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Selected Writings of Truman Capote
Pre In Cold Blood collection of Capote's short stories and essays.
- GenresAmerican
460 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1963
5 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Truman Capote
353 books7,221 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 2, 2024
What a surprise with the variety of selections! Turned out I found the non-fiction even more fascinating than the fiction. Capote had proven himself as a journalist with his masterpiece “In Cold Blood,” which I in fact read again as a result of reading this collection. I was especially pleased by “The Muses Are Heard,” an account of the travels of a theatre company and their production of “Porgy and Bess” traveling to Russia in the 1930’s. But the entire volume was enjoyable and I will be searching for more Capote treasures which I have not yet discovered. His genius is undeniable.
December 3, 2024
3.75/5
Capote is clearly a great writer, some of the stories were so well told and packed such enticing themes into few pages. However, I found myself struggling to get through some parts of this collection. The stories would drag, and sometimes seem repetitive. Perhaps his style lends itself better to reading one story at a time, but back to back the storytelling was hard to digest
My favorite story was “Master Misery” - it’s brilliant
Capote is clearly a great writer, some of the stories were so well told and packed such enticing themes into few pages. However, I found myself struggling to get through some parts of this collection. The stories would drag, and sometimes seem repetitive. Perhaps his style lends itself better to reading one story at a time, but back to back the storytelling was hard to digest
My favorite story was “Master Misery” - it’s brilliant
January 22, 2022
I especially liked the Glass House about two men who begin prison on the same day.
Currently reading
April 3, 2008A good spattering of light-hearted and dark short stories, including my favorites Breakfast At Tiffany's and House of Flowers. They are mostly short so you won't get too depressed while reading and it gives you a nice spot to set it down when you need some time away from Mr. Capote.
November 26, 2009
This is one book I'd grab from the burning house or take to prison with me. It has "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "The Muses Are Heard," "A Christmas Memory" and lots of short stoires and portraits. A great book; one of my very favorites.
July 28, 2010
I loved reading breakfast at tiffanys. There were some weirdo short stories and some really good short stories but they were all wonderful just for the fact of being short. Fun read
August 16, 2011
Early Capote's are wonderful reading.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews