I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of journalistic integrity. When does the journalist step beyond his role as observer and become part of the story? And...Should the journalist do so and thus change outcomes? Disturbingly provocative in many ways.

Gorgeous prose, 23 Oct 2008
There is no doubt Capote was a man of rare ability. One of his contempories - Norman Mailer - described Truman as: "The most beautiful writer of my generation." Mailer had an impeccable ego (roughly, the size of Kansas), so any praise from him was to be taken seriously.

And Truman's book is a serious one; six years in the researching and writing, it was a labour of love; or, perhaps, obsession.

What is the point of talking about this book? It is a famous book, one that made Capote's name, and is an example of the writing style called "New Journalism", the creative style merged with factual reporting, but what makes it great, a classic?

The story is horrific: a multiple murder for no gain, no more than forty or fifty dollars, and the killers drove eight hundred miles overnight to perpetrate it; so why did they bother? That was one of two questions I had; the other was: how did they get caught?

What else is there? We know they murder the family and we know they get hanged for it, there's not a lot of mystery here.

The killers are wasters; just drifting bums with no morality glueing the seperate parts of their brain together, yet Capote paints one in a sympathetic light, and leaves the other to appear evil in his friends reflection.

Poor old Perry Smith; he had a crappy life and no-one loved him, so its no surprise he turned out like he did, is it?

But wild Dick Hickock, why, he was a murdering monster: a man vomited straight from the devil's gut onto the earth.

Capote tells us (more than once) how Smith stopped Hickock raping Nancy Clutter during the robbery. Smith was obviously a man of rare self-control.

It's a shame he didn't have the self-control to stop himself obliterating her head with a .12 gauge shotgun.

The imbalance in Capote's portraits is ridiculous.

And the killers are the author's main focus, they are what and who he was interested in, not the victims.

This is worth buying and worth reading, if nothing else, for the privilege of reading Truman's gorgeous prose.



Four shotgun blasts that changed a town forever!, 05 Oct 2008
Recently re-read this disturbing factional story of unspeakable horror after some thirty odd years, re-visiting the pain of Holcomb, the scene of the tragic, senseless snuffing out of the Clutters. Contoversial on its publication due to its blending of fact and fiction, a hybrid composite that had not been done before, Capote's "In Cold Blood" reconstucts, in all their brutal detail, the 1959 grisly, cold-blooded murder of the Clutter family on their farm in the plains of western Kansas when four shotgun blasts changed the town of Holcomb forever. This fictionalising of real events, coupled with imagined dialogue between real-life characters, broke new ground and established Capote as the inventor of True Crime 'non-fiction' novels.

Capote's meticulous reconstruction of the tragedy covers the lead-up to the gruesome murders and the aftermath. In the lead-up, Capote builds suspense and tension by cross-cutting intermittently between descriptions of the routine domestic life of the Clutters in their small farming community near Holcomb and the unstable lives of drifters Smith and Hickock - what's chilling is their humaness in the picture Capote draws - as they drift cross-country towards Holcomb. The aftermath comprehensively covers the search for and apprehension of the killers and their subsequent trial and incarceration on death row. WARNING - the amoral Perry Smith may make your blood run cold!

Capote's case-study is concerned not just with the who of the crime but the why, probing into every facet of the lives of the killers, the background influences that shaped them, taking us into their minds to give us the opportunity to get to know them, exploring the psyche of the criminal mind to discover the psychological motivation that can turn men into monsters. A forerunner of classic true-crime titles such as "Fatal Vision" by Joe McGinnis, "Blood and Money" by Thomas Thomson" and "Daddy's Girl" by Clifford Irvine, "In Cold Blood" is itself, an American classic and one of the best American books of the 20th Century.

Masterpiece of crime writing, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book over several weeks yet every time I picked it up I was able to get straight back into the story. I think this is slightly due to the style of writing giving out accurate information in a chronological order similar to a long running news story.

Capote's writing is always brilliant whatever he writes about. There is no word wasted here, no over the top descriptions just a very gripping true story told from every angle. He doesnt judge anyone involved but gives enough detail to make you sympathise 'almost' with the killers.

Before reading this book the only story I knew of Kansas was the Wizard of OZ which also evokes the huge plains where farming is the main source of income, windy and lonesome with god fearing, hard working farming folk making a living. Then one night this terrible crime takes place. Capote relives each and every minute of the crime, the getaway, eventual capture and the court hearing and outcome. A great book in every way.

I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of journalistic integrity. When does the journalist step beyond his role as observer and become part of the story? And...Should the journalist do so and thus change outcomes? Disturbingly provocative in many ways.

Gorgeous prose, 23 Oct 2008
There is no doubt Capote was a man of rare ability. One of his contempories - Norman Mailer - described Truman as: "The most beautiful writer of my generation." Mailer had an impeccable ego (roughly, the size of Kansas), so any praise from him was to be taken seriously.

And Truman's book is a serious one; six years in the researching and writing, it was a labour of love; or, perhaps, obsession.

What is the point of talking about this book? It is a famous book, one that made Capote's name, and is an example of the writing style called "New Journalism", the creative style merged with factual reporting, but what makes it great, a classic?

The story is horrific: a multiple murder for no gain, no more than forty or fifty dollars, and the killers drove eight hundred miles overnight to perpetrate it; so why did they bother? That was one of two questions I had; the other was: how did they get caught?

What else is there? We know they murder the family and we know they get hanged for it, there's not a lot of mystery here.

The killers are wasters; just drifting bums with no morality glueing the seperate parts of their brain together, yet Capote paints one in a sympathetic light, and leaves the other to appear evil in his friends reflection.

Poor old Perry Smith; he had a crappy life and no-one loved him, so its no surprise he turned out like he did, is it?

But wild Dick Hickock, why, he was a murdering monster: a man vomited straight from the devil's gut onto the earth.

Capote tells us (more than once) how Smith stopped Hickock raping Nancy Clutter during the robbery. Smith was obviously a man of rare self-control.

It's a shame he didn't have the self-control to stop himself obliterating her head with a .12 gauge shotgun.

The imbalance in Capote's portraits is ridiculous.

And the killers are the author's main focus, they are what and who he was interested in, not the victims.

This is worth buying and worth reading, if nothing else, for the privilege of reading Truman's gorgeous prose.



