Product Description
Written like a New Yorker profile, this book, by the author of the definitive volume on the films of Merchant Ivory, who also has had access to Capote's unpublished papers, studies Truman Capote in a new way: through his early years and works.

There have now been two recent and acclaimed films on Capote. Why the current interest? It is perhaps because Truman Capote, among the great American authors, represents the big unanswered question: What if? He was also completely different from the rest. As a Southern writer, Capote is most resistant to being typed as "a local." A polished and detached observer, he was ultimately placeless - like his famous character Holly Golightly, Truman was "always travelling," unwilling or unable to put down roots. He had a strange relationship with his beautiful but immature mother (Capote's surname was originally Persons), about whom he would talk in his sleep in later life. He was a prodigy, whose career received a boost from a series of rich and talented girls. Carson McCullers gave Capote early help in publishing his work. As this book shows, the trajectory of their careers was not dissimilar.

Truman Capote, Enfant Terrible, is a grand overview of a complex and fascinating author: one who remained a child in appearance and behaviour; a Southerner who strayed from the South; a celebrity while living in the most solitary realm of his vast imagination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Truman Show
This book is a wonderful introduction to the life and work of Truman Capote.Especially for those that only know of the "In Cold Blood" period of his life from the Phillip Seymour Hoffman film a couple years ago.Robert Emmet Long does a fantastic job of painting a complete portrait of Capote's life, his work, and their contexts. ... Read more

Product Description
The spectactular best seller about the brutal slaying of the Cutter family of Holcomb, Kansas--the police investigation, the capture, the trial and the execution of the two young murderers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

In Cold Blood Paperback book
Thank you for the book It was exactly as advertized.My daughter has already read it.

Great Book
Probably the greatest (and good book) that Truman Capote wrote.The movie is incredible as well.Enjoy:) ... Read more

Product Description
Thought to be lost for over 50 years, here is the first novel by one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.

Set in New York during the summer of 1945, this is the story of a young carefree socialite, Grady, who must make serious decisions about the romance she is dangerously pursuing and the effect it will have on everyone involved.

Fans of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Capote’s short stories will be thrilled to read Summer Crossing.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

The Last Paragraph
The "reason to be" of this book is the last paragraph.Everything was conceived so that that paragraph could be tagged at the end.And since the book is a super quick read, it is well worth it.

Summer Draft
In his owns words, Truman Capote never intended to publish "Summer Crossing".He felt it to be unfinished and below his standard of his writing as it was written before his publication career blossomed.Yet the estate of Capote recently decided to publish the book with a few minor changes that were said to be mostly cosmetic."Summer Crossing" is certainly a flawed draft of a story which seems to show significance in that it demonstrates perhaps the greatest American writer developing his craft.

Grady McNeil, who bears a resemblance to Holly Golightly of "Breakfast at Tiffany's", is noted for a flippant attitude in her young age.Frequently a concern of her mother and sister Apple, the concern becomes justified when Grady engages in relationship with Clyde.Below her in the social ladder, Clyde is an exciting risk for Grady.As the summer passes, Grady's inhibitions erode, leaving her in a seemingly unresolvable situation.

While the title "Summer Crossing" is derived from the mother's summer trip to Europe, the title can also be interpreted as a season crossing of personal borders.Just as the title is ambiguous, the story is an ambiguous reflection of Capote's talents.Capote's ability to find the perfect word or phrase in any situation is quite rough.With Capote's greatest talent in its primitive stages, the writer fails to shine.

Pwerful perspectives from a young Capote
I'm largely writing to add some stars to the rating for this book.Fascinating to see how Capote started off his writing career.The characters and story stem from a youthful perspective, yet are rich and mature in their depth, complexity and subtlety.

If you are a Capote reader, this will not disappoint and will add a fascinating dimension to your sense of the author.

It's short and wonderful summer read - pick it up!

Connection
Clearly unfinished and yet offers a timeless view of the coming of age saga.Desperate to differentiate herself in a world of appearances and debutante balls, Grady McNeil struggles with the responsibilities of her life versus her own expectations.These of course are hidden from her family and friends, even her best friend and fellow upper-crust outcast, Peter.The reoccurring themes of individual's secret struggles and eventual consequences are foreboding and ring true with modern readers.

