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Whitehorn
The time is 1939. White South Africa is a deeply divided nation with many of the Afrikaner people fanatically opposed to the English. The world is also on the brink of war and South Africa elects to fight for the Allied cause against Germany. Six-year-old Tom Fitzsaxby finds himself in The Boys Farm, an orphanage in a remote town in the high mountains, where the Afrikaners side fiercely with Hitler's Germany.
Tom's English name proves sufficient for him to be ostracised, marking him as an outsider. And so begin some of life's tougher lessons for the small, lonely boy.
Tom's English name proves sufficient for him to be ostracised, marking him as an outsider. And so begin some of life's tougher lessons for the small, lonely boy.
20 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2005
124 people are currently reading
1966 people want to read
About the author
Bryce Courtenay
57 books2,274 followersArthur Bryce Courtenay, AM was a South African-Australian advertising director and novelist. He is one of Australia's best-selling authors, notable for his book The Power of One.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
March 25, 2014
I'm a big fan of Bryce Courtenay's stories. They are full of warm and wonderful people. His descriptions of the land and settings almost puts me there. I would highly recommend many of his works.
But, his Africa books go beyond the storyline. They show the love this man has for his country, his deep understanding of its problems, beauty, flaws and the love he has for the people of Africa. It's this aspect that he brings to the story, without any blubbering or emotionalism, that pushes his Africa books onto a level of their own. This book is no exception. Throughout is Courtenay's deep understanding and love for Africa; his acceptance for the good, bad and ugly and his belief that the ugly can be changed for the better. Through him, I get a feel for the land and its people without ever having been there.
In the story of Tom Fitzsaxby, Courtenay examines Africa and the three groups of people who inhabit it (Africaaners, English, Native), the prejudices, cruelties, friendships and loyalties they share. The story in itself is a warm, and yet sometimes horrid, story of growing up in a land that labels one for the origins of one's birth, for the colour of one's skin. Yet despite these uglier aspects, the story is warm and interesting and, above all, hopeful for a future Africa that is strong and equal for all.
Courtenay loves his country and has high hopes that it will become the best that it can be. Through his hope, maybe we can look at our own countries and their Uglies and envision that with some understanding of underlying issues mankind can one day eliminate them all (the Uglies, that is).
But, his Africa books go beyond the storyline. They show the love this man has for his country, his deep understanding of its problems, beauty, flaws and the love he has for the people of Africa. It's this aspect that he brings to the story, without any blubbering or emotionalism, that pushes his Africa books onto a level of their own. This book is no exception. Throughout is Courtenay's deep understanding and love for Africa; his acceptance for the good, bad and ugly and his belief that the ugly can be changed for the better. Through him, I get a feel for the land and its people without ever having been there.
In the story of Tom Fitzsaxby, Courtenay examines Africa and the three groups of people who inhabit it (Africaaners, English, Native), the prejudices, cruelties, friendships and loyalties they share. The story in itself is a warm, and yet sometimes horrid, story of growing up in a land that labels one for the origins of one's birth, for the colour of one's skin. Yet despite these uglier aspects, the story is warm and interesting and, above all, hopeful for a future Africa that is strong and equal for all.
Courtenay loves his country and has high hopes that it will become the best that it can be. Through his hope, maybe we can look at our own countries and their Uglies and envision that with some understanding of underlying issues mankind can one day eliminate them all (the Uglies, that is).
November 11, 2020
I fell in love with Bryce Courtenay over 20 years ago with his first novel The Power of One, he will always be one of my most favourite Authors.
I can't even find the words to describe how excellent his command of the English language is, to be able to engross me so much in his writing and storytelling. I just love all of his books.
This was a book I listened to on audio and it was told by the amazing Humphrey Bower. His dulcet tones only enhance the story, so much so, I find I am missing him when I have finished the book.
This is an amazing book.
I can't even find the words to describe how excellent his command of the English language is, to be able to engross me so much in his writing and storytelling. I just love all of his books.
This was a book I listened to on audio and it was told by the amazing Humphrey Bower. His dulcet tones only enhance the story, so much so, I find I am missing him when I have finished the book.
This is an amazing book.
