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Recent redescoperite în arhivele Truman Capote ale Bibliotecii Publice din New York, cele paisprezece proze scurte au fost reunite şi publicate în volum pentru întâia oară la sfârșitul anului 2015.
Toate aceste mici bijuterii fac apel la compasiunea și la emoțiile cititorului. Capote a fost întotdeauna atras de outsideri — femei, copii, afro-americani, săraci — deoarece, înțelegem acum, așa s-a simțit și el încă din copilărie. Detectăm în aceste povestiri semnele precoce ale geniului lui Capote de a crea personaje memorabile, complexe și chinuite. Veți găsi aici povești despre crimă și violență, despre rasism și nedreptate, dar și despre tandrețe și generozitate, despre înțelepciune și miracole.
Dar, mai presus de toate, acest volum de povestiri inedite este dovada incontestabilă că autorul ei şi-a găsit propria-i voce foarte devreme și ne ajută să înțelegem cum a fost posibil ca un băiat din Monroeville, Alabama, să devină o legendă a literaturii americane.
Toate aceste mici bijuterii fac apel la compasiunea și la emoțiile cititorului. Capote a fost întotdeauna atras de outsideri — femei, copii, afro-americani, săraci — deoarece, înțelegem acum, așa s-a simțit și el încă din copilărie. Detectăm în aceste povestiri semnele precoce ale geniului lui Capote de a crea personaje memorabile, complexe și chinuite. Veți găsi aici povești despre crimă și violență, despre rasism și nedreptate, dar și despre tandrețe și generozitate, despre înțelepciune și miracole.
Dar, mai presus de toate, acest volum de povestiri inedite este dovada incontestabilă că autorul ei şi-a găsit propria-i voce foarte devreme și ne ajută să înțelegem cum a fost posibil ca un băiat din Monroeville, Alabama, să devină o legendă a literaturii americane.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2015
213 people are currently reading
2054 people want to read
About the author
Truman Capote
352 books7,215 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 - 30 of 325 reviews
January 23, 2022
This collection includes 14 stories written by Capote during his high school years and early twenties … already you can see the development of his growing ability to create memorable character sketches and weave complex plots … the most memorable stories are:
This Is For Jamie - A young boy, Teddy, approaches a woman in the park who is sitting on a bench with her small dog, Frisky … she tells Teddy that the dog belongs to her son and she hints that her son, Jamie, is very ill … Teddy brings a special gift for the woman to give to Jamie, and his kindness is sweetly returned …
Louise - A vindictive student at a boarding school schemes to get a popular girl expelled …
Traffic West - I don’t want to give away the end, but this story has a marvelous twist at the end …
I enjoyed reading these stories … it reminded me of how I used to sneak in my hours of writing during my teens … during boring classes, instead of doing homework in the evening, in the middle of the night while my family slept … even at a young age, Capote’s literary genius shines brilliantly …
This Is For Jamie - A young boy, Teddy, approaches a woman in the park who is sitting on a bench with her small dog, Frisky … she tells Teddy that the dog belongs to her son and she hints that her son, Jamie, is very ill … Teddy brings a special gift for the woman to give to Jamie, and his kindness is sweetly returned …
Louise - A vindictive student at a boarding school schemes to get a popular girl expelled …
Traffic West - I don’t want to give away the end, but this story has a marvelous twist at the end …
I enjoyed reading these stories … it reminded me of how I used to sneak in my hours of writing during my teens … during boring classes, instead of doing homework in the evening, in the middle of the night while my family slept … even at a young age, Capote’s literary genius shines brilliantly …
October 7, 2015
I suppose it's a bit odd for me to make my first read of Truman Capote a book of his early short stories. These were written in his late teens and early 20s. His talent shines through, but overall the stories do feel like early works, albeit of a promising writer. All stories are very short -- almost vignettes really. There are clever twists, strong emotions, and writerly phrases and metaphors. But overall, I found the experience of reading these stories a bit dull. None of them stood out and some of them were glaringly dated and a bit overly dramatic. But this book is certainly not the measure I would use to decide what I think of Capote. This collection shows promise, so it would likely be worth trying one of his later works some day. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
September 22, 2024
A decent collection of short stories. They aren't quite up to the brilliance of Truman Capote's later works and are for the most part rather unmemorable, but considering how young he was when he wrote them, they're really not bad. They're certainly better than what I wrote in my teens, although “Snuggle Bear Fights the Terrorists” was quite the hit in freshman English.
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April 2, 2025«Comecei a escrever mais ou menos a sério por volta dos onze anos», disse Capote. «Digo a sério no sentido em que, tal como outros miúdos iam para casa praticar no violino ou no piano ou no que quer que fosse, eu costumava voltar para casa todos os dias a seguir às aulas e escrever durante umas três horas. Estava obcecado com isso.»
Publicadas postumamente, As Primeiras Histórias de Capote estão povoadas de paisagens sulistas e personagens familiares ao autor: crianças imaginativas e ignoradas pelos pais, raparigas casadoiras, velhotas deliciosamente malévolas e inadaptados de toda a ordem - de insensíveis criminosos a maltrapilhos com o coração no sítio certo. Atraído por personagens marginais entre as quais se revia (não só dada a sua homossexualidade, mas também enquanto criança exposta a uma situação familiar bastante instável nos primeiros anos de vida), Capote escreve e publica muitas destas histórias na Escola Secundária de Greenwich, ainda em princípios de anos 40, anunciando claramente o escritor que virá a ser. Próximos da história de vida do autor, e bastante consistentes para uma obra de juventude, estes pequenos textos antecipam também a genuinidade, encanto e empatia de A Christmas Memory e One Christmas, duas pequenas obras-primas autobiográficas de um Capote ainda não completamente toldado pelo narcisismo.
