Customer Reviews (1)

Bryce Courtenay is a consummately skilled writer
When Thommo returns to Australia from a tour of duty in the Vietnam War, he finds his fellow Aussies hold him in contempt as a mercenary who committed war crimes. Developing all manner of physical and mental problems, Thommo thinks he's alone in his problems until he meets ten of his former comrades from his platoon who fought alongside of him in the Battle of Long Tan where many other fell to their deaths under enemy fire. These ten other survivors are suffering the same emotional and adjustment problems Thommo has. Recruiting an ex-Viet Cong with "special skills", Thommo forms his battlefield comrades into group of guys who are so dysfunctional they couldn't win any kind of contest. Not until they meet Wendy, a woman whose daughter is dying and needs a bone-marrow transplant. A determined woman, Wendy takes Thommo and the others in hand and molds this bunch of burned-out and disheartened former soldiers into a unit willing to fight for justice by any means necessary. Bryce Courtenay is a consummately skilled writer whose riveting novel is expertly narrated by Humphrey Bower. Complete and unabridged, and with a running time of five hours, this 5 disc, highly recommended CD edition of Smoky Joe's Cafe is also available in an audio cassette format. ... Read more

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First with your head and then with your heart... So says Hoppie Groenewald, boxing champion, to a 7-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 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... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

this book is even better on tape than in print
I listened to this book, and then recommended it to my husband and my two children. The story is is very enagaging and you can't wait to get back in the car so you can listen again. One of the best reasons to listen to this book is because it takes place primarily in South Africa. When you read the Afrikaans words or the Zulu words in print, you cannot tell how they sound, which is often quite different than you would imagine. The narration of this book is excellent and it gives you a better grasp of the culture when you listen to the story told in it's many different dialects. I love fictuon, but I tend to be a critical reader, and am not easily satisfied. I tend to read only books that are recommended by people I trust or those on the ALA booklist. Because I have children, I have been reading a lot of what I think of as "young adult" fiction lately. Although the appeal of this novel is not limited to young adults, it will certainly be interesting to teens and up. I highly recommend this book, and I specifically recommend the AUDIO version. ... Read more

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Chapters: Julius Malema, Caster Semenya, Mamphela Ramphele, Bryce Courtenay, Moloko Temo, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Carel Boshoff, Joel Netshitenzhe, Peter Mokaba, Dan Mokonyane, Umanji, Mosibudi Mangena, Hlompho Kekana, Rudzani Ramudzuli, Stanley Kgatla, Curtis Nkondo, Sekhukhune, Mulalo Doyoyo, Steve Kekana, Sello Moloto,. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 72. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Julius Sello Malema (born 3 March 1981, in Seshego) is a South African "politician", and the president of the African National Congress Youth League. Convicted of hate speech in March 2010, Malema occupies a notably controversial position in South African public and political life; having risen to prominence with his vociferous support for African National Congress president, and later President of South Africa Jacob Zuma. He has been described by both Zuma and the Premier of Limpopo Province as the "future leader" of South Africa , although less favourable portraits paint him as a "reckless populist", and a "demagogue", with the potential to destabilise South Africa and to spark racial conflict Malema, a Pedi, was raised by a single parent, a domestic worker in Seshego township, Limpopo. According to varying reports he joined the Masupatsela ("Trailblazers") pioneer movement of the African National Congress at age nine, age ten or age 14, where, according to Malema, their main task was to remove National Party posters placed outside police stations. Most reports agree that he was receiving military training by the age of 14, which is when he joined the ANC Youth League; according to Malema himself he was receiving training in the handling of firearms by age 13. At that time South Africa was already in the post-apartheid era, with the ANC having won the elections in 1994. His school career was un...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=18397339 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You won't be disappointed.
Like Wilbur Smith, Courtenay can spin one whopper of a tale with loads of history in it.In keepking with all of Courtenay's books, I highly recommend this one. ... Read more

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Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Bum Trilogy, Novels by Alex Miller, Novels by Andy Griffiths, Novels by Bryce Courtenay, Novels by Colleen Mccullough, Novels by Dbc Pierre, Novels by David Malouf, Novels by Fiona Mcintosh, Novels by Garth Nix, Novels by Greg Egan, Novels by Helen Garner, Novels by Ian Irvine, Novels by Jennifer Fallon, Novels by John Flanagan, Novels by Karen Miller, Novels by Kate Orman, Novels by Lily Brett, Novels by Matthew Reilly, Novels by Patrick White, Novels by Peter Carey, Novels by Richard Flanagan, Novels by Sara Douglass, Novels by Sonya Hartnett, Novels by Thea Astley, Novels by Thomas Keneally, Novels by Tim Winton, Novels by Trudi Canavan, the Three Worlds Novels, Just Like That, Shade's Children, the High Lord, Permutation City, Diaspora, Sabriel, Vampire Science, the Six Sacred Stones, the Thorn Birds, Superior Saturday, Scarecrow, the Ruins of Gorlan, Oakleaf Bearers, Pilgrim, Sir Thursday, Contest, Royal Exile, Set Piece, Sleeping Dogs, Bumageddon: the Final Pongflict, the Magicians' Guild, True History of the Kelly Gang, Erak's Ransom, Jack Maggs, the Five Greatest Warriors, Thursday's Child, Remembering Babylon, Betrayal, Lord Sunday, Lady Friday, Seven Ancient Wonders, Abhorsen, Temple, Lirael, the Day My Bum Went Psycho, the Children's Bach, Unnatural History, Schindler's Ark, Vernon God Little, Drowned Wednesday, the Living and the Dead, the Icebound Land, the Fall, Aenir, Zombie Bums From Uranus, the Spare Room, Grim Tuesday, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, the Unusual Life of Tristan Smith, Fly Away Peter, Darkwitch Rising, Mister Monday, Hover Car Racer, Voss, the Sorcerer in the North, the Magician's Apprentice, Johnno, Riders in the Chariot, the Kings of Clonmel, Four Fires, Sylvia, the Novice, Walking to Babylon, a Fringe of Leaves, Sinner, Incandescence, Area 7, Geomancer, Above the Veil, Hell Island, Qua... ... Read more

Product Description
First with your head and then with your heart... So says Hoppie Groenewald, boxing champion, to a 7-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 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... ... Read more

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This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Four Fires, Sylvia, Jessica, Brother Fish, Tandia, Tommo ... Read more