Bernt-Olov Andersson was born on a winter day in 1947 in a red cottage right in the middle of the snowy Swedish forests. Since twenty years he is an established author and playwriter, being a member of The Swedish Author Association and the Playwriter Association. He made his real début with the poem collection Mellan hammarslag och bandbyte (Between hammer-strokes and change of belts) in 1978. It builds on the author´s own experiences as a steel mill worker and a carpenter. However, it is for his novels and plays that Bernt-Olov Andersson has attracted the most attention.

First Min älskade slaktare (My beloved butcher) 1988 and Agitatorerna (<The agitators) 1991, but most of all Syrenernas tid ( Lilac time) in 1995. His most widely known play is called Argentisk likör (Argentine Liquor) and it was performed in about fifty different places all over Sweden in 1995.

Bernt-Olov Andersson has received many prizes and scholarships. Among those are The Fröding Scholarship from the Authors Association, a cultural scholarship from the largest Swedish trade union, and the Martin Koch Prize.

This author is open to different suggestions and he is delighted to write plays and various forms of texts for different media. He often lectures about his writing, and he is also knowledgeable about Swedish labor literature and folk music. Sometimes he participates in programs with different folk musicians.

Reviews about My beloved butcher. The plot is set in the countryside in Sweden during the 1950's.

The best that has happened in this genre for a very long time Bosse Ek, NA
Sweden has been given a new, great author Åke Bergman, NLT


The agitators is taking place during the year of 1909. It starts off in Constantinople, Turkey, and it ends at Narvik, Norway. The main part of the story is set in Sweden. The models for the main characters are two of the pioneers of the Swedish labor movement.

Occasionally there have been different attempts to dramatize - in the form of a novel - episodes from the history of the labor movement, with varying success. 'The Agitators' by Bernt-Olov Andersson is among the best that I have read. Lennart Bromander, AB

A Swedish Upton Sinclair - although better Bertil Johansson, VF

A sensation! Björn Widegren, GD

Reviews about Argentine Liquor I haven't had such a delightful theatre experience for many, many years NV

Bernt-Olov Andersson has written an amazingly apt and tragicomic play. , SDT
When I see the type of play that Argentine Liquor exemplifies, I am happy. The play is a warm, inspiring and colorful experience., NN

Syrenernas tid. (Lilac time) Gidlunds, 1995 and Som en lilja (As a lily) in 1997

You are most welcome to contact Bernt-Olov Andersson by e-mail.

Short report by translator Laurie Thompson,
Bronygaer, Llanybydder, Dyfed, Wales SA40 9SA,
Tel&Fax 01570 480373