Headline: The family man behind the raconteur
Subheading: Kevin van Wyk pays tribute to his witty and wise father, the late author Chris van Wyk, in his tender and affectionate memoir ‘Irascible Genius’
Quote: By taking us into the Van Wyk household, we get to understand the mind of a storyteller and learn about the flowering of his father’s activism, as well as his wit and wisdom and the sources of his occasionally quirky outbursts
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 chronicled his growing up in Riverlea and introduced us to the colourful characters who helped shape his life and inform the stories he wrote.
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 their friends and family, who were his primary source of inspiration.
Told from his vantage point as the eldest son, Kevin van Wyk’s astute observations about his father and the strong bond they enjoyed throughout his life have resulted in a memoir that is as affectionate as it is entertaining. By taking us into the Van Wyk household, we get to understand the mind of a storyteller and learn about the flowering of his father’s activism, as well as his wit and wisdom and the sources of his occasionally quirky outbursts. It seems storytelling is in the genes, and Kevin may just be proof that his father’s spirit lives on.
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