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.In Cold Blood : A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences (Penguin Modern Classics)

by: Truman Capote

February 03, 2000
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote was published in 1966, and is based on events that happened almost fifty years ago. The events were real. This is not a work of fiction. The Clutters, an appropriately surnamed Kansas family, have their own complications within their rambling homestead. What family doesn't? Clutter the father is a farmer. Who isn't in these parts? Life is not so productive of late. Whose is? The two younger children, a daughter and a son, still live in. The others have left, happily.

And then, in November 1959, the four Clutters are found gagged, apart from the mother, all with their throats cut and their brains blown out by shotgun fire. The community is in turmoil. No-one can explain why anyone might have wanted ... Read More:
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.Breakfast at Tiffany's

by: Truman Capote

September 03, 1998
The story of this novel is in fact an instant one day remembered by Holly Golightly's neighbor (the narrator), when passing by the apartment he first rented at the beginning of his career, in New York as a writer.
Paradoxically, is with sadness and joy that he remembers Holly and the most relevant episodes of her life while living next door to her; a life lived everyday over the top as a party girl and semi-celebrity, with some ups and downs in between; as a person, being always unconventional and independent and as a friend, loyal, funny and a constant mystery.
Miss Golightly's hopes and dreams were big, usually involving celebrities, luxury and diamonds but by other hand, many times she revealed to be a very simple if not, quite a naïve ... Read More:
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.In Cold Blood: A True Account of A Multiple Murder and Its Consequences (Essential Penguin)

by: Truman Capote

September 03, 1998
This book is horrifying in its subject matter and as such I felt almost guilty to be reading it. Should I be reading for recreation something so real and horrific, about real suffering. On the other hand the prose is utterly fabulous, the writing completely compelling, and the characterisations utterly believeable. In some ways it felt like Lolita and American Psycho, admittedly those were works of fiction, but I had the same feeling of guilt to be reading something so well written about something so awful.

This is just such an American book, in the sheer power and momentum of the writing. It is also a direct descendent of Steinbeck, and is unfortunately an ancestor of some of the more grisly (although vastly lesser) contemporary US crime fiction.
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.Breakfast at Tiffany's: WITH House of Flowers (Penguin Modern Classics)

by: Truman Capote

April 27, 2000
Breakfast at Tiffany's takes its cue from Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Both are short, beautifully written New York novels in which semi-invisible narrators wrestle with more self-indulgent characters, who take centre stage - and with whom the narrators enjoy ambiguous, shifting relationships.

In fact, the narrator in Breakfast at Tiffany's is so invisible he doesn't even have a name - apart from those the central character, Holly Golightly, gives him. The novel is a hymn to Holly - the narrator desperately wants to understand her, just as Nick Carraway struggles to understand Gatsby. Ultimately, though, hero and narrator are too different, with the heroes in both novels behaving exactly as heroes do: bolder, more inventive and almost certainly less stable ... Read More:
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.The Complete Stories (Penguin Classics)

by: Truman Capote

June 30, 2005
I bought this book on a whim whilst looking for something to read on holiday. My only exposure to Mr Capote prior to this was the film 'Breakfast At Tiffanys' which I am not a particular fan of. I bought the book anyway and I am glad I did. This is short story writing of the highest calibre. Forthright, sometimes bordering on the corny (in a pleasing Americana way) and occasionally downright creepy (A Tree of night). The stories are presented in order of date from the 40's right up to the 70's and as such you are able to see the development of the author. Right from the start it is clear that here we have a rare talent. I really liked this and heartily recommend anyone to read it.

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.In Cold Blood (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics)

by: Truman Capote

April 29, 1993
Do not read the reviews on this page.

CAN AMAZON PLEASE REVIEW ENTRIES SO THAT IT DOES NOT ALLOW CRITICISMS WHICH SPOIL A BOOK BY GIVING AWAY THE ENTIRE PLOT AND ENDING?
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.Music for Chameleons: New Writing (Penguin Modern Classics)

by: Truman Capote

January 25, 2001
This is the best collection of short stories I've ever read and I urge everyone to give this a go even if you haven't read short stories before. The preface too is brilliant, Capote explains what it is to him to be a writer and I just wish some of todays 'bestselling writers' had read this before they put pen to paper. The short story of the title music for chameleons is wonderfully written, so descriptive and touching. Mojave too is stunning writing. The story Handcarved Coffins is based on a real life crime and although I understand what he was trying to do I have to say that personally it was my least favourite. Beautiful Child is about Marilyn and captures the complexity of her character and life so well.
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.Other Voices, Other Rooms (Penguin Modern Classics)

by: Truman Capote

May 27, 2004
This is the best collection of short stories I've ever read and I urge everyone to give this a go even if you haven't read short stories before. The preface too is brilliant, Capote explains what it is to him to be a writer and I just wish some of todays 'bestselling writers' had read this before they put pen to paper. The short story of the title music for chameleons is wonderfully written, so descriptive and touching. Mojave too is stunning writing. The story Handcarved Coffins is based on a real life crime and although I understand what he was trying to do I have to say that personally it was my least favourite. Beautiful Child is about Marilyn and captures the complexity of her character and life so well.
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.A Capote Reader (Penguin Modern Classics)

by: Truman Capote

February 28, 2002
While this collection does not include "In Cold Blood", "Other Voices, Other Rooms" or "Answered Prayers" it includes most of Capote's short stories and travel sketeches, reportage and two novels including "Breakfast at Tiffanys". The mix of long and short pieces make it an excellent travel read. A highly recommended introduction to the man's work.
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.In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences (Vintage International)

by: Truman Capote

1994-02
It started with a few sentences in the back of The New York Times about a seemingly senseless murder in Kansas. Truman Capote read this brief article and decided to invent a completely new genre of writing, the non-fiction novel. This book is the result of Capote's research with Harper Lee and moved the murders of the Clutter family from the back of The NY Times to the front of the bestseller lists.

The book starts by introducing us to Herb Clutter and his family. Capote builds a description of a decent, kind, generous, respected, and hardworking family. Although Capote built a reputation as a flamboyant character, he shows enormous respect for the Clutters. Inter-weaved with his description of the Clutters is his description of the two men, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, who are about to destroy this ... Read More:
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