A separação
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A loja da azenha
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hilda
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Miss Belle Rankin
⭐⭐⭐
Se eu te esquecer
⭐⭐⭐
A borboleta na chama
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Terror no pântano
⭐⭐⭐⭐
O estranho familiar
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Louise
-
Isto é para o Jamie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lucy
⭐⭐⭐
Trânsito para oeste
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Espíritos aparentados
⭐⭐⭐
Onde o mundo começa
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publicadas postumamente, As Primeiras Histórias de Capote estão povoadas de paisagens sulistas e personagens familiares ao autor: crianças imaginativas e ignoradas pelos pais, raparigas casadoiras, velhotas deliciosamente malévolas e inadaptados de toda a ordem - de insensíveis criminosos a maltrapilhos com o coração no sítio certo. Atraído por personagens marginais entre as quais se revia (não só dada a sua homossexualidade, mas também enquanto criança exposta a uma situação familiar bastante instável nos primeiros anos de vida), Capote escreve e publica muitas destas histórias na Escola Secundária de Greenwich, ainda em princípios de anos 40, anunciando claramente o escritor que virá a ser. Próximos da história de vida do autor, e bastante consistentes para uma obra de juventude, estes pequenos textos antecipam também a genuinidade, encanto e empatia de A Christmas Memory e One Christmas, duas pequenas obras-primas autobiográficas de um Capote ainda não completamente toldado pelo narcisismo.
A separação
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A loja da azenha
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hilda
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Miss Belle Rankin
⭐⭐⭐
Se eu te esquecer
⭐⭐⭐
A borboleta na chama
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Terror no pântano
⭐⭐⭐⭐
O estranho familiar
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Louise
-
Isto é para o Jamie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lucy
⭐⭐⭐
Trânsito para oeste
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Espíritos aparentados
⭐⭐⭐
Onde o mundo começa
⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 20, 2015
Truman Capote’s collection of newly discovered stories provides a fascination insight into the early career of one of the 20th century’s most enigmatic writers. Oxymoronic as it may appear, none of these stories is included in previously published The Complete Stories of Truman Capote.
The stories in The Early Stories of Truman Capote are:
1. Parting of the Way – A young hobo heads home after years on the road
2. Mill Story
3. Hilda
4. Miss Belle Rankin
5. If I Forget You
6. Swamp Terror
7. The Moth in the Flame
8. The Familiar Stranger
9. Louise
10. This Is in Jamie
11. Lucy
12. Traffic West
13. Kindred Spirits
14. Where the World Begins
The stories in this collection differ in style from most of his later stories. They are shorter and are more likely to end with a punchline in the final sentence of paragraph that causes the reader to reassess their entire understanding of the story. While none has the depth of narrative seen in his later works such as ‘The Thanksgiving Visitor’ or ‘A Christmas Memory’, his early stories do share Capote’s tendency to explore the quirkier side of the human psyche. My favorite story from the collection is ‘Louise’ in which Capote takes a malicious swipe at the Jim Crow mentality of the day. The story that most disappointed me was ‘Swamp Terror’ about a boy lost in a swamp while hunting an escaped convict. In it I saw such potential but it was sadly unrealized.
Bottom line: These stories may be amateurish by Truman Capote’s standards but they are unmistakably his stories. As such, they provide the reader a rare insight into the evolution of an author’s writing. The stories are also as entertaining as they are enlightening. With Truman Capote, even an amateurish story is going to be better than most people’s most polished efforts.
Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
• 5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• 4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
• 3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered good or memorable.
• 2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
• 1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
The stories in The Early Stories of Truman Capote are:
1. Parting of the Way – A young hobo heads home after years on the road
2. Mill Story
3. Hilda
4. Miss Belle Rankin
5. If I Forget You
6. Swamp Terror
7. The Moth in the Flame
8. The Familiar Stranger
9. Louise
10. This Is in Jamie
11. Lucy
12. Traffic West
13. Kindred Spirits
14. Where the World Begins
The stories in this collection differ in style from most of his later stories. They are shorter and are more likely to end with a punchline in the final sentence of paragraph that causes the reader to reassess their entire understanding of the story. While none has the depth of narrative seen in his later works such as ‘The Thanksgiving Visitor’ or ‘A Christmas Memory’, his early stories do share Capote’s tendency to explore the quirkier side of the human psyche. My favorite story from the collection is ‘Louise’ in which Capote takes a malicious swipe at the Jim Crow mentality of the day. The story that most disappointed me was ‘Swamp Terror’ about a boy lost in a swamp while hunting an escaped convict. In it I saw such potential but it was sadly unrealized.
Bottom line: These stories may be amateurish by Truman Capote’s standards but they are unmistakably his stories. As such, they provide the reader a rare insight into the evolution of an author’s writing. The stories are also as entertaining as they are enlightening. With Truman Capote, even an amateurish story is going to be better than most people’s most polished efforts.
Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
• 5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• 4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
• 3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered good or memorable.
• 2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
• 1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
June 25, 2025
- Já me lembro de ti. Sim, claro, eu era ainda uma miúda. Mas lembro-me de ti, vieste acordar-me muito tarde uma noite – de repente arquejou e perpassou-lhe pelos olhos um vislumbre de reconhecimento e horror -, a noite em que a minha mãe morreu!
- É verdade, vê lá bem, mas tu tens uma memória tremenda, para uma pessoa tão velha! – A voz dele infletiu vagarosamente estas últimas palavras. – Mas lembras-te de mim muitas outras vezes desde essa altura. A noite em que o teu pai faleceu, e inúmeras outras vezes. Sim, sim, é verdade. Eu vi-te muitas vezes e tu a mim, e só agora, neste momento, é que havias de me reconhecer!
Quem dera a muitos escritores experientes dominarem a arte do conto como o grande Truman Capote em adolescente, quando ainda dava os primeiros passos no género em que viria a brilhar como poucos. E que, nessa altura, ofendesse a vencedora do concurso de escrita na sua escola por o terem remetido ao segundo lugar é algo que não me admira, ele que até na sua protegida Carson McCullers via uma rival. Nestas “Primeiras Histórias” publicadas postumamente encontram-se todos os temas que Capote viria a explorar mais tarde, como a morte, a infância e o desajustamento, e apesar de alguns textos parecerem apenas o início de contos que prometiam mais, consegue-se identificar as personagens que eram a sua imagem de marca: os marginalizados e os inadaptados.
Embrulhou-se melhor na colcha. Aquela zona era mesmo solitária, sem nenhuma outra propriedade num raio de quatro milhas, com campos de um lado e pântanos e bosques do outro. Tinha a impressão de que talvez tivesse nascido para ser solitária, tal como outras pessoas nascem cegas ou surdas. Olhou em redor do quarto acanhado, cujas quatro paredes se apertavam à sua volta. Deixou-se ficar em silêncio, a ouvir o despertador barato, tiquetaque, tiquetaque.
- É verdade, vê lá bem, mas tu tens uma memória tremenda, para uma pessoa tão velha! – A voz dele infletiu vagarosamente estas últimas palavras. – Mas lembras-te de mim muitas outras vezes desde essa altura. A noite em que o teu pai faleceu, e inúmeras outras vezes. Sim, sim, é verdade. Eu vi-te muitas vezes e tu a mim, e só agora, neste momento, é que havias de me reconhecer!
Quem dera a muitos escritores experientes dominarem a arte do conto como o grande Truman Capote em adolescente, quando ainda dava os primeiros passos no género em que viria a brilhar como poucos. E que, nessa altura, ofendesse a vencedora do concurso de escrita na sua escola por o terem remetido ao segundo lugar é algo que não me admira, ele que até na sua protegida Carson McCullers via uma rival. Nestas “Primeiras Histórias” publicadas postumamente encontram-se todos os temas que Capote viria a explorar mais tarde, como a morte, a infância e o desajustamento, e apesar de alguns textos parecerem apenas o início de contos que prometiam mais, consegue-se identificar as personagens que eram a sua imagem de marca: os marginalizados e os inadaptados.
Embrulhou-se melhor na colcha. Aquela zona era mesmo solitária, sem nenhuma outra propriedade num raio de quatro milhas, com campos de um lado e pântanos e bosques do outro. Tinha a impressão de que talvez tivesse nascido para ser solitária, tal como outras pessoas nascem cegas ou surdas. Olhou em redor do quarto acanhado, cujas quatro paredes se apertavam à sua volta. Deixou-se ficar em silêncio, a ouvir o despertador barato, tiquetaque, tiquetaque.
May 2, 2018
Όλοι οι συγγραφείς ξεκίνησαν από κάπου, άλλοι από μικρά παιδιά και άλλοι πιο μεγάλοι. Ο Τρούμαν Καπότε ξεκίνησε το γράψιμο από τα οχτώ, στα έντεκα το πήρε στα σοβαρά, και μετά εξελίχθηκε σε έναν από τους σπουδαιότερους Αμερικανούς πεζογράφους. Στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο θα διαβάσει κανείς δεκατέσσερα διηγήματα που έγραψε όταν πήγαινε ακόμα στο Λύκειο, ή και λίγα χρόνια αφού το ολοκλήρωσε. Όπως καταλαβαίνει κανείς, πρόκειται για πρώιμα διηγήματα ενός πολύ μεγάλου συγγραφέα, κάτι που σημαίνει ότι από τη μια τους λείπει η ωριμότητα των επόμενων έργων του, από την άλλη όμως με αυτά ο Καπότε δείχνει από νωρίς τα δόντια του και τις δυνατότητες σαν συγγραφέας αλλά και σαν άνθρωπος. Αυτά τα κείμενα δείχνουν τον τρόπο σκέψης που είχε από νεαρή κιόλας ηλικία, τους προβληματισμούς του, τη συμπόνοια και την κατανόηση για τους αδύναμους. Όλα τα διηγήματα έχουν κάτι να δείξουν, κάτι να πουν, περνάνε διάφορα μηνύματα για το ρατσισμό, τις κοινωνικές αδικίες, τη φτώχεια, τις ανθρώπινες σχέσεις. Άλλα είναι κάπως πιο μαύρα, άλλα πιο αισιόδοξα, με μια κάποια μελαγχολία να τα διαπνέει. Γενικά, παρά τις όποιες ατέλειες και αδυναμίες, είναι μια καλή και σημαντική συλλογή διηγημάτων, που αξίζει να διαβάσει κανείς, για να κατανοήσει πως ένα αγόρι από το Νότο έγινε ένας θρύλος της Αμερικάνικης πεζογραφίας.
