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The Favourite Game
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The Favourite Game Mass market paperbound - 1994

by Leonard Cohen; Afterword by Paul Quarrington


Summary

This warm and lyrical semi-autobiographical first novel by singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen charts the coming of age of Lawrence Breavman, the only son of a Jewish Montreal family.'Children show scars like medals. Lovers use them as secrets to reveal. A scar is what happens when the world is made flesh.'Lawrence Breavman seeks two things: love and beauty. Beginning with the innocent games of delicious misadventure with first love Lisa and the absorbing wanders through Montreal with best friend Krantz, Breavman's tale is a distant echo of 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' – injected with 1960s aesthetics and Cohen's unique poetry. As Breavman grows into a young man, the emerging writer continues his quest for beauty and love, finding himself in the arms of Shell and a burgeoning realisation of his own talent for appreciating majesty in the grotesque. Semi-autobiographical, the angst and beauty of Cohen's voice deftly channel the painful confusion of the journey into adulthood, and the friendships, wars and lovers that are our guides.

From the publisher

In this unforgettable novel, Leonard Cohen boldly etches the youth and early manhood of Lawrence Breavman, only son of an old Jewish family in Montreal. Life for Breavman is made up of dazzling colour a series of motion pictures fed through a high-speed projector: the half-understood death of his father; the adult games of love and war, with their infinite capacity for fantasy and cruelty; his secret experiments with hypnotism; the night-long adventures with Krantz, his beloved comrade and confidant. Later, achieving literary fame as a college student, Breavman does penance through manual labour, but ultimately flees to New York. And although he has loved the bodies of many women, it is only when he meets Shell, whom he awakens to her own beauty, that he discovers the totality of love and its demands, and comes to terms with the sacrifices he must make."

Details

  • Title The Favourite Game
  • Author Leonard Cohen; Afterword by Paul Quarrington
  • Binding Mass Market Paperbound
  • Edition Later Printing
  • Pages 240
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher New Canadian Library, Toronto
  • Date 1994
  • ISBN 9780771099540 / 0771099541
  • Weight 0.27 lbs (0.12 kg)
  • Dimensions 6.9 x 4.21 x 0.52 in (17.53 x 10.69 x 1.32 cm)
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

“Is there any Canadian novel as compelling and as good at capturing youthful anxieties as J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye? Absolutely.…Leonard Cohen’s first novel, The Favourite Game.…One of the 10 best Canadian novels of the 20th century.…”
Globe and Mail (January 2000)

The Favourite Game is a morally brave book, intimate and unflinching.…Leonard Cohen sustains the highest level of poetic craftsmanship throughout.”
— Paul Quarrington

“He is a writer of terrific energy and colour, a Rabelaisian comic and a visualiser of some memorable scenes.”
The Observer (U.K.)

“It is the kind of book that becomes a law unto itself, simply because there is nothing with which to compare it.”
Calgary Albertan

About the author

Leonard Cohen was born in Montreal in 1934. He received his B.A. from McGill University and pursued graduate studies in English at Columbia University. Soon thereafter, he returned to Montreal and worked in his family s clothing business while he continued to write poetry.
His artistic career began in 1956 with the publication of Let Us Compare Mythologies. He has published nine collections of poetry, most recently, Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs (1993), and two novels, The Favourite Game (1963)and Beautiful Losers (1966). During the sixties he achieved national and international acclaim as a composer-singer. He has made seventeen albums, the latest being Dear Heather (2004). Numerous tribute albums, in many languages, have celebrated his songs.
Cohen was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991, and promoted to the rank of Companion in 2003. He received the Governor General s Performing Arts Award in 1993, and has won numerous Juno Awards."
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Favourite Game
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Favourite Game

by Leonard Cohen

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

by Cohen, Leonard

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McClelland & Stewart, 1994. Mass Market Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

by Cohen, Leonard

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Favorite Game (New Canadian Library)
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Favorite Game (New Canadian Library)

by Leonard Cohen

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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

by Leonard Cohen

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Tight, clean and unmarked-" In this unforgettable novel, Leonard Cohen boldly etches the youth and early manhood of Lawrence Breavman, the only son of an old Jewish family in Montreal. Life for Breavman is made up of dazzling colour a series of motion pictures fed through a high-speed projector: the half-understood death of his father; the adult games of love and war, with their infinite capacity for fantasy and cruelty; his secret experiments with hypnotism; the night-long adventures with Krantz, his beloved comrade and confidant. Later, achieving literary fame as a college student, Breavman does penance through manual labor but ultimately flees to New York. And although he has loved the bodies of many women, it is only when he meets Shell, whom he awakens to her own beauty, that he discovers the totality of love and its demands, and comes to terms with the sacrifices he must make.-Paperback, 240 pages Published May 1st, 1994 by New Canadian Library (first published 1963)
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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

Cohen, Leonard

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The Favourite Game

by Cohen, Leonard

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada : McClelland & Stewart, 1994. Paperback. Very Good. In Very Good Used Condition. With Two Creases On Back Cover. Otherwise Barely Read. May Have Minor Shelf Wear To Edges. For More Information On Condition. Please See All Photos. ~ New Canadian Library In This Unforgettable Novel, Leonard Cohen Boldly Etches The Youth And Early Manhood Of Lawrence Breavman, Only Son Of An Old Jewish Family In Montreal. Life For Breavman Is Made Up Of Dazzling Colour - A Series Of Motion Pictures Fed Through A High-Speed Projector: The Half-Understood Death Of His Father; The Adult Games Of Love And War, With Their Infinite Capacity For Fantasy And Cruelty; His Secret Experiments With Hypnotism; The Night-Long Adventures With Krantz, His Beloved Comrade And Confidant. Later, Achieving Literary Fame As A College Student, Breavman Does Penance Through Manual Labour, But Ultimately Flees To New York. And Although He Has Loved The Bodies Of Many Women, It Is Only When He Meets Shell,… Read More
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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)
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The Favourite Game (New Canadian Library)

by Cohen, Leonard

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780771099540 / 0771099541
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McClelland & Stewart, 1994-01-01. Paperback. New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title!
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