The Swedish John Cowper Powys Society

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Newsletter no. 10 – Editorial by Lars Gustaf Andersson When this Newsletter is published, most of you already know that Sven Erik Täckmark did pass away at the 27th of September, age 91. He was buried the 25th of October at The Woodland Cemetery, Stockholm. We mourn him but are grateful for his work. We have been reached by condolences from many friends, especially in Great Britain, where his achievements were admired. At the funeral service there was a beautiful wreath from the Powys Society in the British colours In order to celebrate the memory of Sven Erik this Newsletter contains some obituaries by Gunnar Lundin and Ritva Olofsson, and a short interview that Håkan Stockhaus made this summer. You can also read an essay by Gunnar Lundin on the ever intriguing novel Wolf Solent. In this very moment Mikael Nydahl is working on his revision of Sven Erik Täckmark’s translation of the Autobiography, maybe the most important challenge hitherto for the Swedish John Cowper Powys Society. The Board asks the members to kindly notify their e-mail addresses to the treasurer, Pertti Spets: pertti.spets@comhem.se. Do not forget our website, administered by Olof Björner: www.bjorner.com/powys.htm. Other important websites are www.powys-society.org (Powys Society) and www.powys-lannion.net (Jacqueline Peltier). More news about the Powys literature in next issue of the Newsletter! I cannot claim that I came to know Sven Erik Täckmark especially well during our time together in the John Cowper Powys Society. However, what I remember from our first meeting in his flat at Åsögatan, was his ability to move mentally from Corwen to Stockholm, from London to Weymouth, how happy-go-lucky he strolled between the decades, and at the same time always looked with great curiosity at the new world around him. He was one of the most unprejudiced persons I have ever met. In his obituary Gunnar tells about the hard and even tragic conditions that formed the life of Sven Erik, and how he yet seemed to live in peace with himself. This summer I came to read the diaries of John Cowper Powys. A sunny day in the beginning of the 1930s Powys noted:”[I]t’s possible to take hold of a great happiness like this so full of deep & liquid Peace & spread it out or sprinkle it out like Celestial Oil & Milk over hard hard days to come. This is a great secret. And I have learnt it. I learnt it from Tiresias who learnt it from Chiron the Centaur.” Sven Erik Täckmark knew that secret too.

This page updated 4 April 2012.