Four shotgun blasts that changed a town forever!, 05 Oct 2008
Recently re-read this disturbing factional story of unspeakable horror after some thirty odd years, re-visiting the pain of Holcomb, the scene of the tragic, senseless snuffing out of the Clutters. Contoversial on its publication due to its blending of fact and fiction, a hybrid composite that had not been done before, Capote's "In Cold Blood" reconstucts, in all their brutal detail, the 1959 grisly, cold-blooded murder of the Clutter family on their farm in the plains of western Kansas when four shotgun blasts changed the town of Holcomb forever. This fictionalising of real events, coupled with imagined dialogue between real-life characters, broke new ground and established Capote as the inventor of True Crime 'non-fiction' novels.

Capote's meticulous reconstruction of the tragedy covers the lead-up to the gruesome murders and the aftermath. In the lead-up, Capote builds suspense and tension by cross-cutting intermittently between descriptions of the routine domestic life of the Clutters in their small farming community near Holcomb and the unstable lives of drifters Smith and Hickock - what's chilling is their humaness in the picture Capote draws - as they drift cross-country towards Holcomb. The aftermath comprehensively covers the search for and apprehension of the killers and their subsequent trial and incarceration on death row. WARNING - the amoral Perry Smith may make your blood run cold!

Capote's case-study is concerned not just with the who of the crime but the why, probing into every facet of the lives of the killers, the background influences that shaped them, taking us into their minds to give us the opportunity to get to know them, exploring the psyche of the criminal mind to discover the psychological motivation that can turn men into monsters. A forerunner of classic true-crime titles such as "Fatal Vision" by Joe McGinnis, "Blood and Money" by Thomas Thomson" and "Daddy's Girl" by Clifford Irvine, "In Cold Blood" is itself, an American classic and one of the best American books of the 20th Century.

Masterpiece of crime writing, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book over several weeks yet every time I picked it up I was able to get straight back into the story. I think this is slightly due to the style of writing giving out accurate information in a chronological order similar to a long running news story.

Capote's writing is always brilliant whatever he writes about. There is no word wasted here, no over the top descriptions just a very gripping true story told from every angle. He doesnt judge anyone involved but gives enough detail to make you sympathise 'almost' with the killers.

Before reading this book the only story I knew of Kansas was the Wizard of OZ which also evokes the huge plains where farming is the main source of income, windy and lonesome with god fearing, hard working farming folk making a living. Then one night this terrible crime takes place. Capote relives each and every minute of the crime, the getaway, eventual capture and the court hearing and outcome. A great book in every way.

Wonderful!, 31 Oct 2008
This book is too much fun. The success of the book (it is, of course a tremendously successful piece of writing)depends on the central character, Holly Golightly who charms not only the characters in the book but the reader as well. All of the action occurs in New York City, and the setting just enhances the plot (hence the title). The theme centers around parties, relationships and romance in a frivolous, somewhat flighty atmosphere. Capote's capacity for dialogue borders on genius. I suspect his near perfect recall for conversation helped create this character.

Of a cat and a girl, 22 Nov 2007
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 soul holding a sad and dark past that she tries to forget by constantly covering it through a new and glittering Hollywood style persona that she create for herself.

The subtle irony of her portrait, rather than be critical or bitter, like maybe O.Wilde will certainly do, is here by Capote, a more insightful and deep appreciation in a way to understand the true nature of this fascinating character. A certain melancholy and a genuine compassion, better describes his feelings about Holly; a miserable child that grown up a dazzling but inconstant woman with dreams bigger than life but still a girl trying to find herself and her place in a world that probably she will never understand.


A captivating character study with prose like champagne, 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Gorgeous light read, 20 Jan 2006
Despite being a long time Truman Capote fan, Breakfast at Tiffany's was one of those books that I just never got around to reading. I've never seen the film either, although I cannot think of Audrey Hepburn without seeing her in my mind's eye as the fabulously glamorous Holly Golightly. When a character from a book becomes 'known' to you in this way, I think it's fair to describe that character - and indeed the book - as iconic.

Perhaps, in some small way, I did not want to read the book for fear of spoiling the illusion. I needn't have worried. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a gorgeous light read (I was going to say frivolous, but I don't think there is really anything frivolous about this book).

Holly Golightly, a young woman drifting through life as if it was one long holiday, is feisty and determined, if a little naive. Alone in New York City she blazes her way through the social scene, living it up in bars and holding parties in her east side apartment. But she unwittingly gets caught up in a Mafia plot and before you can say 'boo' she's in trouble with the law.

On the face of it, Breakfast at Tiffany's could be described as a fairly straightforward story about one girl's adventure in the big city. But I think that's too simplistic.

Written in 1958, it portrays a world in which women were invariably best seen and not heard, and totally reliant on men for money and worldly comforts. And yet Capote has created a female character that is largely independent and emotionally strong, although she's vulnerable too (loneliness, depression and desperation are hinted at). While she might be having a lot of fun, she's also on the run from a past that is forever trying to catch up with her as she tries to find a place that makes her feel as happy as Tiffany's does.

All in all, this short novella is a joy to read. Capote's writing is typically rich and lyrical. He describes this woman in such a way that you get the sense he has moulded her on someone that intrigued him, that held some allure or had an aura of mysticism that left a deep impression.

My edition also contained three equally crafted, highly entertaining and unforgettable short stories - House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar and the supremely moving and heart-felt A Christmas Memory - which demonstrate that Capote is not just a master of the novel.

A must-read, 10 Jan 2006
A more bittersweet story than the famous film, with more depth and exploration of character. It made me sad and tearful more than once, and although I will always love the film- especially because of Audrey- I dont think it ever captured the essense of this book to the extent that it could have.

I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of journalistic integrity. When does the journalist step beyond his role as observer and become part of the story? And...Should the journalist do so and thus change outcomes? Disturbingly provocative in many ways.

Gorgeous prose, 23 Oct 2008
There is no doubt Capote was a man of rare ability. One of his contempories - Norman Mailer - described Truman as: "The most beautiful writer of my generation." Mailer had an impeccable ego (roughly, the size of Kansas), so any praise from him was to be taken seriously.

And Truman's book is a serious one; six years in the researching and writing, it was a labour of love; or, perhaps, obsession.

What is the point of talking about this book? It is a famous book, one that made Capote's name, and is an example of the writing style called "New Journalism", the creative style merged with factual reporting, but what makes it great, a classic?

