Books by and for independent women

Banned Books: George Miles Cycle by Dennis Cooper

Dennis Cooper’s George Miles Cycle is a series of five novels which span over a decade, and which Cooper apparently began planning at the tender age of just fifteen. The first novel in the series, Closer, was published in 1989, with the final instalment, Period, not released until 2000.

Never one to shy away from controversial topics, the George Miles Cycle books include graphic scenes of violence, paedophilia, mutilation, necrophilia and other extreme sexual fantasy, with one article reporting that “the description of the sexual murdering of young men is a melange of blood and slippery internal organs, too unappetising to quote.” Despite accusations from critics of being unnecessarily gratuitous in his depictions of extreme sexual fantasy, murder and exploitation, the George Miles Cycle was also raved about by other literary scholars for its focus on such intricate and complex themes as the mutation of identity, inadequacy of language and authorial paradox.

In Guide, the fourth novel in the George Miles Cycle, Cooper includes a scene in which Alex Johns, the bassist of band named Smear, is drugged and then violently raped to within an inch of his life, an event recounted in graphic detail. Alex James, bassist for Britpop darlings Blur, freaked out when he heard about this, and perhaps unsurprisingly turned down an invitation to meet and interview Cooper about it. Cooper’s hardcore and famously devoted fanbase lapped this up, whilst Blur fans reacted with squeamish indignation. The controversy that ensued meant that Cooper, who previous to this had nowhere near the same degree of notoriety in the UK as he had with American audiences, became infamous on a much more global scale. Whilst the George Miles Cycle wasn’t banned as such, it’s been included in this series because of Cooper’s inimitable ability to divide opinion and provoke heated debate. And because Blur probably wish it had been banned to save Alex James’ discomfort at being questioned about it in interviews.

Post by Jane Bradley