Description

A neverbeforepublished early novel and stories by the legendary musician songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen

The pieces in this collection written between 1956 and 1961 and including short fiction a radio play and a stunning early novel offer startling insights into Cohens imagination and creative process Cohen explores themes that would permeate his later work from shame and unworthiness to sexual desire in all its sacred and profane dimensions to longing whether for love family freedom or transcendence The titular novel A Ballet of Lepersone he later remarked was probably a better novel than his celebrated book The Favourite Gameis a haunting examination of these elements in tandem focusing on toxic relationships and the lengths to which one will go to maintain them while the fifteen stories as well as the playscript probe the inner demons of his characters many of whom could function as standins for the author himself Cohens work is meditative and surprising offering playful provocative and penetrating glimpses into the worldweary lives of his characters and a window into the early art of a storytelling master

A Ballet of Lepers vivid in its detail unsparing in its gaze reveals the great artist and visceral genius as never seen before