The story is horrific: a multiple murder for no gain, no more than forty or fifty dollars, and the killers drove eight hundred miles overnight to perpetrate it; so why did they bother? That was one of two questions I had; the other was: how did they get caught?

What else is there? We know they murder the family and we know they get hanged for it, there's not a lot of mystery here.

The killers are wasters; just drifting bums with no morality glueing the seperate parts of their brain together, yet Capote paints one in a sympathetic light, and leaves the other to appear evil in his friends reflection.

Poor old Perry Smith; he had a crappy life and no-one loved him, so its no surprise he turned out like he did, is it?

But wild Dick Hickock, why, he was a murdering monster: a man vomited straight from the devil's gut onto the earth.

Capote tells us (more than once) how Smith stopped Hickock raping Nancy Clutter during the robbery. Smith was obviously a man of rare self-control.

It's a shame he didn't have the self-control to stop himself obliterating her head with a .12 gauge shotgun.

The imbalance in Capote's portraits is ridiculous.

And the killers are the author's main focus, they are what and who he was interested in, not the victims.

This is worth buying and worth reading, if nothing else, for the privilege of reading Truman's gorgeous prose.



Four shotgun blasts that changed a town forever!, 05 Oct 2008
Recently re-read this disturbing factional story of unspeakable horror after some thirty odd years, re-visiting the pain of Holcomb, the scene of the tragic, senseless snuffing out of the Clutters. Contoversial on its publication due to its blending of fact and fiction, a hybrid composite that had not been done before, Capote's "In Cold Blood" reconstucts, in all their brutal detail, the 1959 grisly, cold-blooded murder of the Clutter family on their farm in the plains of western Kansas when four shotgun blasts changed the town of Holcomb forever. This fictionalising of real events, coupled with imagined dialogue between real-life characters, broke new ground and established Capote as the inventor of True Crime 'non-fiction' novels.

Capote's meticulous reconstruction of the tragedy covers the lead-up to the gruesome murders and the aftermath. In the lead-up, Capote builds suspense and tension by cross-cutting intermittently between descriptions of the routine domestic life of the Clutters in their small farming community near Holcomb and the unstable lives of drifters Smith and Hickock - what's chilling is their humaness in the picture Capote draws - as they drift cross-country towards Holcomb. The aftermath comprehensively covers the search for and apprehension of the killers and their subsequent trial and incarceration on death row. WARNING - the amoral Perry Smith may make your blood run cold!

Capote's case-study is concerned not just with the who of the crime but the why, probing into every facet of the lives of the killers, the background influences that shaped them, taking us into their minds to give us the opportunity to get to know them, exploring the psyche of the criminal mind to discover the psychological motivation that can turn men into monsters. A forerunner of classic true-crime titles such as "Fatal Vision" by Joe McGinnis, "Blood and Money" by Thomas Thomson" and "Daddy's Girl" by Clifford Irvine, "In Cold Blood" is itself, an American classic and one of the best American books of the 20th Century.

Masterpiece of crime writing, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book over several weeks yet every time I picked it up I was able to get straight back into the story. I think this is slightly due to the style of writing giving out accurate information in a chronological order similar to a long running news story.

Capote's writing is always brilliant whatever he writes about. There is no word wasted here, no over the top descriptions just a very gripping true story told from every angle. He doesnt judge anyone involved but gives enough detail to make you sympathise 'almost' with the killers.

Before reading this book the only story I knew of Kansas was the Wizard of OZ which also evokes the huge plains where farming is the main source of income, windy and lonesome with god fearing, hard working farming folk making a living. Then one night this terrible crime takes place. Capote relives each and every minute of the crime, the getaway, eventual capture and the court hearing and outcome. A great book in every way.

Wonderful!, 31 Oct 2008
This book is too much fun. The success of the book (it is, of course a tremendously successful piece of writing)depends on the central character, Holly Golightly who charms not only the characters in the book but the reader as well. All of the action occurs in New York City, and the setting just enhances the plot (hence the title). The theme centers around parties, relationships and romance in a frivolous, somewhat flighty atmosphere. Capote's capacity for dialogue borders on genius. I suspect his near perfect recall for conversation helped create this character.

Of a cat and a girl, 22 Nov 2007
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 soul holding a sad and dark past that she tries to forget by constantly covering it through a new and glittering Hollywood style persona that she create for herself.

The subtle irony of her portrait, rather than be critical or bitter, like maybe O.Wilde will certainly do, is here by Capote, a more insightful and deep appreciation in a way to understand the true nature of this fascinating character. A certain melancholy and a genuine compassion, better describes his feelings about Holly; a miserable child that grown up a dazzling but inconstant woman with dreams bigger than life but still a girl trying to find herself and her place in a world that probably she will never understand.


A captivating character study with prose like champagne, 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Gorgeous light read, 20 Jan 2006
Despite being a long time Truman Capote fan, Breakfast at Tiffany's was one of those books that I just never got around to reading. I've never seen the film either, although I cannot think of Audrey Hepburn without seeing her in my mind's eye as the fabulously glamorous Holly Golightly. When a character from a book becomes 'known' to you in this way, I think it's fair to describe that character - and indeed the book - as iconic.

Perhaps, in some small way, I did not want to read the book for fear of spoiling the illusion. I needn't have worried. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a gorgeous light read (I was going to say frivolous, but I don't think there is really anything frivolous about this book).

Holly Golightly, a young woman drifting through life as if it was one long holiday, is feisty and determined, if a little naive. Alone in New York City she blazes her way through the social scene, living it up in bars and holding parties in her east side apartment. But she unwittingly gets caught up in a Mafia plot and before you can say 'boo' she's in trouble with the law.

On the face of it, Breakfast at Tiffany's could be described as a fairly straightforward story about one girl's adventure in the big city. But I think that's too simplistic.

Written in 1958, it portrays a world in which women were invariably best seen and not heard, and totally reliant on men for money and worldly comforts. And yet Capote has created a female character that is largely independent and emotionally strong, although she's vulnerable too (loneliness, depression and desperation are hinted at). While she might be having a lot of fun, she's also on the run from a past that is forever trying to catch up with her as she tries to find a place that makes her feel as happy as Tiffany's does.

All in all, this short novella is a joy to read. Capote's writing is typically rich and lyrical. He describes this woman in such a way that you get the sense he has moulded her on someone that intrigued him, that held some allure or had an aura of mysticism that left a deep impression.