November 21, 2011
I found "The Power of One" by Courtney an excellent novel -- about Africa and about a young man's coming of age. After a break of many years writing about Australia, "Whitethorn" returns Courtney to South Africa in 2006, after huge political events have transformed the country. So I expected a very different (but very good) novel. But to my surprise, there is a great deal of this book that covers virtually the same ground as the "Power of One," though using somewhat different characters and some variation of setting. Upbringing in an Afrikaans' setting (an orphanage,) a boxing theme, becoming a student at an elite English private school via scholarship, on to law school, working in the copper mines -- all these similarities are there. Yet Coutney is a grand story-teller, and this novel is wonderful reading despite treading familiar ground. The plot works well, too, though it reflects nothing of post-apartheid changes in South Africa. So you may end up feeling frustrated by what seems too much of a rewrite (I did,) but nevertheless moved by another fine piece of writing.
January 16, 2015
I thoroughly enjoy Courtenay's books. Whitethorn was excellent, as usual. He brought the apartheid issues to life in the form of his characters. Some of them suffered under the regime, while others enjoyed and benefited by it. The characters were fleshed out well. I 'read' the audio version, and the narration was just excellent. I don't know how the narrator managed to convey so many different accents and personalities, not to mention gender.
The book was probably longer than necessary. Toward the end of the book, I sometimes felt that the storyline was there only to illustrate the political climate of the time. But that's the appeal of historical fiction...to understand the place and era from a personal point of view.
I highly recommend it!
The book was probably longer than necessary. Toward the end of the book, I sometimes felt that the storyline was there only to illustrate the political climate of the time. But that's the appeal of historical fiction...to understand the place and era from a personal point of view.
I highly recommend it!
September 25, 2012
Power cannot be trusted, it will always abuse. Courtenay, having been accused of being communist and exiled from South Africa as a young man, has written some of his experiences into the character of Tom Fitzsaxby, a clever child who we witness develop into a young man in a quest for justice. Along the way Fitzsaxby learns to pull himself up by the bootstraps time and again in a country which reinforces inferiority and is endemically racist. Urbanizing and moving into adulthood, Fitzsaxby learns about his own strengths and weaknesses through those around him, and while he discovers the truth about the lengths we'll go to in order to be loved, his greatest success is to somewhat resolve the issues of his childhood by using his fine mind. An exceptionally well-written story which tells yarns at length, this is clearly the book Courtenay wanted to write. The climax and denouement are understated. Courtenay finds the voices for a score of characters from different backgrounds and treated as they are from Fitzsaxby's perspective we find some of them unsympathetic; life is a nasty business in Courtenay's work, but marvelous when we learn to stand up for ourselves and overcome the prejudices in other people which trap us.
May 6, 2012
Wavered between love and then just boredom.
Gave up at page 350 of 671 pages but did skim read pages to find out what happened to Mattress.
If I had no other book ever to read I think this one would have been a winner as it just took forever to get to the point.
I don't really know why it didn't work as it could have been amazing if it had been condensed. It was just far too lengthy and repetitive for my liking.
November 11, 2019
Stunning!
Seven hundred pages of brilliant storytelling!
Not hard to fall in love with the main character.
Enthralling. Very moving.
Highly recommended.
*Book #11 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge
*Book #34/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
Seven hundred pages of brilliant storytelling!
Not hard to fall in love with the main character.
Enthralling. Very moving.
Highly recommended.
*Book #11 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge
*Book #34/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
April 8, 2025
A true gem of a book! I absolutely loved reading White Thorn. Set in South Africa, against the backdrop of a complicated political landscape - it’s a triumph of good over evil.
December 27, 2013
I've read "The Power of One", "The Potato Factory" and "Tommo and Hawk". Correction-- I have "listened" to each of these books, because I'm a fan of Humphrey Bower. Mr. Bower is one of my favorite audible narrators of all time, and I thoroughly enjoyed each of these books. I love Humphrey Bower's voice, and how he makes so many of the characters come alive.
This book is, so far, one my favorite of Bryce Courtenay's. (I have yet to read the rest of his books.)
It's sad to read that Mr. Courtenay has recently passed away. He is a master storyteller, who weaves in a lot of history about South Africa.
