Leonard Cohen: previously unpublished novel to be released in autumn

[Born With The Gift Of A G]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/ ... -in-autumn


https://groveatlantic.com/book/a-ballet-of-lepers/

[ThanksfortheTrouble]

Just saw this, too..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballet-Lepers- ... 117&sr=8-1

[Maarten]

The Guardian (from the link above)

A Ballet of Lepers

Leonard Cohen: previously unpublished novel to be released in autumn
Written in 1956, A Ballet of Lepers will be published alongside other short fiction and a radio play from Cohen’s early career

A previously unpublished novel by Leonard Cohen is due for publication this autumn.

Written in Montreal in 1956 – the year Cohen published his first poetry collection – A Ballet of Lepers focuses on “toxic relationships and the lengths one will go to maintain them”, according to a press release.

As detailed in the Cohen biography Various Positions by Ira B Nadel, the 91-page book “tells the story of a 35-year-old sales clerk who takes in his elderly grandfather” to live together in a cramped boarding house … The grandfather is given to fits of violence, and the narrator (who remains unnamed) finds an awakening violence within himself.”

It opens with the lines: “My grandfather came to live with me. There was nowhere else for him to go. What had happened to all his children? Death, decay, exile – I hardly know.”

The novel demonstrated “a growing sense of Jewish history and tragedy”, wrote Nadel, a theme that would develop in Cohen’s subsequent poetry, and reflected the “difficulties that Cohen faced with his own senile grandfather, although without the degree of violence”.

The book was originally rejected by two publishers. Cohen, who died in 2016, once said that A Ballet of Lepers was “probably a better novel” than his celebrated first novel, The Favourite Game, published in 1963.

The new publication of the novel will be accompanied by 15 short stories and the script for a radio play from Cohen’s archives, all written between 1956 and 1961, and titled A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories.

The works explore themes “from shame and unworthiness to sexual desire in all its sacred and profane dimensions to longing, whether for love, family, freedom, or transcendence”, and “probe the inner demons of his characters, many of whom could function as stand-ins for the author himself.”

The collection was assembled by Cohen scholar Alexandra Pleshoyano, who has written an afterword.

Robert Kory, trustee of the Leonard Cohen family trust, said: “Leonard said before his death that his life’s true masterwork was his archive, which he kept meticulously for the benefit of fans and scholars one day to discover. I’m pleased that, with this book, his readers and listeners can begin that rich journey.”

Canongate will publish A Ballet of Lepers: A Novel and Stories in the UK on 11 October 2022.

[lizzytysh]

This is far beyond exciting. Major thanks to Robert Kory and to Alexandra Pleshoyano, who compiled it all!!

[panjandrum]

Oh, wow!

[B4real]

https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... ers#p88673

On Monday, June 4th, Dick & Linda Straub, Vern Silver, Evelyn Stein and I made our way over to the University of Toronto campus for a visit to the Cohen archives in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Room.
......we were able to look through the typed manuscript of "Ballet of Lepers" in which Leonard had hand numbered the chapters.

Joe, tell us more, if you can

[bigdee]

This is great news! Even better Robert Kory all but said there will be more stuff coming in the future and with Leonard's blessings too!! At least that's how I interpret his statement since he says LC said before he died in regards to his archive "...fans and scholars to one day discover". And Robert followed that up with "with this book...begin that rich journey". Leonard would not use words like "fans to one day discover" and Robert would not use the phrase "begin the journey" if either were talking about the already released works since we already have discovered them and have taken that journey while LC was here with us. So this must be the beginning of whatever there is hidden in the archives to start being released. I hope the team in charge of making the decisions mixes it up and releases some new archival music recordings too from time to time and not just all of the written stuff first. The 10 CDs worth of 1967 "Songs of LC" session recordings that were briefly up on Apple Music a few years ago would make a nice place to start for a 1st in a series of music archive box sets releases in my opinion

[Citizen_Kane]

Hi all,

Great news!

Perhaps there's a link between this and the two previously unknown collections of Cohen's literary works that were registered by Kory & Rice last year. For more information: https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... =3&t=39381

Kind regards,

[DennisBerlin]

(...)
Perhaps there's a link between this and the two previously unknown collections of Cohen's literary works that were registered by Kory & Rice last year. For more information: https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... =3&t=39381

(...)

That's what I think, too.
That's absolutely amazing news. I never thought that ever would happen.

Dennis

[Joe Way]

https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... ers#p88673

On Monday, June 4th, Dick & Linda Straub, Vern Silver, Evelyn Stein and I made our way over to the University of Toronto campus for a visit to the Cohen archives in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Room.
......we were able to look through the typed manuscript of "Ballet of Lepers" in which Leonard had hand numbered the chapters.

Joe, tell us more, if you can

Bev,
I just saw the news today about the release. The day we visited the Library there were so many interesting items that we didn’t spend a lot of time on any single one. I had thought about going back and spending more time there, but alas it never happened. I really look forward to reading it. Considering that it was written the same year as his excellent first volume of poetry, it sounds promising.

Joe

[B4real]

Thanks, Joe for responding.
I think I would’ve had the same reaction to viewing all of that previously unseen info altogether in the one place. We’ll just have to wait now until October. It’s so nice to be able to utilize the “P” word again

Yes, Citizen_Kane and Dennis,
I was thinking along the same lines and remembering our conversation in that link. Maybe the items mentioned there are sitting alongside The Ballet of Lepers in the same box at The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Uni of Toronto.
They could be publishing LC’s archives starting from Box 1 which officially lists as containing:
Unpublished prose fragments.
Unpublished short stories.
The Ballet of Lepers – unpublished novel.
(Note: the latter is called 'The' not 'A' Ballet of Lepers in the official list and as a novel only)

I’m also remembering now that Box 13 was sealed and could only be opened after LC’s death and the same condition applies to the authors of the letters….. hummn….
I know I’ve said this before but it really is so much fun to speculate

[musicmania]

Feeling completely desolate yesterday morning, about the current chaos and confusion on our planet, while listening to Leonard, I thought to myself how much I miss him, and that I wish he was still here to help us navigate the awfulness that is around. The announcement of this book could not have came at a better time.
I also had the pleasure of spending a day in the university reading some of the vast treasure throve. I can't be sure if I read any of this book, but I did read a few of the short stories. There was one in particular that he'd written a few versions of. I can't remember the name of it, but I will recognise the story if it is released.

[JJR]

This is very welcome news. I do hope it's a signal that the LC archive is about to be opened up, at a dignified pace. We know there is a lot of unreleased music in the vaults, much of which would do great service to the LC legacy. Let's hope some of this material appears before the original LC fanbase disappears!

[B4real]

Gwen,
I'm with you on your thoughts about the world today and Leonard.
Also, I remember our conversation about your visit to the Thomas Fisher Library.
Yes, it's nice to have something to look forward to.

JJR, Indeed, let's hope so!

[tomsakic]

Perhaps there's a link between this and the two previously unknown collections of Cohen's literary works that were registered by Kory & Rice last year. For more information: https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... =3&t=39381

I'd say that is it - but in far better version of the project. The idea of having the first (abandoned) novel with the rest of the prose pieces and fragments makes it much substantial book to release.

Now, let's hope that another abandoned novel My Life in Art / Woman Being Born, from the 1970s, is coming next.