My edition also contained three equally crafted, highly entertaining and unforgettable short stories - House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar and the supremely moving and heart-felt A Christmas Memory - which demonstrate that Capote is not just a master of the novel.

A must-read, 10 Jan 2006
A more bittersweet story than the famous film, with more depth and exploration of character. It made me sad and tearful more than once, and although I will always love the film- especially because of Audrey- I dont think it ever captured the essense of this book to the extent that it could have.

A captivating character study with prose like champagne , 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Loss, nostalgia and wistful sadness., 22 Jun 2007
`Breakfast at Tiffany's' is a very slight affair. I'd seen the film ages ago on TV, and I realise now that there was a lot of embellishment: there is scanty material here for a feature-length film. I rather preferred the three short stories that are also included in this collection, especially the last two: `Diamond Guitar' and `A Christmas Memory' are both extremely poignant. The central theme of all of these pieces is loss, and the mood is one of nostalgia and wistful sadness.

excellent, 14 Jun 2007
Having seen the movie version of Tiffany's on TV years ago when I was a child I was curious to see what the original novel had in terms of story telling. Ultimately, the story although short, takes a while to warm to. Mainly due to Capote's concise writing style, we are straight away introduced to the characters and subjected to lines of dialogue that instantly immerse you into the environment and the quirky character of Holly Golightly. I have to admit, this is the only book I've read of Capote and it took me a while to get use to his way of developing character through dialogue and conversation. Nonetheless, I was really gripped half way through the story, and leads to a rather solemn ending.

I have to confess that the extra short stories are what made this book worth the money. Unlike 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' the short stories are, well, even shorter and seems more poetic and considered than the main course. In 'House of Flowers' Capote seems to capture the resonance of good drama and love in a tale that was well observed indeed. The characters seem more real, and his portrayal of a loving relationship is subtle and very clever indeed. The other two stories are just the same, Capote is able to portray characters that feel incredibly real and humane. The book ends with 'Christmas Memory' and is a sincere account of his last innocent Christmas. A thoughtful and melancholic book from a well observed writer.

Forget the movie and read the book, 22 Feb 2007
Before reading Breakfast at Tiffany's you need to erase the image of Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy dress from your mind. Though thoroughly delightful and beautifully written, this book deals with themes that are very dark indeed. It tells the story of Holly Golightly, an eighteen-year-old call girl with a tragic past who makes her living by keeping company with older, degenerate men. She refuses to accept the reality of her profession as she convinces herself that her companions are just generous towards her with no strings attached. Yet despite her debauched lifestyle she is stylish, witty charming and thoroughly engaging, as are all of the characters in the book. Forget all about the film, this book is so fresh and appealing that it could have been written yesterday and, as it is only 100 pages long even the most reluctant reader will love it.

Meet Ms Holly Golightly. Just like her neighbour Fred, we all end up under her spell., 04 Feb 2007
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is straightforward, uncomplicated story-telling, written in simple, accessible prose. This short story is inhabited by marvellously memorable characters, the principal of which is the extraordinary Holly Golightly, surely one of the best known gals in popular American fiction. The tale is told by her apartment neighbour, a budding writer, whom Holly christens Fred.

Of course, Fred quickly falls in love with her. But life for the outrageous Holly is about other things, money in particular. It's a remarkable testimony to Truman Capote's writing that we grow so fond of this totally selfish, amoral girl. Like Fred, we all end up under Holly's spell. Definitely recommended.

This collection includes 3 other Capote short stories, "House of Flowers"; "A Diamond Guitar" and "A Christmas Memory", all of which are worthwhile although somewhat in the shade of the wonderful main event.

I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of journalistic integrity. When does the journalist step beyond his role as observer and become part of the story? And...Should the journalist do so and thus change outcomes? Disturbingly provocative in many ways.

Gorgeous prose, 23 Oct 2008
There is no doubt Capote was a man of rare ability. One of his contempories - Norman Mailer - described Truman as: "The most beautiful writer of my generation." Mailer had an impeccable ego (roughly, the size of Kansas), so any praise from him was to be taken seriously.

And Truman's book is a serious one; six years in the researching and writing, it was a labour of love; or, perhaps, obsession.

What is the point of talking about this book? It is a famous book, one that made Capote's name, and is an example of the writing style called "New Journalism", the creative style merged with factual reporting, but what makes it great, a classic?

The story is horrific: a multiple murder for no gain, no more than forty or fifty dollars, and the killers drove eight hundred miles overnight to perpetrate it; so why did they bother? That was one of two questions I had; the other was: how did they get caught?

What else is there? We know they murder the family and we know they get hanged for it, there's not a lot of mystery here.

The killers are wasters; just drifting bums with no morality glueing the seperate parts of their brain together, yet Capote paints one in a sympathetic light, and leaves the other to appear evil in his friends reflection.

Poor old Perry Smith; he had a crappy life and no-one loved him, so its no surprise he turned out like he did, is it?

But wild Dick Hickock, why, he was a murdering monster: a man vomited straight from the devil's gut onto the earth.

Capote tells us (more than once) how Smith stopped Hickock raping Nancy Clutter during the robbery. Smith was obviously a man of rare self-control.

It's a shame he didn't have the self-control to stop himself obliterating her head with a .12 gauge shotgun.

The imbalance in Capote's portraits is ridiculous.

And the killers are the author's main focus, they are what and who he was interested in, not the victims.

This is worth buying and worth reading, if nothing else, for the privilege of reading Truman's gorgeous prose.



Four shotgun blasts that changed a town forever!, 05 Oct 2008
Recently re-read this disturbing factional story of unspeakable horror after some thirty odd years, re-visiting the pain of Holcomb, the scene of the tragic, senseless snuffing out of the Clutters. Contoversial on its publication due to its blending of fact and fiction, a hybrid composite that had not been done before, Capote's "In Cold Blood" reconstucts, in all their brutal detail, the 1959 grisly, cold-blooded murder of the Clutter family on their farm in the plains of western Kansas when four shotgun blasts changed the town of Holcomb forever. This fictionalising of real events, coupled with imagined dialogue between real-life characters, broke new ground and established Capote as the inventor of True Crime 'non-fiction' novels.