While not comparable to Capote's true masterpieces, this is not a work to discount.At times, the plot is thin; however, Capote's true story is and always will be with his characters.We are revealed enough to sate and stir our curiosity, simultaneously, while reviving one's own disappointments and all left unsaid.

review
I didn't get very excited over this novel, didn't have enough time for that - it was over too soon. Still, it definitely creates an atmosphere and gets one involved. I loved the picture on the cover, a great match to the protoganist, in my opinion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Part 1 of my planned three-part Breakfast at Tiffany's program
I'm planning to read Sam Wasson's new book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman.To get there, I first read Truman Capote's original story.Next up, viewing of Blake Edwards' 1961 film.Then, on to Wasson's book.

The three additional stories here are of little weight and value - it's 'Breakfast' that is Capote's slim masterpiece. Its 119 small, generously spaced pages can be easily gulped down in a single setting.

Like 'Catcher in the Rye,' the reader is left amazed that these words were conceived and written 50+ years ago (original publication date: 1958) so vibrant do they feel.Capote's original incarnation makes much plainer than the book the nature of Holly's true vocation.And, contrary to Audrey Hepburn's gauzy, iconographic screen beauty, Capote's Ms. Golightly is, while lithe, of coarser and tougher stock.When my wife asked me my opinion after finishing it, my immediate reaction was that it was sadder and darker than I expected.

Capote's writing is a marvel.As Norman Mailer's cover blurb notes: Capote was - at one point - seen as the best writer of his generation.It's hard not to read these pages and think of his blazing start as a young writer and juxtapose that against the parody he'd become later in life.He abused and wasted his talent through prodigious consumption of drugs and alcohol, not to mention a well-honed talent for blowing up important friendships with his thinly disguised literary send-ups.

Flamboyant characters drawn with rare perception
This story of a single young woman beset with ambition, beauty, questionable judgment, and an impecunious past is crafted with imagination and attention to detail.In a big city, Holly Golightly bounces through the very short (~110 small pages) novel among a surprisingly realistic cast of larger-than-life supporting characters.

There's no excuse for not reading this classic.

Three short stories round out the volume.The first two short stories weren't anything special, but the third was very good, a touching tale of an orphaned 7-year-old living with only his elderly handicapped-since-childhood aunt as a friend.

Good story
In a way it's hard to believe this short story is what inspired the iconic movie.Especially, since Tiffany's plays even a smaller part here than the movie.It was hard to get Audrey Hepburn out of mind while reading this, because this book takes place twenty years earlier-during the WWII.All material written in that time was always so serious (The greatest generation-they say.) that it was hard to picture such a flighty and worldly personalty for that time.Though I have no doubt that it must be true.It just takes an adjustment.Overall, it's a good story.I wish I could say the same for the three additional stories in this book.To me those, House of Flowers, Diamond Guitar and a Christmas Memory were a waste of time and a disappointment.But this book is still worth the purchase price for Breakfast at Tiffany's alone.

Capote's Unique Literary Gifts on Display in the Original Story of Holly Golightly and Three Other Tales
Those who know Truman Capote's alternately poignant and comic 1958 novella only through the memorable 1961 Audrey Hepburn film directed by Blake Edwards may be surprised to find that Holly Golightly, in her original incarnation, is recalled in a flashback as a nineteen-year old Manhattan "party girl" during WWII. The still provocative story is really a memory piece fifteen years later by the narrator, a struggling writer with no name except the one given to him by Holly - "Fred" - after her beloved brother. The rest of the elements will be familiar to anyone who has seen the movie, though Capote is more forthright in describing Holly's hedonistic behavior than film censors could allow in the early sixties. Revealed gradually is her background as Lulumae Barnes, a hillbilly child-bride to Doc Golightly, written with more comedy than pathos here, as well as her erratic, amoral journey to Hollywood as a starlet and then as a "companion" to wealthy men in New York who give her cash for the powder room.

