A Ballet of Lepers

Before ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Suzanne’ and ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’, the young Leonard Cohen was a gifted writer of prose. In this previously unpublished work, readers will discover the magic that animated Cohen’s unique voice was present from the very beginning.

A Ballet of Lepers comprises Cohen’s first novel and short stories, written between 1956 in Montreal and 1961, when he had settled on the island of Hydra in Greece. The titular story follows a reclusive man whose life is invigorated when his grandfather comes to live with him. The book explores themes that would permeate Cohen’s later work, from shame and unworthiness to sexual desire and longing. Meditative, surprising and provocative, A Ballet of Lepers reveals the great artist like never before.