Chris van Wyk

CHRIS VAN WYK (19 July 1957 to 3 October 2014) was born in Soweto and educated at Riverlea High School. He lived in Riverlea for many years before moving to Northcliff, Johannesburg, where he worked as a full-time writer. Van Wyk was an award-winning and internationally published writer of poetry, books for children and teenagers, short stories and novels. Shirley, Goodness & Mercy: A Childhood Memoir, first published in 2004 to critical acclaim, was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award and became a South African bestseller. Eggs to Lay, Chickens to Hatch: A Memoir (2010) followed with more entertaining and colourful stories drawn from Van Wyk’s childhood.