Capote's meticulous reconstruction of the tragedy covers the lead-up to the gruesome murders and the aftermath. In the lead-up, Capote builds suspense and tension by cross-cutting intermittently between descriptions of the routine domestic life of the Clutters in their small farming community near Holcomb and the unstable lives of drifters Smith and Hickock - what's chilling is their humaness in the picture Capote draws - as they drift cross-country towards Holcomb. The aftermath comprehensively covers the search for and apprehension of the killers and their subsequent trial and incarceration on death row. WARNING - the amoral Perry Smith may make your blood run cold!

Capote's case-study is concerned not just with the who of the crime but the why, probing into every facet of the lives of the killers, the background influences that shaped them, taking us into their minds to give us the opportunity to get to know them, exploring the psyche of the criminal mind to discover the psychological motivation that can turn men into monsters. A forerunner of classic true-crime titles such as "Fatal Vision" by Joe McGinnis, "Blood and Money" by Thomas Thomson" and "Daddy's Girl" by Clifford Irvine, "In Cold Blood" is itself, an American classic and one of the best American books of the 20th Century.

Masterpiece of crime writing, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book over several weeks yet every time I picked it up I was able to get straight back into the story. I think this is slightly due to the style of writing giving out accurate information in a chronological order similar to a long running news story.

Capote's writing is always brilliant whatever he writes about. There is no word wasted here, no over the top descriptions just a very gripping true story told from every angle. He doesnt judge anyone involved but gives enough detail to make you sympathise 'almost' with the killers.

Before reading this book the only story I knew of Kansas was the Wizard of OZ which also evokes the huge plains where farming is the main source of income, windy and lonesome with god fearing, hard working farming folk making a living. Then one night this terrible crime takes place. Capote relives each and every minute of the crime, the getaway, eventual capture and the court hearing and outcome. A great book in every way.

Wonderful!, 31 Oct 2008
This book is too much fun. The success of the book (it is, of course a tremendously successful piece of writing)depends on the central character, Holly Golightly who charms not only the characters in the book but the reader as well. All of the action occurs in New York City, and the setting just enhances the plot (hence the title). The theme centers around parties, relationships and romance in a frivolous, somewhat flighty atmosphere. Capote's capacity for dialogue borders on genius. I suspect his near perfect recall for conversation helped create this character.

Of a cat and a girl, 22 Nov 2007
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 soul holding a sad and dark past that she tries to forget by constantly covering it through a new and glittering Hollywood style persona that she create for herself.

The subtle irony of her portrait, rather than be critical or bitter, like maybe O.Wilde will certainly do, is here by Capote, a more insightful and deep appreciation in a way to understand the true nature of this fascinating character. A certain melancholy and a genuine compassion, better describes his feelings about Holly; a miserable child that grown up a dazzling but inconstant woman with dreams bigger than life but still a girl trying to find herself and her place in a world that probably she will never understand.


A captivating character study with prose like champagne, 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Gorgeous light read, 20 Jan 2006
Despite being a long time Truman Capote fan, Breakfast at Tiffany's was one of those books that I just never got around to reading. I've never seen the film either, although I cannot think of Audrey Hepburn without seeing her in my mind's eye as the fabulously glamorous Holly Golightly. When a character from a book becomes 'known' to you in this way, I think it's fair to describe that character - and indeed the book - as iconic.

Perhaps, in some small way, I did not want to read the book for fear of spoiling the illusion. I needn't have worried. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a gorgeous light read (I was going to say frivolous, but I don't think there is really anything frivolous about this book).

Holly Golightly, a young woman drifting through life as if it was one long holiday, is feisty and determined, if a little naive. Alone in New York City she blazes her way through the social scene, living it up in bars and holding parties in her east side apartment. But she unwittingly gets caught up in a Mafia plot and before you can say 'boo' she's in trouble with the law.

On the face of it, Breakfast at Tiffany's could be described as a fairly straightforward story about one girl's adventure in the big city. But I think that's too simplistic.

Written in 1958, it portrays a world in which women were invariably best seen and not heard, and totally reliant on men for money and worldly comforts. And yet Capote has created a female character that is largely independent and emotionally strong, although she's vulnerable too (loneliness, depression and desperation are hinted at). While she might be having a lot of fun, she's also on the run from a past that is forever trying to catch up with her as she tries to find a place that makes her feel as happy as Tiffany's does.

All in all, this short novella is a joy to read. Capote's writing is typically rich and lyrical. He describes this woman in such a way that you get the sense he has moulded her on someone that intrigued him, that held some allure or had an aura of mysticism that left a deep impression.

My edition also contained three equally crafted, highly entertaining and unforgettable short stories - House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar and the supremely moving and heart-felt A Christmas Memory - which demonstrate that Capote is not just a master of the novel.

A must-read, 10 Jan 2006
A more bittersweet story than the famous film, with more depth and exploration of character. It made me sad and tearful more than once, and although I will always love the film- especially because of Audrey- I dont think it ever captured the essense of this book to the extent that it could have.

A captivating character study with prose like champagne , 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Loss, nostalgia and wistful sadness., 22 Jun 2007
`Breakfast at Tiffany's' is a very slight affair. I'd seen the film ages ago on TV, and I realise now that there was a lot of embellishment: there is scanty material here for a feature-length film. I rather preferred the three short stories that are also included in this collection, especially the last two: `Diamond Guitar' and `A Christmas Memory' are both extremely poignant. The central theme of all of these pieces is loss, and the mood is one of nostalgia and wistful sadness.

excellent, 14 Jun 2007
Having seen the movie version of Tiffany's on TV years ago when I was a child I was curious to see what the original novel had in terms of story telling. Ultimately, the story although short, takes a while to warm to. Mainly due to Capote's concise writing style, we are straight away introduced to the characters and subjected to lines of dialogue that instantly immerse you into the environment and the quirky character of Holly Golightly. I have to admit, this is the only book I've read of Capote and it took me a while to get use to his way of developing character through dialogue and conversation. Nonetheless, I was really gripped half way through the story, and leads to a rather solemn ending.

I have to confess that the extra short stories are what made this book worth the money. Unlike 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' the short stories are, well, even shorter and seems more poetic and considered than the main course. In 'House of Flowers' Capote seems to capture the resonance of good drama and love in a tale that was well observed indeed. The characters seem more real, and his portrayal of a loving relationship is subtle and very clever indeed. The other two stories are just the same, Capote is able to portray characters that feel incredibly real and humane. The book ends with 'Christmas Memory' and is a sincere account of his last innocent Christmas. A thoughtful and melancholic book from a well observed writer.