February 5, 2016
2.5 stars, rounded up.
A couple of months ago, I rated The Complete Stories of Truman Capote five stars. Capote was a master of the short story form and it's a brilliant collection. When I heard that writings from his adolescence were discovered in the archives of the NYC Public Library and would be published as The Early Stories of Truman Capote, I was sure I'd be equally amazed by it and got ready to start using the phrase "child prodigy".
What I learned from The Early Stories of Truman Capote is that Truman Capote was not a child prodigy. He was an unusual boy with an outsider's perspective and a penchant for writing, but his talent was not innate. He developed his talent over time by working his butt off and regularly honing his writing skills beginning at a young age.
According to Hilton Als' Introduction, Capote began writing at age eight and, according to David Ebershoff's Afterword, he began writing regularly at age eleven or twelve. Seven of the fourteen stories in this collection were published in Capote's high school literary magazine. Truthfully, almost all of them read like just exactly that: stories out of a high school literary magazine. They're not bad, but they're not genius. This lack of genius surprised me and inspired me at the same time. Amazing Talent isn't a gift bestowed on mortals by the gods; it's an attainable thing, the result of Decent Talent getting a regular workout over a long period of time.
Recommended primarily to Capote completists and curiosity-seekers.
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House.
December 28, 2017
„Не мога да си отида вкъщи, а толкова искам. Ох, какво ще каже мама?“
Още първият разказ със силата си ми напомни на друг по-късен – онзи със затворника и китарата. Разбира се дори нелитератор може да види несъвършенствата на тези ранни разкази – очакваност (при използването на някои познати похвати и фрази), прибързаност (хубаво е, че разказите са кратки, но някои, само някои „искат“ още развитие; други са „моментна снимка“ с достатъчна сила), наивност (аз харесвам „наивността“ на Капоти и милите му герои). Описанията му са майсторски още в този сборник, макар и на места поставяни вероятно защото е необходимо да се разбере и обстановката около героите.
„Беше съвсем тъмно, когато госпожица Бел пое нагоре по хълма към къщи. Зиме нощта падаше бързо. В тоя ден дойде така внезапно, че отначало я изплаши. Нямаше го огнения залез – просто перлено сивото се сгъсти и стана наситено черно. Снегът още валеше и пътят беше кишав и мразовит. Духаше по-силно и се чуваше пукотът от прекършените мъртви клони. Тя вървеше превита под тежестта на кошницата.“
В повечето разкази свързващият елемент е емпатията (няколко пъти си повтарях тази дума и накрая в послеслова какво да видя – думата също се повтаря няколко пъти, няма начин). И страхът за собствената кожа, особено при децата, особено в онези времена, когато по-безскрупулно и безнаказано се е пресичал прагът на престъпността; когато възможностите за жените са били малко.
„Може би ще се върне и ще ме отведе оттук, ще идем в някой голям град...“
Първите сблъсъци със света на възрастните са стряскащи. Добре че е атмосферата на това специфично място – Американският юг. Колкото и страховити неща да има по това време там, поне е далече от засмукващата сила на големия град. При рядкото появяване на голям град, ясно кой, положението е следното:
„Река Хъдсън непрекъснато нашепваше „Алабама“.“
Закъде при Капоти без добродушните и всеотдайни чернокожи, спасители за крехки белокожи (деца или баби):
„Ами то – каза Бюла, като погледна към големия часовник с махало, който стоеше, опрян до стената, - аз май да ‘зема да ида при доктора за ваш‘то лекарство. Вие си стойте, пък аз ще си дойда бързо-бързо.“
Почти във всеки разказ има дете. Дете или юноша. Как пише Труман Капоти за герои-деца! Цялата детска болка ли е преживял и разбрал…
Вижда се „интересът“ и към смъртта. Има и герои на преклонна възраст. Сякаш средната възраст е най-чужда за младия Капоти. Последните няколко разказа обаче се променят – там се появяват и възрастни, изглежда самият Труман пораства, изгубва се детската невинност…
„… ако нямат пари, отърви се от тях.“
Така се стига до „Сбъднати молитви“.
Но аз винаги ще те обичам, малък и голям Труман Капоти!
(P.S. Благодаря отново, Милена Попова!
P.P.S. Обичам книги с предговор и послеслов.)
Още първият разказ със силата си ми напомни на друг по-късен – онзи със затворника и китарата. Разбира се дори нелитератор може да види несъвършенствата на тези ранни разкази – очакваност (при използването на някои познати похвати и фрази), прибързаност (хубаво е, че разказите са кратки, но някои, само някои „искат“ още развитие; други са „моментна снимка“ с достатъчна сила), наивност (аз харесвам „наивността“ на Капоти и милите му герои). Описанията му са майсторски още в този сборник, макар и на места поставяни вероятно защото е необходимо да се разбере и обстановката около героите.