A South African friend of mine winced, when I told her I was reading this book. She said she couldn't handle it, because it was just over-the-top with violence. I get that, but how can avoid the cruely and mistreatment about an orphan, Tom Fitzsaxby, who is so poorly treated at an orphanage? Shades of Oliver Twist, you will definitely feel angry, sad and even shocked at what this young boy endures at the hands of the cruel adults who run the orphanage. Yet, Tom finds a few adults who change the twists and turns of his adult life. Tom's childhood is the foundation that builds his determination and character.
I found a tugging at my girlie-girl heartstrings, as I read about his dog, Tinker and a few people that Tom learned to both love and trust. There were plenty of tearful moments, for me as well. This story line took me on plenty of emotional twists and turns.
To me, this story is about Tom, who has a dedication to making many injustices right. I found him to be a totally believable character.
As the story comes to it's climax, I dreaded listening to a court trial-- these aren't usually my favorite story lines to read. In this case, I couldn't stop listening to the book. I had to know the outcome.
The ending left me feeling deeply touched, and opened my eyes to some of the historical events of South Africa-- the bigotry and injustices from the British. Historical fiction, like this, makes me want to do more research in learning about this very sad chapter in that country's history. Great read, fantastic narrator.
This book is, so far, one my favorite of Bryce Courtenay's. (I have yet to read the rest of his books.)
It's sad to read that Mr. Courtenay has recently passed away. He is a master storyteller, who weaves in a lot of history about South Africa.
A South African friend of mine winced, when I told her I was reading this book. She said she couldn't handle it, because it was just over-the-top with violence. I get that, but how can avoid the cruely and mistreatment about an orphan, Tom Fitzsaxby, who is so poorly treated at an orphanage? Shades of Oliver Twist, you will definitely feel angry, sad and even shocked at what this young boy endures at the hands of the cruel adults who run the orphanage. Yet, Tom finds a few adults who change the twists and turns of his adult life. Tom's childhood is the foundation that builds his determination and character.
I found a tugging at my girlie-girl heartstrings, as I read about his dog, Tinker and a few people that Tom learned to both love and trust. There were plenty of tearful moments, for me as well. This story line took me on plenty of emotional twists and turns.
To me, this story is about Tom, who has a dedication to making many injustices right. I found him to be a totally believable character.
As the story comes to it's climax, I dreaded listening to a court trial-- these aren't usually my favorite story lines to read. In this case, I couldn't stop listening to the book. I had to know the outcome.
The ending left me feeling deeply touched, and opened my eyes to some of the historical events of South Africa-- the bigotry and injustices from the British. Historical fiction, like this, makes me want to do more research in learning about this very sad chapter in that country's history. Great read, fantastic narrator.
January 27, 2013
It was only Bryce Courtenay's death which led me to read this book - the first of his works I have ever tried. Reading his obituary in the Times I was surprised I had never heard of him and wanted to make up for that deficiency.
I'm so glad I did. Whitethorn is a sweeping work which deals with many of the issues of today, set in the recent past of South Africa and Kenya. It's a doorstop of a volume - it could easily have been two or three books - and so it's taken me 3 weeks to find enough time to complete it. But I have found it compulsive reading - picking it up at any opportunity.
In some respects Courtenay is an African Dickens - his main character grows up from a bullied orphan in a hideous Afrikaans institution to being a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. His journey is mostly in 50s and 60s South Africa, but also in Kenya's Mau Mau uprising.
I'm so glad I did. Whitethorn is a sweeping work which deals with many of the issues of today, set in the recent past of South Africa and Kenya. It's a doorstop of a volume - it could easily have been two or three books - and so it's taken me 3 weeks to find enough time to complete it. But I have found it compulsive reading - picking it up at any opportunity.
In some respects Courtenay is an African Dickens - his main character grows up from a bullied orphan in a hideous Afrikaans institution to being a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. His journey is mostly in 50s and 60s South Africa, but also in Kenya's Mau Mau uprising.
November 16, 2010
Whitethorne is passionate, demanding and unputdownable.
Tom Fitzsaxby is an orphan. It is 1939 and the eve of World War II. Some Afrikaners believe Hitler will liberate South Africa.
Tom is six years old and has an English name. He is open to abuse from the Afrikaans staff at the orphanage. Tom’s only friend is Mattress, known as the pig boy.