Forget the movie and read the book, 22 Feb 2007
Before reading Breakfast at Tiffany's you need to erase the image of Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy dress from your mind. Though thoroughly delightful and beautifully written, this book deals with themes that are very dark indeed. It tells the story of Holly Golightly, an eighteen-year-old call girl with a tragic past who makes her living by keeping company with older, degenerate men. She refuses to accept the reality of her profession as she convinces herself that her companions are just generous towards her with no strings attached. Yet despite her debauched lifestyle she is stylish, witty charming and thoroughly engaging, as are all of the characters in the book. Forget all about the film, this book is so fresh and appealing that it could have been written yesterday and, as it is only 100 pages long even the most reluctant reader will love it.

Meet Ms Holly Golightly. Just like her neighbour Fred, we all end up under her spell., 04 Feb 2007
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is straightforward, uncomplicated story-telling, written in simple, accessible prose. This short story is inhabited by marvellously memorable characters, the principal of which is the extraordinary Holly Golightly, surely one of the best known gals in popular American fiction. The tale is told by her apartment neighbour, a budding writer, whom Holly christens Fred.

Of course, Fred quickly falls in love with her. But life for the outrageous Holly is about other things, money in particular. It's a remarkable testimony to Truman Capote's writing that we grow so fond of this totally selfish, amoral girl. Like Fred, we all end up under Holly's spell. Definitely recommended.

This collection includes 3 other Capote short stories, "House of Flowers"; "A Diamond Guitar" and "A Christmas Memory", all of which are worthwhile although somewhat in the shade of the wonderful main event.


Surprisingly good., 02 Aug 2008
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.


A Master Storyteller, 20 Dec 2007
Capote writes as if he invented the short story and knows all the secret ingredients to making one successful. Short stories are a notoriously difficult style to master, and yet the stories in this collection are written with the ease and grace of a genius. If you, like me, are easily distracted when it comes to reading and prefer things to be concise and to the point then look no furthur than this beautiful collection of short stories. Everything you want in a good story is there: humour, sadness, lucidity and melancholy, indeed, the very stuff of life itself. Beautifully written, sharply observed and original, this collection of short stories takes some beating. As an avid fan of short stories I have definately read my fair share and would go as far as to say that this is the best penned collection there is. I was hooked from start to finish. My particular favourites are 'House of Flowers' for its lush, lingering descriptions of the tropical scenery of Haiti and for its sweet (but not syrupy) depiction of first love. Others include 'Jug of Silver' for its affectionate small town wit and 'A Christmas Memory' for its depth of feeling and Capote's masterful delivery of prose, which characterises the rest of his writing. Definately worth a buy.

A must read, 26 Jul 2006
Beautiful collection. Loved every one of them . A must read for lovers of short stories.The Usurper and Other Stories, Runaway, The Lady with the Dog and other stories feature in my list of short story collections that are pleasurable to read.

I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of journalistic integrity. When does the journalist step beyond his role as observer and become part of the story? And...Should the journalist do so and thus change outcomes? Disturbingly provocative in many ways.

Gorgeous prose, 23 Oct 2008
There is no doubt Capote was a man of rare ability. One of his contempories - Norman Mailer - described Truman as: "The most beautiful writer of my generation." Mailer had an impeccable ego (roughly, the size of Kansas), so any praise from him was to be taken seriously.

And Truman's book is a serious one; six years in the researching and writing, it was a labour of love; or, perhaps, obsession.

What is the point of talking about this book? It is a famous book, one that made Capote's name, and is an example of the writing style called "New Journalism", the creative style merged with factual reporting, but what makes it great, a classic?

The story is horrific: a multiple murder for no gain, no more than forty or fifty dollars, and the killers drove eight hundred miles overnight to perpetrate it; so why did they bother? That was one of two questions I had; the other was: how did they get caught?

What else is there? We know they murder the family and we know they get hanged for it, there's not a lot of mystery here.

The killers are wasters; just drifting bums with no morality glueing the seperate parts of their brain together, yet Capote paints one in a sympathetic light, and leaves the other to appear evil in his friends reflection.

Poor old Perry Smith; he had a crappy life and no-one loved him, so its no surprise he turned out like he did, is it?

But wild Dick Hickock, why, he was a murdering monster: a man vomited straight from the devil's gut onto the earth.

Capote tells us (more than once) how Smith stopped Hickock raping Nancy Clutter during the robbery. Smith was obviously a man of rare self-control.

It's a shame he didn't have the self-control to stop himself obliterating her head with a .12 gauge shotgun.

The imbalance in Capote's portraits is ridiculous.

And the killers are the author's main focus, they are what and who he was interested in, not the victims.

This is worth buying and worth reading, if nothing else, for the privilege of reading Truman's gorgeous prose.



Four shotgun blasts that changed a town forever!, 05 Oct 2008
Recently re-read this disturbing factional story of unspeakable horror after some thirty odd years, re-visiting the pain of Holcomb, the scene of the tragic, senseless snuffing out of the Clutters. Contoversial on its publication due to its blending of fact and fiction, a hybrid composite that had not been done before, Capote's "In Cold Blood" reconstucts, in all their brutal detail, the 1959 grisly, cold-blooded murder of the Clutter family on their farm in the plains of western Kansas when four shotgun blasts changed the town of Holcomb forever. This fictionalising of real events, coupled with imagined dialogue between real-life characters, broke new ground and established Capote as the inventor of True Crime 'non-fiction' novels.

Capote's meticulous reconstruction of the tragedy covers the lead-up to the gruesome murders and the aftermath. In the lead-up, Capote builds suspense and tension by cross-cutting intermittently between descriptions of the routine domestic life of the Clutters in their small farming community near Holcomb and the unstable lives of drifters Smith and Hickock - what's chilling is their humaness in the picture Capote draws - as they drift cross-country towards Holcomb. The aftermath comprehensively covers the search for and apprehension of the killers and their subsequent trial and incarceration on death row. WARNING - the amoral Perry Smith may make your blood run cold!

Capote's case-study is concerned not just with the who of the crime but the why, probing into every facet of the lives of the killers, the background influences that shaped them, taking us into their minds to give us the opportunity to get to know them, exploring the psyche of the criminal mind to discover the psychological motivation that can turn men into monsters. A forerunner of classic true-crime titles such as "Fatal Vision" by Joe McGinnis, "Blood and Money" by Thomas Thomson" and "Daddy's Girl" by Clifford Irvine, "In Cold Blood" is itself, an American classic and one of the best American books of the 20th Century.