Eccentric characters fill in the corners like Mr. Yunioshi, the Japanese fashion photographer who lives upstairs, and Sally Tomato, the gangster who passes messages to Holly while serving time in Sing Sing. Capote has less affinity for the romantic conventions found in the movie as he more comfortably explores the tale of two emotionally stunted people who find momentary support from one another. The melancholy ending is testament to that, and as such, the book is well worth reading for Capote's gift for illustrative prose. Three very brief stories from Capote are also included with the book, all with their charms - "The House of Flowers", the fanciful tale of two warring bordellos in the West Indies; "A Diamond Guitar", a tender story of a prison inmate who attempts to use his glass-diamonded guitar as a means to escape; and "A Christmas Memory", a childhood remembrance of his distant cousin embodied by the elderly Sook. ... Read more

Product Description
A los cinco anos del asesinato de una familia en Kansas (1959), apresan a los criminales y Truman Capote sigue paso a paso la vida del pueblito, de los psicopatas asesinos, de las victimas, realizando una yuxtaposicion de ellos y mostrando el doblez de la vida norteamericana. ... Read more

Product Description
"A true account of a multiple murder and its consequences" ... Read more

Product Description
'The only four things that interested me were: reading books, going to the movies, tap-dancing and drawing pictures. Then one day I started writing ...' Truman Capote began writing at the age of eight, and never looked back. "A Capote Reader" contains much of the author's published work: his brilliant and prolific oeuvre of fiction, travel sketches, portraits, reportage and essays. It includes all twelve of his celebrated short stories, together with "The Grass Harp" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's". There are vivid sketches of places from Tangiers to Brooklyn, and fascinating insights into the lives of his contemporaries, from Jane Bowles and Cecil Beaton to Marilyn Monroe and Tennessee Williams. Generous space is devoted to reportage including 'The Muses Are Heard', on his trip to Communist Europe in the 1950s with the cast of Porgy and Bess. In all, "A Capote Reader" demonstrates the chameleon talents of one of America's most versatile and gifted writers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Five Stars Aren't Enough
This book is de rigeur for all wannabe prose-stylists. In an era when I fell asleep reading the first sentences of my fellow college writers, discovering Capote was like falling in love for the first time -- realizing there IS someone else out there like you, who isn't depraved or in denial (not too much more than the rest of humanity, anyway). He is both intelligent and entertaining, a good liar and also, at times, one of the most honest people I've ever read.

His so-called nonfiction is some of the best writing of the 20th century, I don't care if it's really "true" or not -- seriously, people, take the log out of your own eye before you accuse a WRITER of lying. Ha ha! No one can ever know the whole truth, but Capote wrote the truth as he saw and subsequently remembered it.

Anyway, just read this. It's good. I promise.

Especially lovely are the pieces "The White Rose" and the masterpiece novella "Handcarved Coffins"; the Cecil Beaton piece is fascinating and the essays are really first rate. The interviews with himself are charming.

Erratic.
I think the test of Truman Capote as a writer is the section of this book called 'Portraits', sketches and longer pieces on the famous: actors, writers, photographers, fashion designers etc.These are generally priceless.The long article on Marlon Brando, for example, captures the enigmatic restlessness of this extraordinary actor in a way no writer (and few directors) has ever done, mostly by observation.However, even here, there are passages, such as when Brando is on the phone, and Capote looks out the window and tries to describe local Japanese atmosphere, that are pure phoney baloney, an attempt to inject art into 'mere' reportage that mocks the latter while failing in the former.His portrait of Marilyn Monroe is, again, the best I've ever read when it is merely observation, or a conversation between the auther and a real, believable, very likeable woman, but sheer bunkum when he tries to mythologise her, etherealising her on the beach.At other times, his prose reads like something from Vogue in its arch superficiality.These are genuine problems, but these portraits are highly readable - the piece on Gide and Cocteau is a little comic masterpiece.

Brilliant
Truman Capote could write dark drama and high comic fiction with equal skill. The charisma of his personality translated to the page. His fame eclipsed his actual writing, and diminished the seriousness of hisreputation, and I recommend any reader to read this as an introduction toCapote's genius, if they have only heard of him, but haven't read him."A Jug of Silver" is an especially charming short story. AndCapote's interview with one of the Manson family is fascinating, in that itrelates a different (than Bugliossi's), and believable theory for why theManson murders went down. Capote is/was one of America's greatest writers,of any era.

