A Ballet of Lepers
A Novel and Stories
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Canongate Books
Published:11th Oct '22
Should be back in stock very soon
This novel offers a unique look into Leonard Cohen's early creative journey, showcasing his exploration of themes like shame and longing through haunting narratives and insightful reflections that predate his later fame.
A Ballet of Lepers is an intriguing collection that provides a rare insight into the early works of Leonard Cohen, one of the most revered lyricists of our time. This novel, written between 1956 and 1961, captures the essence of Cohen's creative journey before he achieved global fame. At this stage, he was primarily focused on poetry and fiction, aspiring to literary recognition while grappling with themes that would later define his celebrated music.
The titular work, A Ballet of Lepers, serves as a profound exploration of complex emotions such as shame, longing, and desire. Cohen's narrative style is both haunting and evocative, allowing readers to delve into the psyche of his characters, many of whom echo aspects of Cohen himself. Alongside this novel, the collection includes fifteen short stories and a playscript, all of which showcase Cohen's ability to blend introspection with vivid storytelling.
Throughout A Ballet of Lepers, readers will find a meditative and provocative tone that reflects Cohen's artistic vision. The pieces reveal the underlying themes and struggles that permeate his later works, providing a deeper understanding of the man behind the music. This collection not only highlights Cohen's literary prowess but also invites readers to appreciate the intricate tapestry of emotions that shaped one of the greatest artists of our time.
A curious and compulsive examination of the boundaries of honesty and cruelty . . . Poetically astute and quite psychologically unhinged * * Guardian * *
The writing captures all the gorgeous poeticism that we have come to love about his music, as well as a youthful naivete and a playfulness, a rawness that I wouldn't have predicted. There's something so fun in seeing where this all began -- OTTESSA MOSHFEGH * * CNN, Best Books of the Year * *
A prose writer of considerable distinction . . . This collection of stories, along with a novella, is rich in the dark humour and lyricism that he brought to his records * * Observer * *
Cohen's lyrical flair and talent with words is apparent throughout * * Independent * *
Brooding, bitter and cut with potent humour * * Telegraph * *
The writing deals with themes that would come to feature prominently in his magnificent canon: alienation and sexual desire, cruelty, loneliness, the search for love. Dark and unsettling * * Daily Mail * *
A fascinating collection of Leonard Cohen's early fiction foreshadows motifs and concerns that the performer later mined across decades * * Observer * *
Veering between the grim and the grandiose, the melancholy and the melodramatic, these early fictions from charismatic Leonard Cohen . . . deal in ecstasy and existential agony with worldweary narrators yearning for an indefinable something * * Daily Mail Scotland * *
Cohen has a knack for keen observation and surprising renderings of human nature * * The Nation * *
Cohen's life and art have been dissected for years, but as this revealing volume proves, there are still new shades of him to discover * * Esquire * *
ISBN: 9781838852931
Dimensions: 240mm x 162mm x 27mm
Weight: 480g
272 pages
Main