The boys work together to hide his beloved puppy, Tinker. After Mattress is murdered, Tom promises that will avenge his friend.
A teacher visiting the town tutors Tom in English. He eventually wins a full scholarship to an excellent school. Tom achieves his goal, avenges Mattress's death. He also fallis in love love, finds friends along the way.
Tom Fitzsaxby is an orphan. It is 1939 and the eve of World War II. Some Afrikaners believe Hitler will liberate South Africa.
Tom is six years old and has an English name. He is open to abuse from the Afrikaans staff at the orphanage. Tom’s only friend is Mattress, known as the pig boy.
The boys work together to hide his beloved puppy, Tinker. After Mattress is murdered, Tom promises that will avenge his friend.
A teacher visiting the town tutors Tom in English. He eventually wins a full scholarship to an excellent school. Tom achieves his goal, avenges Mattress's death. He also fallis in love love, finds friends along the way.
August 1, 2012
I am a huge Bryce Courtnay fan, and have now read or listened to all but 3 of his works. My favourite has always been the first, The Power of One. However, there is a new candidate for the title. I was absolutely enthralled by Whitethorn, even though I was a little worried by the descriptions of events in Kenya simply because of a British military connection in my family to that conflict.
Humphrey Bower never ceases to amaze me as a reader, and has now become my favourite audiobook narrator. The way he is able to take on the appropriate voice for each character is nothing short of spectacular.
All in all this is another brilliant effort from a wonderful author.
Humphrey Bower never ceases to amaze me as a reader, and has now become my favourite audiobook narrator. The way he is able to take on the appropriate voice for each character is nothing short of spectacular.
All in all this is another brilliant effort from a wonderful author.
January 14, 2010
Another superb book by Courtenay. This story of a white English orphaned boy growing up on a 'Boys Farm' in South Africa offers a great palette to highlight the socio/political landscape of the time. What I found most remarkable about the writing style was that he was able to write in the style according to the age of the main character, Tom Fitzaxby, so we get less detail and clear recollection of events when he is younger and then greater detail and smarter language as he grows up.
A terrific read and highly recommended.
A terrific read and highly recommended.
February 19, 2010
Pretty much a re-hash of Power of One. There are plot and character elements which are so similar it's ridiculous - growing up as the lone English boy in an aggressive Afrikaner community, boxing, a murdered black friend, becoming a lawyer and so on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2017
Possibly the best novel I have ever read and especially from a South African perspective. I could not put it down! Excellent!!
December 5, 2022
Whitethorn is my third Courtenay historical fiction. I like his stories and their educational value as well. I’m giving this one 3 stars due to my disappointment over the similarities between it and The Power of One. Both were successful, which is probably due to the strength of the message and great storytelling. Had I read Whitethorn first, it would have been at least a 4. I’ve started rating books more for enjoyment over their technical merit.
Courtenay drew from his personal experiences growing up in Africa and Australia, as well as the history of the times for both of these books. The obvious repetition of storyline, location, themes, and time period really disturbed me. I wish he had found a way to use all of the good parts and write just one book, or to make the second less of a lengthy “do over”.
Courtenay’s writing style includes a lot of memories being repeated and characters retelling incidents over and over. While listening to Whitethorn almost immediately after The Power of One audiobook, I actually got angry when I reached the part where Tom decides to work in the copper mines to raise money for school. I almost gave up. I couldn’t believe the author’s audacity in feeding us another major scene identical to the one in his first book.
Courtenay drew from his personal experiences growing up in Africa and Australia, as well as the history of the times for both of these books. The obvious repetition of storyline, location, themes, and time period really disturbed me. I wish he had found a way to use all of the good parts and write just one book, or to make the second less of a lengthy “do over”.
Courtenay’s writing style includes a lot of memories being repeated and characters retelling incidents over and over. While listening to Whitethorn almost immediately after The Power of One audiobook, I actually got angry when I reached the part where Tom decides to work in the copper mines to raise money for school. I almost gave up. I couldn’t believe the author’s audacity in feeding us another major scene identical to the one in his first book.
