a rough child hood and ended up becoming a champion boxer because of all the inspiration he got from the other characters. I don't want to give too much away so I'll leave it at that.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Power of One?

The torment the young lad went through that is portrayed by real to life happenings. This book is based on a True Story, but has been enhanced to the point of most of it being fiction. This does not take away from the enjoyment of it.

What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

His uncanny ability to alter his voice to every character in the novel. An excellent performance and I will definitely be looking for other books narrated by Humphrey Bower for that reason alone.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Discrimination at its worst but with a fantastic outcome.

Any additional comments?

Absolutely loved the story and the narrator. I lost a lot of hours of sleep listening to this title because I just couldn't stop listening. Highly recommended - you won't regret getting this one. My 20 year old son, who never listens to Audio Books even enjoyed it and often listened to it with me. Nuff said? :)

A boy's courage as he grows into a man...

I wasn't sure what to expect, having already watched the rather cliche and collectivist-oriented movie of the same title based on this novel.

This book was great! The power of one... there is no collective in the boxing ring, only the individual. It shows everything that needs to be said about the evils of racial hatred and statism.

The sequel is definitely worth a read too. I'm still working my way through the rest of his books, but I've liked all of them so far.

superb character development

The skill that Mr. Courtenay displays in all of his books never ceases to amaze me. You fall-in-love with his characters; you root for them; you cry with them; you are sad when they leave the stage, and you miss them. And to think that this is Courtenay’s first book!! Simply awe-inspiring.

One of the best books I have ever experienced.

Any additional comments?

Power is a perfect word to describe this book. I am almost finished, and am savoring every word. Humphrey Bower is my new favorite narrator. His ability to make every voice believable, male or female, is matched by no other narrator to whom I have listened, and I have listened to dozens. His timing is superb, his accents, if not authentic, are the best I've heard, and he brings the story to life. The beginning of this book, set in a boarding school, is heart-wrenchingly painful. I almost stopped listening because it was so disturbing, but I decided to continue and am so glad I did. The story draws the listener in and is compelling. I will be sad when I come to its conclusion.

Not His Best But Still Great

Yes, this was a good book and I gave it top ratings because I love the Courtenay/Bower collaboration. Nevertheless, it was four stars compared to the Potato Factory or my favorite, The Story of Danny Dunn, a masterpiece! Check those out!

Listened a second time. Worth every minute

Great story, great writing. Great reader of the book. Humphrey Bower is excellent. I’d give it more stars if it were possible.

My heart is full!

The Power of One does what all of Bryce Courtenay's books do - fill my heart with hope that there is always someone in the world with a singular purpose for good.