Masterpiece of crime writing, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book over several weeks yet every time I picked it up I was able to get straight back into the story. I think this is slightly due to the style of writing giving out accurate information in a chronological order similar to a long running news story.

Capote's writing is always brilliant whatever he writes about. There is no word wasted here, no over the top descriptions just a very gripping true story told from every angle. He doesnt judge anyone involved but gives enough detail to make you sympathise 'almost' with the killers.

Before reading this book the only story I knew of Kansas was the Wizard of OZ which also evokes the huge plains where farming is the main source of income, windy and lonesome with god fearing, hard working farming folk making a living. Then one night this terrible crime takes place. Capote relives each and every minute of the crime, the getaway, eventual capture and the court hearing and outcome. A great book in every way.

Wonderful!, 31 Oct 2008
This book is too much fun. The success of the book (it is, of course a tremendously successful piece of writing)depends on the central character, Holly Golightly who charms not only the characters in the book but the reader as well. All of the action occurs in New York City, and the setting just enhances the plot (hence the title). The theme centers around parties, relationships and romance in a frivolous, somewhat flighty atmosphere. Capote's capacity for dialogue borders on genius. I suspect his near perfect recall for conversation helped create this character.

Of a cat and a girl, 22 Nov 2007
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 soul holding a sad and dark past that she tries to forget by constantly covering it through a new and glittering Hollywood style persona that she create for herself.

The subtle irony of her portrait, rather than be critical or bitter, like maybe O.Wilde will certainly do, is here by Capote, a more insightful and deep appreciation in a way to understand the true nature of this fascinating character. A certain melancholy and a genuine compassion, better describes his feelings about Holly; a miserable child that grown up a dazzling but inconstant woman with dreams bigger than life but still a girl trying to find herself and her place in a world that probably she will never understand.


A captivating character study with prose like champagne, 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Gorgeous light read, 20 Jan 2006
Despite being a long time Truman Capote fan, Breakfast at Tiffany's was one of those books that I just never got around to reading. I've never seen the film either, although I cannot think of Audrey Hepburn without seeing her in my mind's eye as the fabulously glamorous Holly Golightly. When a character from a book becomes 'known' to you in this way, I think it's fair to describe that character - and indeed the book - as iconic.

Perhaps, in some small way, I did not want to read the book for fear of spoiling the illusion. I needn't have worried. Breakfast at Tiffany's is a gorgeous light read (I was going to say frivolous, but I don't think there is really anything frivolous about this book).

Holly Golightly, a young woman drifting through life as if it was one long holiday, is feisty and determined, if a little naive. Alone in New York City she blazes her way through the social scene, living it up in bars and holding parties in her east side apartment. But she unwittingly gets caught up in a Mafia plot and before you can say 'boo' she's in trouble with the law.

On the face of it, Breakfast at Tiffany's could be described as a fairly straightforward story about one girl's adventure in the big city. But I think that's too simplistic.

Written in 1958, it portrays a world in which women were invariably best seen and not heard, and totally reliant on men for money and worldly comforts. And yet Capote has created a female character that is largely independent and emotionally strong, although she's vulnerable too (loneliness, depression and desperation are hinted at). While she might be having a lot of fun, she's also on the run from a past that is forever trying to catch up with her as she tries to find a place that makes her feel as happy as Tiffany's does.

All in all, this short novella is a joy to read. Capote's writing is typically rich and lyrical. He describes this woman in such a way that you get the sense he has moulded her on someone that intrigued him, that held some allure or had an aura of mysticism that left a deep impression.

My edition also contained three equally crafted, highly entertaining and unforgettable short stories - House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar and the supremely moving and heart-felt A Christmas Memory - which demonstrate that Capote is not just a master of the novel.

A must-read, 10 Jan 2006
A more bittersweet story than the famous film, with more depth and exploration of character. It made me sad and tearful more than once, and although I will always love the film- especially because of Audrey- I dont think it ever captured the essense of this book to the extent that it could have.

A captivating character study with prose like champagne , 26 Jun 2007
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 than their narrators. Also like Gatsby, Holly Golightly has a hell of a backstory, slowly revealed.

Capote's prose is not dissimilar to Scott Fitzgerald's: poetic, but perhaps a little simpler and with a lighter touch, including some wry humour. Attractively written, it's difficult not to be as spellbound as the narrator is by Holly - however maddening she is. A captivating character study with prose like champagne - classy, and with fizz.


Loss, nostalgia and wistful sadness., 22 Jun 2007
`Breakfast at Tiffany's' is a very slight affair. I'd seen the film ages ago on TV, and I realise now that there was a lot of embellishment: there is scanty material here for a feature-length film. I rather preferred the three short stories that are also included in this collection, especially the last two: `Diamond Guitar' and `A Christmas Memory' are both extremely poignant. The central theme of all of these pieces is loss, and the mood is one of nostalgia and wistful sadness.

excellent, 14 Jun 2007
Having seen the movie version of Tiffany's on TV years ago when I was a child I was curious to see what the original novel had in terms of story telling. Ultimately, the story although short, takes a while to warm to. Mainly due to Capote's concise writing style, we are straight away introduced to the characters and subjected to lines of dialogue that instantly immerse you into the environment and the quirky character of Holly Golightly. I have to admit, this is the only book I've read of Capote and it took me a while to get use to his way of developing character through dialogue and conversation. Nonetheless, I was really gripped half way through the story, and leads to a rather solemn ending.

I have to confess that the extra short stories are what made this book worth the money. Unlike 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' the short stories are, well, even shorter and seems more poetic and considered than the main course. In 'House of Flowers' Capote seems to capture the resonance of good drama and love in a tale that was well observed indeed. The characters seem more real, and his portrayal of a loving relationship is subtle and very clever indeed. The other two stories are just the same, Capote is able to portray characters that feel incredibly real and humane. The book ends with 'Christmas Memory' and is a sincere account of his last innocent Christmas. A thoughtful and melancholic book from a well observed writer.

Forget the movie and read the book, 22 Feb 2007
Before reading Breakfast at Tiffany's you need to erase the image of Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy dress from your mind. Though thoroughly delightful and beautifully written, this book deals with themes that are very dark indeed. It tells the story of Holly Golightly, an eighteen-year-old call girl with a tragic past who makes her living by keeping company with older, degenerate men. She refuses to accept the reality of her profession as she convinces herself that her companions are just generous towards her with no strings attached. Yet despite her debauched lifestyle she is stylish, witty charming and thoroughly engaging, as are all of the characters in the book. Forget all about the film, this book is so fresh and appealing that it could have been written yesterday and, as it is only 100 pages long even the most reluctant reader will love it.

