Book Review: Beautiful Losers (1966)

By Leonard Cohen
New Canadian Library, 280 pages

I selected this book because it was nominated by Canada Reads 2005. The book that won, RockBound by Frank Parker Day, had Atlantic Canadian dialogue, and i don't particularly enjoy deciphering accents.

There are many beautiful and profound parts in Beautiful Losers. I mainly read it for the nameless protagonist's (let's call him Leonard) relationship to a dead historical figure. How does one fall in love with and become consumed by a historic image? As Canada is haunted by a lack of history, retrieving and holding on to any history is a difficult imperative. Moreover, the violence of historic Canada is not an image we wish to immortalize, but sanitize.

As poetic as it sounds, Leonard's imagination of history fails to satisfy the 280 page story. Therefore, too frequently, Leonard will ask, "how's my dick doing?" (not kidding). No matter what happens, regardless of what situation, we would always get a check on his dick. Certainly, this strategy is interpreted as bringing religion and ritual down to the mundane... but puh-lease, once is plenty.

I'm a little concerned. I've read the nominations for Canada Reads 2006: Cocksure by Mordecai Richler?! We'll see what happens...