This is a wonderful anthology of the work of Truman Capote.
This is a great anthology of the late Truman Capote's work. It includesalmost everything he ever wrote. It is a magnificent work. What struck memost was Capote's versatility. He could write beautiful short stories,travel pieces, non fiction, essays, and novellas. I had a difficult timefinding this book, but the writing in it is so wonderful that it wasdefinitly worth it. It is a joy to read. Capote's masterful ear for theEnglish language was a wonderful gift that made him one of the greatestwriters, and he deserves to have this anthology in print again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I shore these pieces against the ruins of a world in motion
The Dogs Bark, Capote's compilation of his travel pieces and personal sketches, was written across twenty plus years.It is necessarily uneven.The brief sketches of varying locales and locals gives the reader thefeelling of sitting at a wine tasting rather than an entire feast.Somepieces have tremendous body; still you are only allowed a nip of each.The travel pieces and brief sketches, especially those of persons in thepost WWII era, are interesting as a fleeting view of alien people in closedcultures that no longer exist--Europeans in French Tunisia, Capote livingin the old Quarter of New Orleans, the cast of the african-american musical"Porgy and Bess" in Soviet Russia, etc. Depending on yourpersonal opinion of Capote's opinion of himself (he is the traveler at thecenter of the travel pieces, after all), some works are more enjoyable thanothers.Some readers will find his innumerable digs at the drabness ofSoviet life in "The Muses are Heard" wickedly funny; others willbe annoyedthat he couldn't disengage his own sense of disenchantment totake a more objectively journalistic viewpoint.If you're considering thisbook, you are more than likely a member of the first camp.The avidCapote reader will find intriguing parallels and connections between thepeople he encounters in his travels andcharacters in his fictional works. Others will enjoy the works for their strengths as travel logs--thetransparent eyeball of the traveler bringing terra incognita into sharpfocus through well-described event and emotion.Skip back and forththrough the book; savor the variety. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

a nice southern book
I REALLY LIKED THIS LITTLE BOOK BECAUSE THERES NOTHING LIKE READING ABOUT SOUTHERN PEOPLE AND SOUTHERN WAYS.IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL LAID BACK MOOD. VERY RELAXING TO READ.

Excellent portrait of the South
The reviews of this book vary widely from Capote fans that treasure every shred of information to those that feel the book recycles known information to others critical of the co-author. I am a Capote fan and do treasure information on Truman. The book is short but I found it well written and fascinating. The text also captures the Southern frame of mind so common among those raised in the South (as I was). In addition, the hardcover is an attractive book and will stay on my shelf for years to come. It has a high quality binding; the dust jacket and interior are handsome and well made. Given the price, not only is it a fine volume for Capote fans but it is a good value.

simply fascinating
This book has so much detail in such few chapters. This story tells how Truman was first left to stay atJenny's house..Also featuring the special tree house, the bone fence and the Sunday dinners.All these stories were wonderful.I've never read such interesting, real detail about Truman's life..this book is a must have for every Capote fan.Way to go Marie

simply fascinating
This book has so much detail in such few chapters. This story tells how Truman was first left to stay atJenny's house..Also featuring the special tree house, the bone fence and the Sunday dinners.All these stories were wonderful.I've never read such interesting, real detail about Truman's life..this book is a must have for every Capote fan.Way to go Marie

REHASH
This book is simply a rehash of information which has already been published. I am a big fan of Marie Rudisill's and loved FRUITCAKE and SOOK'S COOKBOOK. I advise she work on her own and not coauthor with Simmons again--her books with him just don't allow her wit and humanity to show through. ... Read more

Product Description
One unforgettable Christmas, young Truman Capote is sent from his childhood home and his beloved cousin Miss Sook to New Orleans, to a father he's never met. Far from the warmth and familiarity of small town dreams and family traditions, Truman learns the painful truths about his father, about Santa Claus, and about love lost and found. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Lost Pair of Kites
Breakfast At Tiffany's, a book by Truman Capote, is a short novel that is very well-written.The book consists of four short stories, and although the plot of the four stories have nothing in common with one another, they are tied together by a central theme.Capote also demonstrates superb use of symbolism throughout his book.
The main idea of each short story revolves around the loss of someone or something loved.The first story, "Breakfast at Tiffany's," is about two close friends, but after a series of dramatic events are forced to leave each other forever."House of Flowers" tells of Ottilie, a girl who chooses to leave her rich, easy life and marries to a poor boy who works in the fields.In "A Diamond Guitar," one friend betrays the other, leaving Mr. Schaeffer watching "the face of his friend, suspended above him...it was so distant, judging."And finally, "A Christmas Memory," is perhaps the saddest of all four stories.Here, two lifelong friends who have spent every Christmas together, eventually grow apart due to a sudden change in lifestyles.Capote says that loss is something all must endure, and the only way to deal with a loss is to grow from it.
The author relies on symbolism to bring more life to his stories, and no doubt he uses this element well.For example, the Houngan in "House of Flowers" explains to Ottilie that if she catches a wild bee and it "does not sting, then [she] will know [she has] found love."The bee represents Ottilie's heart, something wild and free.Yet if she allows herself to be tamed, then she will find true love.It is instances like this that make Capote's stories timeless.
Capote engages the reader's attention in each story.His language is simple, and the reader never becomes bored with what he has to tell. But perhaps what brings his book together is the message he communicates: loss of love is unavoidable, and by overcoming it comes learning and knowledge that love will come again.