Meet Ms Holly Golightly. Just like her neighbour Fred, we all end up under her spell., 04 Feb 2007
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is straightforward, uncomplicated story-telling, written in simple, accessible prose. This short story is inhabited by marvellously memorable characters, the principal of which is the extraordinary Holly Golightly, surely one of the best known gals in popular American fiction. The tale is told by her apartment neighbour, a budding writer, whom Holly christens Fred.

Of course, Fred quickly falls in love with her. But life for the outrageous Holly is about other things, money in particular. It's a remarkable testimony to Truman Capote's writing that we grow so fond of this totally selfish, amoral girl. Like Fred, we all end up under Holly's spell. Definitely recommended.

This collection includes 3 other Capote short stories, "House of Flowers"; "A Diamond Guitar" and "A Christmas Memory", all of which are worthwhile although somewhat in the shade of the wonderful main event.


Surprisingly good., 02 Aug 2008
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.


A Master Storyteller, 20 Dec 2007
Capote writes as if he invented the short story and knows all the secret ingredients to making one successful. Short stories are a notoriously difficult style to master, and yet the stories in this collection are written with the ease and grace of a genius. If you, like me, are easily distracted when it comes to reading and prefer things to be concise and to the point then look no furthur than this beautiful collection of short stories. Everything you want in a good story is there: humour, sadness, lucidity and melancholy, indeed, the very stuff of life itself. Beautifully written, sharply observed and original, this collection of short stories takes some beating. As an avid fan of short stories I have definately read my fair share and would go as far as to say that this is the best penned collection there is. I was hooked from start to finish. My particular favourites are 'House of Flowers' for its lush, lingering descriptions of the tropical scenery of Haiti and for its sweet (but not syrupy) depiction of first love. Others include 'Jug of Silver' for its affectionate small town wit and 'A Christmas Memory' for its depth of feeling and Capote's masterful delivery of prose, which characterises the rest of his writing. Definately worth a buy.

A must read, 26 Jul 2006
Beautiful collection. Loved every one of them . A must read for lovers of short stories.The Usurper and Other Stories, Runaway, The Lady with the Dog and other stories feature in my list of short story collections that are pleasurable to read.

the mostest of Capote , 04 Jun 2007
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.

Read This and Learn To Write!, 31 Aug 2006
Truman Capote was one of the finest writers of the 20th Century. "In Cold Blood" was a masterpiece and influenced an entire generation of writers, and continues to do so.
Capote's parallel (rather stupid) social life and bitchy personality must not be confused with his startling ability to write wonderful prose and meaningful emotions. We must not judge the writer by his life, for by all accounts Capote's was somewhat wasted. He peaked early and died early. That is literature's loss. But I defy anyone to read this book and not agree that he was utterly superb.
For anyone who wants to write, I recommend this book as invaluable schooling.
For anyone who simply wants to enjoy the art of great writing, it is equally recommended.
Put simply: buy it, read it and then re-read it.
Capote is the epitome of what a writer can, should and must be.
Gifted, poetic, articulate, original, witty, understanding: a perceptive observer, interpreter and recorder of LIFE!
Simon 2

A Tiffany-diamond of a collection?, 21 Nov 2000
For anyone who (shock, horror) has not had the pleasure of reading Truman Capote, this is the ideal place to start. This collection provides a fabulous tour de force of the talents of this most adaptable writer. The beautiful 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', a bittersweet, memsmerising mix of cynicism and love, would make the book worthwhile on its own. However, we are also given intimate pen portraits of his fellow luminaries (including Marylin Monroe and Marlon Brando), the sinsiter and macabre mists of his earlier short stories, most notably 'The Headless Hawk', and the comfortable Southern summers of 'The Grass Harp'. The perfect book to hide away by the fire with.

I'm definitely not following the crowd, 14 Nov 2008
So the general consensus seems to be that In Cold Blood is a masterpiece and Capote is a genius. Well I am sorry but I do not agree. In fact I think this is absolutely preposterous. The only way I can use the word genius in the same sentence as Capote is if I conclude that it was complete genius of him to make anyone believe this book is anything other than a badly written web of lies trying to disguise itself as something other than an unrequited love letter to a cold blooded psycopathic killer.
Let's look at what the book actually is. Difficult I know to do this because there seems to have been a completely new genre invented for this book. Why? I do not know, because the book is simply a novel based on a true story. Loosely based at that. Capote conducted interviews with witnesses and people who's lives were affected by the murders at the centre of the book. Some 90 or more in fact. He did not make one single note during any of these interviews. Can you remember the last 90 conversations you had?
The book has many factual inaccuracies and events that simply did not happen, it's closing scene for one. So how anyone can describe this as "new journalism" is beyond me. Although given what passes for journalism in some circles today this could be true. Maybe Capote did invent something new with In Cold Blood; the idea for journalists to lie through their teeth in order to try and make their stories more interesting.
In my view though at the heart of this book is Capote's infatuation with one of its main protagonists. There were 2 people involved with the crime at the centre of the book. It turns out that only one of them actually committed the murders although it is this person who we are subjected to throught the book and asked to feel sorry for continously. It was after all never his fault but his fathers. The other criminal is rarely mentioned and when he is it is to show him as idiotic, psychopathic and a sex fiend.
If you want to read a good novel by all means do so, there are thousands better than this. If you want to read a good piece of investigative journalism again go ahead, there are many noble journalists who base their work entirely on facts and would not stoop to something so low as to embellish or flat out lie simply for effect.
If you want to read a badly written love letter masquerading as... well I am not sure what it is masquerading as because no one seems to be able to give an answer to that, maybe this is where it's genius lies.

Brutal Event in Journalistic Focus, 29 Oct 2008
This book is essentially a detailed and well-crafted piece of journalism with the level and quality of detail to bring it into horrific focus. One gets access to all sides of the murders of a family from the effect on the close relatives and friends to the emotional states of the murderers themselves and their final demise at the end of a rope. No one can escape this book without a large emotional wallop that will leave one's mind reverberating for some time. The book additionally invites questions concerning the limits and boundaries of j