The Word of a Gentleman his wife Nora are the focus of many chapters (and the book opens with a quotation from Oscar Wilde's "The Ballad of Reading Gaol"); these reflect Niesewand's detention by Desmond Lardner-Burke under P. K. van der Byl and Smith, and his subsequent deportation, leaving behind his wife of three years, Nonie Niesewand (née Fogarty). The Word of a Gentleman The Word of a Gentleman (1981) (later retitled "Undercut") was the third of five novels written by Peter Niesewand, the South African journalist who spent 73 days in solitary confinement for his coverage of Ian Smith's government in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Reading Amateur Regatta four months in Reading Gaol for attacking an umpire and tipping him into the river with a punt pole in retaliation for disqualification in the previous year's regatta. Reading Amateur Regatta Reading Amateur Regatta is a rowing regatta, on the River Thames in England which takes place at Reading, Berkshire on the reach above Caversham Lock. The regatta takes place in June and attracts top crews from around the UK. Racing takes place on the 1500-metres downstream course that stretches from St Mary's Island until just short of Reading Rowing Club clubhouse. The regatta takes place on Saturday and Sunday