BOOK REVIEW | Chris van Wyk – Irascible Genius

A son’s memoir

By Kevin van Wyk

When he died in 2014, author Chris van Wyk left behind an impressive literary legacy.

The scope of his work was broad – poetry, children’s books, short stories and biographies. But perhaps he is best remembered for his memoir Shirley, Goodness & Mercy, which chronicles his growing up in Riverlea and introduces us to the colourful characters who helped to shape his life and inform the stories he wrote.

Behind the scenes into the Van Wyk household

The public persona of this witty and wise raconteur was well known, but behind it was a family man, who liked nothing better than to spend time with his two sons Kevin and Karl, his wife and childhood sweetheart Kathy, and the friends and family who were his primary sources of inspiration.

Using the unique vantage point of oldest son, Kevin van Wyk’s astute observations of his father and the strong bond they enjoyed throughout Chris’s life have resulted in a memoir that is as affectionate as it is entertaining.

In taking us behind the scenes into the Van Wyk household, we witness the inner workings of the mind of a storyteller, from the flowering of his father’s activism, wit and wisdom to the sources of his occasional quirky outbursts. If storytelling runs in the genes, Kevin may just be proof that his father’s spirit lives on.

About the author

Kevin van Wyk grew up in Riverlea and attended schools in Riverlea, Coronationville and Parktown. He studied law at the University of Witwatersrand and formally qualified as an attorney in 2005. Kevin practised as an attorney for three years, after which he moved into the corporate sector as a legal adviser, holding a variety of positions in the banking, hospitality and telecommunication sectors.

Chris van Wyk – Irascible Genius shares the stories that are closest to Kevin’s heart, reflecting the richness and diversity of experiences shared with him by family and friends.