September 2, 2023
The whole time I was reading this, I had this feeling that I had read it before. This is quite possible because, once I read The Power of One, I was hooked on reading Bryce Courtenay's novels; however, it could just be because there is so much similarity in this story to the Power of One: both follow the lives of very young 'English' boys in horrible living conditions (here, Tom is in an orphanage since age 4 and unloved and terribly mistreated; Peekay in The Power of One is in a horrible boarding school with similar circumstances and both young boys are befriended by the true African people and both fight the bigotry of the Afrikaner people. Regardless, I was completely captivated by Tom, his life and all of the characters for the first part of the book but, unfortunately the last 1/3 (after he moved away to go to the scholarship school), I missed the characters who had been introduced in the first part. It was like Tom gave up completely his early life where all those friends had saved him. Then the last part was too long... so much detail on taking care of the homeless men, so so much detail of the mines and the military... it made me want to put the book down but I couldn't because I had to know the final outcome. So, a great story that would have been rated higher if the last 3rd had been edited better, in my opinion.
December 8, 2021
I must say that all these nonsense reviews are from people comparing one book to another. I'm quite willing to wager than none of them have written anything worth buying and their opinions are their own. No more.
Whitethorn was a great read.
Whitethorn was a great read.
July 26, 2024
This book has three parts. The first 2 parts were great - worthy of 5 stars. About an orphan in South Africa. Fantastic characters and I loved the style of writing. The last part was all over the place and I felt there was a lot of redundant content. In the end it was horribly rushed and I was looking forward to finishing it.
August 13, 2023
I’m not even sure how to review this.
Here’s my dilemma. The Power of One is my favorite book of all time. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. The movie (though the movie is nothing like the book) was what first sparked my interest in South Africa. And so I sought out the book shortly after and loved it. I also really enjoyed Tandia, which was the sequel to The Power of One.
And here’s the problem. This book, in many, many ways, is virtually the same story as The Power of One. So I’m mad. So much of it is the same. It’s longer, so some different stuff happens, and the detailed characters are different, but so many of the events and the arc are the SAME. And the mine trainer is the same dude in both books!!!
So do I give it a low rating because it is the same and made me mad? Or do I give it a high rating because it’s the same and I loved the first one?
I went with a higher rating because even though I found myself mad and exasperated so many times, I did ultimately largely enjoy the story. The main character got to be a bit insufferable for me (‘oh, everything just happens to me and it all turns out amazingly well I’m so lucky!) but, what can I say, I’m a sucker for Bryce Courtenay’s Africa books.
So here is am, still conflicted.
Here’s my dilemma. The Power of One is my favorite book of all time. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. The movie (though the movie is nothing like the book) was what first sparked my interest in South Africa. And so I sought out the book shortly after and loved it. I also really enjoyed Tandia, which was the sequel to The Power of One.
And here’s the problem. This book, in many, many ways, is virtually the same story as The Power of One. So I’m mad. So much of it is the same. It’s longer, so some different stuff happens, and the detailed characters are different, but so many of the events and the arc are the SAME. And the mine trainer is the same dude in both books!!!
So do I give it a low rating because it is the same and made me mad? Or do I give it a high rating because it’s the same and I loved the first one?
I went with a higher rating because even though I found myself mad and exasperated so many times, I did ultimately largely enjoy the story. The main character got to be a bit insufferable for me (‘oh, everything just happens to me and it all turns out amazingly well I’m so lucky!) but, what can I say, I’m a sucker for Bryce Courtenay’s Africa books.
So here is am, still conflicted.
January 15, 2008
OMG!!! VERY VERY VERY GOOD!! I couldn't put this one down. Yes, i missed my subway stop more than once becuase I was so wrapped up in this one. It took Bryce about a decade to find a way back to write about South Africa again. The Power of One and Tandia were his only books set in S.A., the others all in New Zealand, Australia, and Korea. With Whithorn he revisits many of the themes found in the Power of One. In fact his character, Jack, is eerily similar to Peekay, the protagonist in the Power of One. Dare i say it, but Jack is more fully described and more carefully structured to be more believable. While he is not a boxer, he is an orphan English boy persecuted by the Afrikaners. Instead of boarding schools, it is an orphanage which sets the stage for his troubled childhood. Both Jack and Peekay work in the copper mines as grisley boys. They eventually choose the same careers, too. Maybe too similar for some- but a welcome reminder of what was once Peekay's story and is now Jack's story.
