Ballet of Lepers

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
Post Reply
Murray Hill
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:43 am
Location: Montreal

Ballet of Lepers

Post by Murray Hill »

Hey everyone,
in the collection we are using in my Canadian poetry class, a brief biography of Leonard Cohen mentions an unpublished novel called 'Ballet of Lepers'. Do any of you lovely people know what this is? Is it simply another version of 'Beauty at Close Quarters', an early version of The Favourite Game? Any light shed on this would be appreciated. 8)
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

Or, perhaps, a first choice for a title for Beautiful Losers?
Murray Hill
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:43 am
Location: Montreal

Post by Murray Hill »

Perhaps but it says that he wrote it upon returning to Montreal after dropping out of Columbia. So I assume that it predates even Favourite Game not to mention Beautiful Losers.
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Post by lizzytysh »

OK, I see what you're saying, Murray. If you know and have lined up all the dates and they work out like that, then the mystery certainly continues :? . I was thinking strictly in terms of an unpublished manuscript, not knowing when it was written vs. when it was published, and under what name.

~ Lizzy
User avatar
Byron
Posts: 3171
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert

Post by Byron »

Margaret will know. Be patient. She doesn't use and has never used Google or any other search engines for her research. She uses her vast library and knowledge of lc. So, like I say. Be patient. 8)
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
User avatar
linmag
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2002 10:10 pm
Location: Gloucester, UK
Contact:

Post by linmag »

Murray,
According to Ira Nadel's biography "Various Positions", Ballet of Lepers was first completed in 1957, and was rejected by two publishers. It had some themes in common with Beautiful Losers (and Energy of Slaves), but was not an early version of it.

I hope this helps.
Linda

1972: Leeds, 2008: Manchester, Lyon, London O2, 2009: Wet Weybridge, 2012: Hop Farm/Wembley Arena
User avatar
Byron
Posts: 3171
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert

Post by Byron »

Linmag, well done. I knew I'd read it somewhere. :D
pp58-9, 60, 117.
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
User avatar
linmag
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2002 10:10 pm
Location: Gloucester, UK
Contact:

Post by linmag »

Thanks for giving the page references, Byron. I should have thought to do that.
Linda

1972: Leeds, 2008: Manchester, Lyon, London O2, 2009: Wet Weybridge, 2012: Hop Farm/Wembley Arena
User avatar
Byron
Posts: 3171
Joined: Tue Nov 26, 2002 3:01 pm
Location: Mad House, Eating Tablets, Cereals, Jam, Marmalade and HONEY, with Albert

Post by Byron »

I'm your devoted page, mylady. :)
"Bipolar is a roller-coaster ride without a seat belt. One day you're flying with the fireworks; for the next month you're being scraped off the trolley" I said that.
Murray Hill
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:43 am
Location: Montreal

Post by Murray Hill »

thank you Linmag for your response and Byron for the exact reference. Interesting that the ideas for Beautiful Losers and Energy of Slaves were floating around his head so early on....
Post Reply

Return to “Leonard Cohen's poetry and novels”