Discover the heartfelt stories in 'Lessons from My Father'

Educator Steve Anderson and well-known publisher and writer, Melinda Ferguson, recently released their book titled, Lessons from My Father.

Mr Anderson, from Tokai, is one of the deputy principals of Westerford High School in Newlands. He said that he pitched this idea for a story to Ms Ferguson, from Tygerberg, over a year ago. “She liked the idea, and we moved ahead from there, working in collaboration,” he said. 

Lessons from My Father consists of a selection of stories by prominent South Africans, detailing their fathers’ influence on their lives.

“Nine of the 32 stories in the book are by contributors whom Melinda 'got on board'; all but one of those are published writers. The book is compiled and edited by both of us,” he said.

Mr Anderson, who has been in education for more than 36 years, said the idea behind this book is a five-year project. In his long career, Mr Anderson has had many encounters with teenagers, who carry scars as a result of the failings of their fathers. 

“Many teens have an absent father, whether physically absent or sometimes absent from before or soon after the birth of their son or daughter, or "absent" on an emotional level,” he said. 

Mr Anderson said many children in the country live without a father, and this has wide ramifications on their children, and of course on the mother who is left to care for those children.

"A host of challenges can and do emerge, like anxiety, anger, and depression, and from that, the use and abuse of substances as a way to escape the pain."

Mr Anderson wants his readers to enjoy this book with the hope that men who read even a few of the stories will be inspired. “Hopefully, those who are fathers, and those who will one day become a fathers, will take some lessons passed on through a contributor’s story and apply them in their relationships,” he said.

Mr Anderson and Ms Ferguson had their book launch at a bookstore in Cavendish in October, where prominent figures like former Springbok coach, Nick Maller, former news anchor, Tracy Going, and Springbok scrumhalf, Herschel Jantjies’s father, Sammy Jantjies, were in attendance.

Lessons from My Father is available at all bookstores.