„Беше съвсем тъмно, когато госпожица Бел пое нагоре по хълма към къщи. Зиме нощта падаше бързо. В тоя ден дойде така внезапно, че отначало я изплаши. Нямаше го огнения залез – просто перлено сивото се сгъсти и стана наситено черно. Снегът още валеше и пътят беше кишав и мразовит. Духаше по-силно и се чуваше пукотът от прекършените мъртви клони. Тя вървеше превита под тежестта на кошницата.“
В повечето разкази свързващият елемент е емпатията (няколко пъти си повтарях тази дума и накрая в послеслова какво да видя – думата също се повтаря няколко пъти, няма начин). И страхът за собствената кожа, особено при децата, особено в онези времена, когато по-безскрупулно и безнаказано се е пресичал прагът на престъпността; когато възможностите за жените са били малко.
„Може би ще се върне и ще ме отведе оттук, ще идем в някой голям град...“
Първите сблъсъци със света на възрастните са стряскащи. Добре че е атмосферата на това специфично място – Американският юг. Колкото и страховити неща да има по това време там, поне е далече от засмукващата сила на големия град. При рядкото появяване на голям град, ясно кой, положението е следното:
„Река Хъдсън непрекъснато нашепваше „Алабама“.“
Закъде при Капоти без добродушните и всеотдайни чернокожи, спасители за крехки белокожи (деца или баби):
„Ами то – каза Бюла, като погледна към големия часовник с махало, който стоеше, опрян до стената, - аз май да ‘зема да ида при доктора за ваш‘то лекарство. Вие си стойте, пък аз ще си дойда бързо-бързо.“
Почти във всеки разказ има дете. Дете или юноша. Как пише Труман Капоти за герои-деца! Цялата детска болка ли е преживял и разбрал…
Вижда се „интересът“ и към смъртта. Има и герои на преклонна възраст. Сякаш средната възраст е най-чужда за младия Капоти. Последните няколко разказа обаче се променят – там се появяват и възрастни, изглежда самият Труман пораства, изгубва се детската невинност…
„… ако нямат пари, отърви се от тях.“
Така се стига до „Сбъднати молитви“.
Но аз винаги ще те обичам, малък и голям Труман Капоти!
(P.S. Благодаря отново, Милена Попова!
P.P.S. Обичам книги с предговор и послеслов.)
March 29, 2019
This was worth the read, but I was expecting short depictions rather like abbreviated Grass Harp- and that wasn't what I got. It's best not to anticipate, perhaps.
But these are short to extremely short pictures of a hour or setting or intersect outside or some such exercise to "eyes" of the writer. What he sees, and how it seems to be perhaps. They are mixed for skill, and I got the feeling to one or two characters at the most in each piece. There's more dialect than in his later and much more practiced and precise wordings. Capote here is writing more common word placement sentences too than he did in his most excellent fiction writing.
Now I am going to read next the short stories of his "after" success/ celeb rise. The ones which are not included in "Other Voices".
Just a note to others who would want to take this route. There are some of you that might feel like I do about one factor in particular. Often I do NOT read Introductions. I read this one and one other on the next Capote collection and wish I had not. Don't take their erudite announcements with 10 reasonings per Capote physical or emotion feature displayed within their own lens. Take Capote for his words alone. And his character in those words.
This particular book the Intro was beyond pretentious. And giving Capote a slant to post 2010 posits and decisions he would have made or more fully expressed. That is preposterous. Truman was aware and he had a succulent voice. No one should speak for him to make him out to be a total victim or failure. Nor parse his self-identity. Or diagnosis him so many years after his death in any sense. How arrogant!
But these are short to extremely short pictures of a hour or setting or intersect outside or some such exercise to "eyes" of the writer. What he sees, and how it seems to be perhaps. They are mixed for skill, and I got the feeling to one or two characters at the most in each piece. There's more dialect than in his later and much more practiced and precise wordings. Capote here is writing more common word placement sentences too than he did in his most excellent fiction writing.
Now I am going to read next the short stories of his "after" success/ celeb rise. The ones which are not included in "Other Voices".
Just a note to others who would want to take this route. There are some of you that might feel like I do about one factor in particular. Often I do NOT read Introductions. I read this one and one other on the next Capote collection and wish I had not. Don't take their erudite announcements with 10 reasonings per Capote physical or emotion feature displayed within their own lens. Take Capote for his words alone. And his character in those words.
This particular book the Intro was beyond pretentious. And giving Capote a slant to post 2010 posits and decisions he would have made or more fully expressed. That is preposterous. Truman was aware and he had a succulent voice. No one should speak for him to make him out to be a total victim or failure. Nor parse his self-identity. Or diagnosis him so many years after his death in any sense. How arrogant!
December 12, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a great win in my mind, given that I thoroughly enjoy the works of Truman Capote.
This collection can be viewed in two ways: as a collection of stories or as a chronicle of what Capote wrote in his early days. I see this as being a chronicle of his early writing, which is pretty good, but is reflective of something and someone that left their mark on American literature of the 20th century. The quality of the stories would probably get a 3-3.5 star rating, but I am giving it 4 stars on its nature and how we get a greater glimpse of how Capote started and how it contributed to what he would become.