A Lost Soul
Truman Capote has a great imagination. Every story I have read by him has held my interest. I am anxious to read his other novels. Although this novel is a short read, it held my attention very well. Breakfast At Tiffany�s is a novel filled with a love interest, a little suspense, and scandalous affairs; it�s a little racy for the time this story takes place.
Lulamae Barnes wanted to re-invent herself. She picks a new name, Holly Golightly. I feel she has picked this new name to reflect the persona she wants to project; someone who was always on the go-someone not too easily tied down. She is a little gullible, a little naïve, and also outspoken. Holly Golightly is someone you love intensely for the short while she is in your life and someone you long for long after she has exited. I also feel that everyone could relate to her at some point in her life (all the way from the pain in her childhood, when she felt like she never belonged anywhere or to anyone, to the time she lost her brother, Fred).
Holly was a young woman who had quite a few gentleman callers. She seems to fall for the older men in her life. Holly suffers from this �father complex.�
My favorite character is the narrator of the story. He is an older gentleman as well. He is in his sixties and a writer. As they developed their friendship, he also developed a fascination with Holly. He reminds her of Fred, so she asks if she can call him Fred, and he graciously accepts. As the two interact as friends, �Fred� quietly falls in love with her.
I was most disappointed that Holly never quite knew of his love for her. I think that if she had known then maybe she could have had a better life with him.
I rated this novel with five stars because I could not put this story down until I had finished it. I am not an avid reader so that is saying a lot for this story. If I can�t wait to finish a book, then I feel the author had captured my heart for the length of time it took me to put it down. It is almost like getting a kiss from a long lost lover.

Interesting book
Story of a young woman unsure of what she wants in life.She surronds herslef with and assortment of charaters hoping to find that for which she is searching. ... Read more

Product Description
Truman Capote once said, "The thing I like to do most in the whole world is talk ...," and talk he does in the more than two dozen interviews collected in this book. The topics are often gossip about the famous people Capote ran with, but always he provides revealing information about his writings--the authors who inspired him, his meticulous methods of research and composition, and his personal reverence for the craft of authorship. He was, as the editor notes, "fiercely devoted to his art, and keenly aware of his place in the world of letters."

While his detractors, such as Ernest Hemingway and Gore Vidal, spoke out long and loud against the feisty and media-minded writer from Louisiana, Capote here has the last word. What emerges is a portrait of the author as pop cult figure--unabashed in his pursuit of fame and fortune but unstinting in his devotion to becoming one of America's major prose stylists.

These interviews range from the first he granted after the publication of his first novel through his shockingly personal self-interview which appeared at the end of his last major work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

TrumanCapote Conversations
I was very impressed with everything involved in the ordering, shipping, delivery and the product itself.My thanks and Kukos to everyone involved.

a collection of interviews with one of our great talkers
Truman Capote once said that he loved talking more than anything else. Inge's book is a collection of interviews with the great talker himself,covering the period from 1948, when Capote burst on the literary scene withhis first novel, "Other Voices, Other Rooms," to a 1980self-interview from "Music for Chameleons."It includes thecomplete texts of George Plimpton's important "New York Times BookReview" interview upon the publication of Capote's masterpiece"In Cold Blood" and Eric Norden's lengthy 1968"Playboy" interview, both involving Capote's claim to haveinvented a new literary form, the "nonfiction novel." Theseinterviews make clear why we must sometimes take Capote with a grain ofsalt, and why we must take his work as seriously as he took it himself. ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrated in full color. Another masterpiece by the great American writer

Truman Capote is brought to an audience of all ages. Buddy and his closest

friend, his eccentric, elderly cousin, Miss Sook - the memorable characters

from Capote's A Christmas Memory--love preparing their old country house

for Thanksgiving. But there's trouble in the air. Odd Henderson, a scrawny,

freckled, red-headed bully makes Buddy the target of his relentless torment.

