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A boy in South Africa grows up to become a boxing champion and fight prejudice
1989Steady paceHopeful
What it is about
Peekay is a young English-speaking boy who is sent to a boarding school in 1930s South Africa. He is bullied, but he learns to box and meets an older German pianist who becomes his mentor. The novel follows him through World War II and apartheid.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who like long, big-hearted historical novels.
What you will get
It was adapted into a 1992 film.
The Power of One Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Historical Fiction · Apartheid · Boxing · Coming of age
Length
544 pages · ≈ 16 h
More about this book
Characters
Peekay and the people who shape him.
Setting
South Africa, from the 1930s to the 1950s.
What makes it different
A coming-of-age story set amid racial tension.
Feel
Moving and inspiring.
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