These stories begin with his preteen years and go onto those written while he was in his early 20s. One such story, "Louise," was written for a writing contest at his school and he finished in second, something he was bitter about (he was obviously an 'only first place matters' kind of guy). The story that sticks out to me the most and leaves me in the most thought is "Traffic West," which follows the lives of multiple people in multiple situations that suit their lives and connects them by placing them all on the same bus at the same time.
Other stories in this collection include "Hilda," about a girl being called to go to the principal's office for a reason she or the reader do not know, "If I Forget You," about a girl who is on her way to see her boyfriend one last time before he moves and her memories of him, "This is for Jamie," where a boy named Teddy grows attached to Jamie (an ill boy's)'s dog, Frisky, who goes on walks in the park Teddy visits with Jamie's mother, and "Where the World Begins," about a Sally Lamb and her daydreams of becoming famous that reflect James Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Capote also explores the genre of gothic horror with works like "Swamp Terror" and "Kindred Spirits," and there are many more in this collection that explore his ability to write empathetically about all kinds of people.
This is a great way to get into the work of Truman Capote and I would definitely be open to looking at his stories in greater depth. I feel that while some of the stories seem familiar from other writers interpretations, which in some cases were better, I feel that this is key to understanding Capote's writing career at large and am glad that this collection was put together.
Here is my video review of The Early Stories of Truman Capote from Literary Gladiators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURea...
This collection can be viewed in two ways: as a collection of stories or as a chronicle of what Capote wrote in his early days. I see this as being a chronicle of his early writing, which is pretty good, but is reflective of something and someone that left their mark on American literature of the 20th century. The quality of the stories would probably get a 3-3.5 star rating, but I am giving it 4 stars on its nature and how we get a greater glimpse of how Capote started and how it contributed to what he would become.
These stories begin with his preteen years and go onto those written while he was in his early 20s. One such story, "Louise," was written for a writing contest at his school and he finished in second, something he was bitter about (he was obviously an 'only first place matters' kind of guy). The story that sticks out to me the most and leaves me in the most thought is "Traffic West," which follows the lives of multiple people in multiple situations that suit their lives and connects them by placing them all on the same bus at the same time.
Other stories in this collection include "Hilda," about a girl being called to go to the principal's office for a reason she or the reader do not know, "If I Forget You," about a girl who is on her way to see her boyfriend one last time before he moves and her memories of him, "This is for Jamie," where a boy named Teddy grows attached to Jamie (an ill boy's)'s dog, Frisky, who goes on walks in the park Teddy visits with Jamie's mother, and "Where the World Begins," about a Sally Lamb and her daydreams of becoming famous that reflect James Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Capote also explores the genre of gothic horror with works like "Swamp Terror" and "Kindred Spirits," and there are many more in this collection that explore his ability to write empathetically about all kinds of people.
This is a great way to get into the work of Truman Capote and I would definitely be open to looking at his stories in greater depth. I feel that while some of the stories seem familiar from other writers interpretations, which in some cases were better, I feel that this is key to understanding Capote's writing career at large and am glad that this collection was put together.
Here is my video review of The Early Stories of Truman Capote from Literary Gladiators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURea...
April 14, 2025
"Dove comincia il mondo" è una raccolta di quattordici racconti giovanili di Truman Capote. Nonostante facciano parte della produzione minore dello scrittore americano, questi racconti hanno già la sua magistrale impronta. Quello che colpisce non è infatti la trama, la storia, anche perché si tratta veramente di scritti di poche pagine ma è lo stile. Le parole, le frasi, le immagini che Capote è in grado di creare sono, per me, qualcosa di inconcepibilmente meraviglioso.
October 27, 2016
Bilir misiniz, her ne kadar şu kurgu-olmayan-roman türündeki kitabı Soğukkanlılıkla ile ünlenmiş olsa da Capote esaslı bir öykü bükücüdür. :) Hangi birini desem size, Doğum Günlerinde Çocuklar, Preacher Efsanesi, Kendine Ait Bir Vizon, Bir Noel Anısı, Güzel Bir Çocuk, Bir Günlük İş, Lola ve niceleri... Bu çocuk kalpli yazarın aynı zamanda zeka küpü olduğunun da kanıtı bize. Öyle ki, Capote bir duygunun nasıl kör göze parmak sokmadan verilebileceği ve hikayenin nasıl sündürülmeden anlatılabileceği konularında neredeyse kendine bahşedilmiş bir önseziyle yazmıştır bütün öykülerini. Ateşteki Güve' yi raflarda gördüğümde hem şaşırdım hem de çocukluk arkadaşımı bulmuş kadar sevindim, bana okuduğum kitabı yarım bıraktırdı. Bu seçki yazarın ilk gençlik döneminde kaleme aldığı öykülerden oluşuyor. O kadar tanıdık ki her şey, vefatından sonra bulunduğu söylenen el yazmalarının Capote' ye ait olduğuna ben de kefil olabilirim. Öyküleri okurken iyi yazmanın yazana doğuştan gelen bir yetenekle verildiğini düşündüm. Bana kalırsa kişi bu yetenekle doğmamışsa ne kadar çalışırsa çalışsın kendi sesini bulması çok uzun zaman alıyor. Oysa Capote bu yetenekle -ya da eğilimle diyelim hadi- donatılmış biri olarak daha ilk öykülerinden neyi nasıl yazacağına fazlasıyla hakim. Bu kitaba yazarın gelecekteki başarılı öykülerinin habercisi gibi palavra tanıtım cümleleri yazmak istemiyorum. Aksine, her biri iyi kotarılmış, etkileyici öykülerden oluşan bir seçki benim gözümde.