But Miss Sook only counsels patience and understanding, "He can't help acting

ugly; he doesn't know any different," she says. Filled with emotions that are

universal to both young readers and adults, this poignant story brings to life

what we all should cherish and be thankful for--the gifts of friendship and

love. Enchanting illustrations by Beth Peck make The Thanksgiving

Visitor a perfect companion for the holiday bookshelf.




... Read more

Product Description
Fruitcake is a jaunty little collection of heirloom fruitcake recipes selected by Marie Rudisill from a nineteenth-century family farm journal owned by Sook Faulk, a cousin of Rudisill and Truman Capote, who immortalized Sook in his novella, A Christmas Memory. Rudisill, made famous as "The Fruitcake Lady" on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, aims to elevate the much-maligned reputation of what she calls "the queen of cakes" in this book, which features 23 enticing recipes, including Peacock Fruitcake, Chocolate Fruitcake, Civil War Fruitcake, Pore Man's Fruitcake, and Farmer's Fruitcake.These are interspersed with pithy facts about fruitcake, an excerpt from A Christmas Memory, bits of kitchen wisdom and baking tips, and charming family reminiscences, most of which feature Truman and Sook. With a new foreword by cookbook author Jean Anderson, this entertaining volume enriches our experience of southern cooking by raising up one of its least-trumpeted culinary traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Showcasing twenty-three fruitcake recipes
Despite its honorable origins in this country, beginning with our colonial forebears, the fruitcake has become an underappreciated culinary joke. That's why Marie Rudisill's "Fruitcake: Heirloom Recipes And Memories Of Truman Copte And Cousin Sook" is such a welcome little volume. "Fruitcake" is an 80-page compendium of the history of the fruitcake followed by some rather impressive 19th century fruitcake recipes taken from a family farm journal. Showcasing twenty-three fruitcake recipes with their thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', step-by-step instructions, Marie Rudisill has elevated the fruitcake back into its rightful place as an American culinary icon appropriate for anytime of the year.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Could not make it to the end
Despite my admiration for both Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams, this book did them little justice.It appears to have been more for the author to talk about himself rather than trying to get into his subjects.I've read another book by Mr. Windham and did not find this to be problematic.The other issue I had with it is that as the book went on, the author started writing these long, convoluted sentences that he may have thought seemed Proustian but, in reality, made little sense--if not completely contradictory.I was not impressed.

Loved it
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's filled with details that bring to life what it must have been like to be a (gay) man of letters from the 1940's to the 1980's (and Windham, at 90, is still kicking it in 2009).

no title
I only read the half about Truman Capote.Windham really revealed more of himself than of Truman - seems to me to be the archtype of a gay man - too, too sensitive to remarks about himself, either verbal or in print.Actually uses the phrase "conspiracy against me".I think a very biased portrait of Capote. ... Read more

Product Description
Murder. Not intricately plotted "whodunit." Not fiery passionate fury. But dirty, sad, disturbing actions from real people.

That's what Truman Capote decided to use for In Cold Blood-his bold experiment in the realm of the non-fiction "novel." Following in that legacy is Capote in Kansas, a fictionalized tale of Capote's time in Middle America researching his classic book. Capote's struggles with the town, the betrayal, and his own troubled past make this book a compelling portrait of one of the greatest literary talents of the 20th century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very poor
This is a joke.It is a cartoon book.
Don't waste your money or your time.

Quite Bizarre
As an avid fan of the book "In Cold Blood" and the movie "Capote", I looked forward to reading this.I should have stuck to Gerald Clarke's biography.This was okay, although I don't think it advanced my knowledge of Capote, the crimes, the Clutters, or the killers.Nancy Clutter's utilization as a plot device was odd--I kept wondering what her two surviving sisters would have thought of this.

