THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FIRST EDITION first published in Australia 1989 by William Heinemann Australia

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, its 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.

Bryce Courtenay’s first book, The Power of One was published in 1989 and went on to became an international bestseller and the subject of a Hollywood movie. He went on to write another twenty books, most of which are set in either South Africa or Australia. Bryce relentlessly championed his books and dedicated twelve hours per day to writing. During his lifetime, his books sold more than 20 million copies.



Good: A book that has been read but is in very good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.