January 30, 2021
I enjoyed this collection juvenalia very much. Capote began writing seriously, he said, at the age of eleven and practiced every day for three hours after school as other children might pick up a violin or play football. So these stories, especially the latter ones, already have his distinctive voice and great empathy for marginalized persons of all backgrounds.
June 29, 2021
(3,5) Niewiarygodne jak kilkunastoletni chłopak potrafił operować słowem! Niesamowicie czułe i filmowe są te scenki z życia osób samotnych, starych, czy nie mogących odnaleźć się w zmieniającym świecie. Większość to faktycznie dopiero wprawki do wielkiego pisania, ale opowiadanie jak "To dla Jimiego" i "Lucy" to wręcz perełki. Samo wydanie tych wczesnych prac Capotiego zasługuje pewnie na wyższa ocenę, ciekawa przedmowa i posłowie świetnie spinają wszystko to co pomiędzy nimi. Myślę, że jest to lektura obowiązkowa dla każdego, zaintrygowanego postacią i literaturą Trumana Capote.
February 26, 2017
Several reviews of this collection of short stories by Truman Capote treat it as if these stories are subpar because he wrote them when he was in his teens and early 20s. They don't feel like stories written by a teenager or early-20s adult. A couple do seem to stop suddenly without any sort of punch at the end, but there's nothing wrong with that. When a story is over, it's over.
I find it very interesting that, even though Capote only lived in rural Alabama from about age 5-10, he sets almost all of his stories there: pine trees, magnolias, forests, rattlesnakes, escaped convicts, moccasins, red clay, gullies. These are props I remember well from my own childhood in the vicinity of his memories of Alabama. It's strange to me that this is the setting he went back to time and again when he lived there so briefly.
As in his more well-known works, Capote, even as a very young writer, is a master of creating a character in just a few lines. There are a few stories that stand out in my mind: the snake bite in "Mill Store", "Miss Belle Rankin" and her love for her Japonica trees, the escaped convict in "Swamp Terror", and the sad "This is for Jamie".
I find it very interesting that, even though Capote only lived in rural Alabama from about age 5-10, he sets almost all of his stories there: pine trees, magnolias, forests, rattlesnakes, escaped convicts, moccasins, red clay, gullies. These are props I remember well from my own childhood in the vicinity of his memories of Alabama. It's strange to me that this is the setting he went back to time and again when he lived there so briefly.
As in his more well-known works, Capote, even as a very young writer, is a master of creating a character in just a few lines. There are a few stories that stand out in my mind: the snake bite in "Mill Store", "Miss Belle Rankin" and her love for her Japonica trees, the escaped convict in "Swamp Terror", and the sad "This is for Jamie".
October 27, 2019
Kedves Anya!
Azt hiszem, eldőlt: író leszek. Egy darabig nem volt ez olyan egyértelmű, mert az a pár novella, amit befejeztem, olyanra sikeredett, mintha Jack London írta volna őket totál másnaposan, rövid határidőre. De a Miss Belle Rankin írásakor végül sikerült megmarkolnom az irodalom grabancát. Megértettem: egy kis gyerekkor, egy kis déli gyökerek, egy kis sasszemű érzékenység pont elég ahhoz, hogy az ember felépítsen belőlük egy történetet. Pár trükköt azért még meg kell tanulnom – például hogy hogyan kell véget vetni egy elbeszélésnek. Egyelőre csak befejezem őket, nem lezárom. És hát rohadtul irigy vagyok Hemingway-re is – hogy a francba csinálja, hogy ír, ír, látszólag szószaporítás nélkül, aztán mégis több lesz a végeredmény, mint húsz oldal? Én valahogy a legjobb indulattal sem vagyok képes 10 oldalnál hosszabbra kihúzni a novelláimat. Lehet, hogy kénytelen leszek a jelzős szerkezetekhez meg a tájleírásokhoz nyúlni? Isten mentsen meg minket attól.
Na mindegy, nem tökéletes, de azért alakul, mondta a pék, aki zsemlét akart készíteni, de feltalálta a kiflit. Szerintem már nem sok idő, és elsajátítom annyira a szabályokat, hogy akár már meg is szeghetem őket. Alig várom már.
Csókol fiad: Tru
Azt hiszem, eldőlt: író leszek. Egy darabig nem volt ez olyan egyértelmű, mert az a pár novella, amit befejeztem, olyanra sikeredett, mintha Jack London írta volna őket totál másnaposan, rövid határidőre. De a Miss Belle Rankin írásakor végül sikerült megmarkolnom az irodalom grabancát. Megértettem: egy kis gyerekkor, egy kis déli gyökerek, egy kis sasszemű érzékenység pont elég ahhoz, hogy az ember felépítsen belőlük egy történetet. Pár trükköt azért még meg kell tanulnom – például hogy hogyan kell véget vetni egy elbeszélésnek. Egyelőre csak befejezem őket, nem lezárom. És hát rohadtul irigy vagyok Hemingway-re is – hogy a francba csinálja, hogy ír, ír, látszólag szószaporítás nélkül, aztán mégis több lesz a végeredmény, mint húsz oldal? Én valahogy a legjobb indulattal sem vagyok képes 10 oldalnál hosszabbra kihúzni a novelláimat. Lehet, hogy kénytelen leszek a jelzős szerkezetekhez meg a tájleírásokhoz nyúlni? Isten mentsen meg minket attól.