Bryce really mastered the pace of his story, with Whitethorn. I felt really intrigued and I really really cared about Jack's sucesses and failures. I wept with him with each and every loss in his life and mentally cheered him on with every new direction he decided to take his life. If I could I'd give this one 10 stars!!
Bryce really mastered the pace of his story, with Whitethorn. I felt really intrigued and I really really cared about Jack's sucesses and failures. I wept with him with each and every loss in his life and mentally cheered him on with every new direction he decided to take his life. If I could I'd give this one 10 stars!!
September 10, 2009
This book was excellent, although not as good as The Power of One. One of the frustrations was that the narrator begins as a 7 year old boy. He is a little unreliable because he either forgets important information (and fills in the blanks later) or he rambles on and on about unimportant things - but I guess that's how a 7 year old's mind works. My only other issue with this book was that the ending was very abrupt. Courtenoy builds you up for the ending and the climax takes place in one chapter and without any fanfare. The ending also seems like he got tired of writing and he ended the story (almost like a movie where all the loose ends are tied up in the last 5 minutes). It's a little disappointing because I got to the end of the book and turned the page expecting more and there was no more to read. I had to reread the last chapter because I wasn't quite sure how it ended.
June 16, 2013
As usual an excellent book by Bryce Courtenay. Mr. Courtenay has a way of getting into a child's head and putting that child's feelings, hurts and joys on paper. Sometimes you laugh out loud and sometimes you just want to slap the adult that has mistreated the child as so many adults did to Jack Fitzsaxby in this book. But most of his child characters go on to become adults that have beat the odds and that is something I enjoy so much about his books. If you read my review of Four Fires, you will see how I feel about Bryce Courtenay - he is one of the best authors I've read. I just read the review that Peter Harness wrote and I am very, very sad to learn that Mr. Courtenay passed away. The literary world has lost a great.
July 4, 2012
I'd heard lots of praise for Bryce Courtney and he lived up to all the recommendations. Great piece of historical fiction with wonderful character development. I learned a lot about South Africa and specifically, the movement of the Afrikaners who were so opposed to the colonial power of Great Britain that they (not so secretly) sided with Hitler during the World War II. Young Tom Fitzsaxby grows up in a South Africa which was divided by racial hatred and bigotry yet he manages to survive and prosper. Readers will cringe at his struggles and cheer for his triumphs.
April 9, 2010
I started out loving this book. Thought it could well end up in my 'must tell everyone about this' category. However, it seemed to repeat the same themes througout. It struck me in the later parts of the book that the author wanted to tell us about the history of Africa and foudn ways to connect the character to that bit in time. I really lost interest in the book which was a shame as it started off so well.
July 23, 2010
I was given this by a friend, and I absolutely loved it. A bit hard going at times, as the descriptions of the conditions the main character endures are unpleasant, but the character's voice is delightful. I felt I actually heard him growing up. Writing with a child's voice must be difficult at the best of times, but to evolve that voice through a lifetime is a skill I have never encountered before.
September 12, 2011
Whitethorn is another example of Bryce Courtenay's innate ability to tell a story from the POV of a young boy. When I read this book, which I've done several times, I can see the world through they eyes of six year old Tom Fitzsaxby. The story is poignant in that the young boy accepts the treatment he receives as if it's deserved. It's a heartbreaking, and ultimately satisfying read, one which I highly recommend.
February 6, 2008
I learned that you cannot control many of the things that happen in your life, but you can control how you react to them. Never underestimate the power of an individual to change his/her own world through a vision, commitment, and perseverance. That is a common theme that runs through many of Courtenay's books and one of the main reasons I enjoy them so much.
September 29, 2012
This is an excellent book. It is very much like THE POWER OF ONE which is a bit distracting. I "read" the audible edition though, read by the wonderful Humphrey Bower who in my mind is unsurpassable. So this was a great read. I love the novels by Bryce Courtenay and I think he is the best writing today.
July 26, 2009
Beautifully written. I could not put it down.
For anyone who has had any contact with South
Africa it will bring back memories (good and bad).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews