In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of In Cold Blood
Book Review: In Cold Blood Purchase
Summary: 5 Stars
I was happy happy in every way. The book was in stellar shape and came quickly! Thanks so much!Book Review: In Cold Blood in a new edition
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great read, a great novel, and a great edition. Capote's work, his illuminating approach to life, exemplified by the contrasts of the killers, the victims, and the hunters of the killers, is a great work of art.
The book reproduces the original 1965 edition and although the paper is not as heavy, it certainly beats the previous smaller Modern Library edition.
When will publishers learn that in order to compete with Brittany Spears, life, death, taxes, and childbirth, they need to give readers beautiful editions with real cloth covers and heavy cream paper, something to treasure. Not some cheap cardboard edition such as, say, my collected Ginsberg, which already is turning brown and edging out of the binding. I'd rather pay another dollar for a $50 book and get something that will stay intact.
Book Review: In Cold Blood: The Genesis of Creative Non-Fiction
Summary: 5 Stars
Written as an experiment in blending fiction, non-fiction, and journalism, Truman Capote succeeds in creating a new genre, known now as creative non-fiction, with In Cold Blood. His narrative horrifies, yet compels the reader to experience the 1959 real-life, savage murder of four members of the Clutter family by Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in the rural Kansas community of Holcomb. The reader comes to know the Clutter family and the murderers - particularly Perry Smith - until he or she "know[s] [them] better than they ever knew themselves." Capote masterfully transports the reader to the scene of the crime and the murderers through a literary structure not unlike toggling between computer programs via Windows in cyberspace today.
However, In Cold Blood is Capote's perspective of the tragedy visited upon the picture-perfect American family; through Capote, the American Dream seems not quite so idyllic, not quite so safe, not quite so innocent as it did before being shattered by the arrival of Smith and Hickock. While each death is described in gruesome enough detail, Capote doesn't dwell on the Clutter family murders; instead, the narrative refocuses on the murderers. Who were these guys? How could they have so viciously slaughtered almost an entire family for a few bucks and a grey plastic radio?
Through Capote, the reader comes to know what makes the murderers tick-tick-tick and then go off like a time bomb. The reader MIGHT come to empathize with them - especially with Smith, who was irreversibly damaged from years and years of physical and psychological abuse as a child. The reader MIGHT even come to question imposition of the death penalty, which is what Capote implicitly intends all along.
What makes this true crime narrative different than most - better than most - is the artist behind its creation. It is masterfully constructed of two parallel but incompatible worlds: one the American Dream and the other the American Nightmare.
Book Review: Incredible!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is remarkable. The details and intimate tone of the writing make you feel like an eye witness. And to that end, it is the most frightening book I have ever read.Book Review: Like it or not, this is a great book.
Summary: 5 Stars
I read "Breakfast at Tiffany's", as well as several of Capote's short stories, before all the recent hooplah over the biography, and the movie, and this book in particular. I was not disappointed. Even though I saw two versions of the book on film first, and then saw "Capote" the movie, the book was still great... far surpassing anything that has been committed to film.
It seems that Capote was one of his own biggest fans, fortunately he was right in his opinion of himself. He was, in fact, a great writer. His depth of research is commendable, but it is his groundbreaking style that gets five gold stars. It reads like a well written novel because that's what it is, yet all the time you are thinking, "my gosh, this is all true!" The humanness of the two murders comes through so clearly that you may find yourself wanting to have sympathy or compassion for them, but you can't because you can't get the horrible reality of the crime out of your mind. I recently spent the night at the home of a friend. The house was dark and secluded and all too quiet. I found myself thinking much the same thing as many of the peripheral characters in this story thought... "are the doors locked?" Perhaps that in itself is testimony to how good this book is
After "Breakfast..." and "In Cold Blood" I am now a fan. Do yourself a favor and read Capote. The great thing it's not hard to read everything he wrote because he didn't write all that much... and this is a pity because his work is so damn good.