Eisner-Worthy? Maybe. (Warning: Contains Some Spoilers)
Murder, ripped straight from the pages of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, begins Capote in Kansas, the engaging work from writer Ande Parks and illustrator Chris Samnee. Based on the research period of Capote's "non-fiction novel," the story introduces the reader to Capote, the flamboyant, arguably-overconfident, writer who steps into a world of brutal homicide, centered around the deaths of four members of a prominent Holcomb farming family-Kansans Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon Clutter.
In his story, Parks takes the reader cyclically from death to death, filling it in with what perhaps is his strongest talent, the ability to create telling human relationships. It's not the believability of Capote as a socialite character that draws readers in, but rather his vulnerability. While it becomes difficult to believe some of Capote's actions (the naïve waltz into the police station, the expectation of assistance from the police) one does not question the more intimate moments of his life, especially not Capote's childhood. Capote's solid friendship with Harper Lee only reinforces the strength of this scene creating a relationship that foreshadows Capote's later one with Perry.
Still, for all the success of Parks' characters, one cannot help but find fault in Nancy Clutter, the ghost who seems no more than a device for sentimentality. While she might have been a powerful illustration of Capote's psychological struggle to unravel the history of the Clutter family, Nancy comes off more as a confidante and a contrivance to humanize Capote. It appears, at times, that Parks' may have intended Nancy to be something closer to the illustration of the struggle, but it never quite settles into that. This sentimentality goes on to haunt Parks' narration, especially in the scenes with Capote and Nancy in the rain, and Capote hugging Perry in prison.
Still, applause should certainly follow Parks' depiction of homosexual relationships. Not only does he shy away from overt stereotype, but in the letters and back-and-forthing between Capote and Jack, readers have the opportunity to see love. Parks does not dwell on Capote's infidelity either, acts which may not make for a likeable character, but nevertheless a believable one (Capote having had several relationships with arguably-heterosexual men). That he treats homosexuals as people, however, and not types exploitable for comic value is a testament to Parks' maturity as a writer.
And accompanying Parks' tale, Samnee lends his talents for stunning illustration. With careful attention to negative space, and a degree of control that would make Frank Miller proud, Samnee creates highly-detailed images with particular expertise at group scenes (the funeral, arrest of the suspects), parties, banquets, and landscapes. His depictions of anticipation, remorse, happiness, and sly wit are unquestionably authentic with his management of sequencing tracking the progression of emotion beautifully in scenes like Capote's childhood, Capote's advance at Perry, and at the story's conclusion, Nancy's beautiful dance into oblivion.
One encounters trouble, however, in scenes like Capote's seduction of the teacher, where, arguably, it would seem that Capote is making love to himself. The character differentiation simply isn't clear enough, as opposed to other points in the novel, which are crystal (Capote inspecting the Clutter home, the beginning murder scene). Though, Samnee should receive no fewer congratulations than Parks on his depiction of homosexual relationships, especially in the scene between Capote and the teacher. The kissing appears natural with the teacher showing just enough shame and apprehension one might expect from a small-town person concerned about the discovery of a secret. Only in a few places does the sequencing seem shaky, most notably when Capote attempts to demonstrate a handstand to Nancy, which results in him falling over, and knocking a phantom chair to the ground-a chair that seems to appear out of thin air just for the sake of one panel.
Overall, though, the work is successful, conveying powerful images to compliment the grim tale. Parks keeps the reader focused upon Capote without overloading them with information. Background history works smoothly into the plot, and Samnee is there to keep the horrors on the page bound in ink.

Capote Classic!
Capote in Kansas is a perfect companion piece to In Cold Blood.Ande Park's graphic novel parallels Capote's work providing interesting details and the inner most thoughts of the main character(s) while developing the supporting characters, showing how their lives are touched and how their lives touch the main character, yet carves its own path along the way.

This is a gorgeously illustrated novel with an eye catching cover. How Ande was able to get Chris Samnee is beyond me, I'm thinking he lost big to Ande in a poker match and this was the only way he could pay his debt.

Ande Parks has provided his readers with a hundred and twenty pages of solid writing with no wasted page or panel leaving the reader wanting another hundred and twenty.

I highly recommend Capote in Kansas.This graphic novel and its creators are definitely worthy of an Eisner nomination. ... Read more

Product Description
Truman Capote
Truman Capote was born September 30, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a well-known author and writer, was one of many well-known persons who lent their name to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. There are several articles concerning this Committee that mention Truman Capote. He is the subject of a few other cross references.


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