John Cowper Powys was an influential English writer, philosopher, and lecturer known for his extensive and eclectic body of work, which spans novels, poetry, philosophy, and literary criticism. Born on October 8, 1872, in Derbyshire, England, Powys was the eldest of eleven children in a family deeply rooted in the literary and academic world. His father, Charles Francis Powys, was a clergyman, while his brothers, Llewelyn Powys and T. F. Powys, also became notable writers.
After attending various schools, including Sherborne School, Powys went on to study at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he did not complete his degree. His time at Cambridge was marked by his engagement with literature and philosophy, which would profoundly influence his later works.
Post-university, Powys embarked on a career as a lecturer for the American Lecture Bureau, traveling extensively across the United States. This period was crucial for his development as a writer; his experiences in America fed into his philosophical and literary works. His lectures often focused on literature, philosophy, and the human condition, themes that would recur in his novels.
Powys's work has often been described as visionary and unique for its time. His novels, with their deep psychological insights and philosophical undertones, have influenced many later writers, although he was not widely recognized during his lifetime. His emphasis on the mystical and the personal, combined with his exploration of the human psyche, has made him a precursor to modern literary movements like Magical Realism and Postmodernism.
Powys had a complicated personal life, marked by several romantic relationships and marriages. He eventually settled in Corwen, Wales, where he lived with Phyllis Playter, his companion and muse, until his death on June 17, 1963.