Currently Reading The Power of One By Bryce Courtenay see related

I'm not actually reading THE POWER OF ONE right now but I posted it because it is my number one favorite novel in the whole wide world.  It has everything except a girlfriend for the protagonist, which is such a relief!  The movie version, they added a girlfriend, which really WRECKED the story. Ugh. If you've seen the movie and thought it was good, don't tell me because I'll only grunt in your face and tell you "no way!"

In THE POWER OF ONE, there's a recurring theme based on African mythology, the collective will of the People, which propels the protagonist through his life's journey. 

The Tadpole Angel.

I love the songs of the Tadpole Angel... "see who comes toward us now? tell us, tell us... it is he who is called the tadpole angel... we salute him, we salute him"   "...for is he not the lord of the dark and the light, the day and the night? onoshobishobi ingelosi!"

However, by no means is the Tadpole Angel mythos the only thing great about this story! If you've read it, you prolly know what I mean.

----------------------

I also love how some books open sooo beautifully. Let's see if I can type (recite) from memory? Post in comments if correx are due, please.

SIDDHARTHA (Hermann Hesse, English translation from German)—In the shade of the house, in the sunshine on the riverbank by the boats, in the shade of the sallow wood and the fig tree, Siddhartha, the handsome Brahmin's son, grew up with his friend, Govinda.

LOLITA (Vladmir Nabakov)—Lolita. Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta. The tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate, to tap at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was plain Lo in the morning, standing four feet ten with one sock on. She was Dolly at school, Lola in slacks, and Dolores on the dotted line, but in my arms, she was always Lolita.