Na mindegy, nem tökéletes, de azért alakul, mondta a pék, aki zsemlét akart készíteni, de feltalálta a kiflit. Szerintem már nem sok idő, és elsajátítom annyira a szabályokat, hogy akár már meg is szeghetem őket. Alig várom már.
Csókol fiad: Tru
August 16, 2018
Dieses Buch war so viel mehr, als ich erwartet hatte. Unter dem Wissen, dass Capote gerade mal 14, 15, 16 war als diese Geschichten entstanden, kommen einem die einzelnen Kapitel noch unglaublicher vor. Jede Kurzgeschichte strotzt von Einsamkeit, thematisiert Verlust oder gar den Tod. Auch Schuld und Verantwortungen und wie schwer es manchmal ist sich mit ebendiesen zu arrangieren. Trotz der melancholischen Themen sind die Seiten mit wunderschönen Bildern gespickt, die Flüsse zu Seidenbändern machen und das sanfte Dasein des Schneefalls an der Fensterscheibe wispern lassen. Ich fühle mich selten so inspiriert wie nach einem ruhigen Abend im Lesesessel mit einer Tasse Milchkaffee und der alten, 15-jährigen, Seele *Truman Capote*
August 16, 2018
O carte potrivită pentru cei interesaţi de opera timpurie a lui Capote, primele sale încercari literare din perioada adolescenţei și pentru cei curioși de modul în care stilul de scriere al acestuia a evoluat de-a lungul tipului.
Nu am mai citit nimic scris de Capote până acum și nu cred că acest volum a fost un început prea bun. Totuși, îi voi da o altă șansă acestui autor deoarece plănuiesc să citesc "Cu sânge rece" în viitor.
Recenzia mea: https://agendadecarti.wordpress.com/2...
Nu am mai citit nimic scris de Capote până acum și nu cred că acest volum a fost un început prea bun. Totuși, îi voi da o altă șansă acestui autor deoarece plănuiesc să citesc "Cu sânge rece" în viitor.
Recenzia mea: https://agendadecarti.wordpress.com/2...
July 21, 2025
Everything you need to know about this book is clear in the title and the introduction - these are early works. But won't you don't get from that is that you get access to reading raw, unrefined talent before time and editing honed the author in. It felt like the process of a diamond being made. Capote's works are classics for a reason, in the sense that some of the language and stories are not made for modern day whether because of language or plot, but also in that the writing in unmatched and no one comparable has come through yet to dethrone this writing style as the greatest in this lane. What we're getting here is coal. It's not beautiful yet, but it has its purpose and other things aren't possible without it.
October 13, 2017
Antes de leer el epílogo, se terminan los cuentos y te dices a ti misma algo sobre la madurez del autor y lo alto que deja el pabellón para dar paso a su obra maestra, A sangre fría, reflexionas un poco sobre la capacidad de Capote para crear en tan pocas páginas los sórdidos ambientes y escenas que quiere recrear, su siempre acertada elección de palabras... y entonces lees el epílogo, y esa persona que decide escribir el cierre de este libro que tan satisfecha te ha dejado te dice: no, estos cuentos no son un prólogo a la obra maestra del, valga la redundancia, maestro. Estos cuentos fueron escritos cuando Capote tenía entre 12 y 16 años.
Y se te abre la boca, claro.
P.D.: Estas cosas me pasan por ir a las bibliotecas y coger todos los libros de Anagrama que veo sin pararme a leer las contraportadas con calma.
Y se te abre la boca, claro.
P.D.: Estas cosas me pasan por ir a las bibliotecas y coger todos los libros de Anagrama que veo sin pararme a leer las contraportadas con calma.
August 12, 2018
Pretty awful. Predictable, good basis for several stories, but went entirely undeveloped. Typical work from an early writer.
May 24, 2020
პატარა მოთხრობების დიდი ოსტატი! (არა მხოლოდ).
July 20, 2024
Insightful forward by Hilton Als. The stories are charming, creepy, empathetic - yet not to the degree that Capote became known for in his later writing. Reading these early works provides insight into his marginalized experience, even though he did not yet possess the tools to extend that marginality to others, particularly women or Black characters.
February 7, 2017
«Para alargar e completar o conhecimento dos grandes homens, publicam-se-lhe as cartas, todos os papéis íntimos — até as contas do alfaiate»
Eça de Queiroz
Sou um apreciador da obra de Truman Capote. "In Cold Blood (A Sangue Frio)" integra, sem favor, a lista dos 100 livros que eu levaria para uma ilha deserta. A restante obra, não desmerece e recordo a sua leitura com prazer.
Tudo isto levou-me a adquirir esta, no espírito da citação de Eça que aqui reproduzo. Julguei tratar-se de uma colectânea dos primeiros escritos.
Enganei-me. O que na verdade aparece vertido nesta edição é a produção literária de Capote num género a que, no meu tempo de escola primária, chamávamos "Redacção". E que apenas beneficia de publicação não pelo seu mérito literário, que não tem, mas pelo mérito literário que o Autor vem a adquirir mais tarde. Indiciam genialidade? Admito que sim, são textos impressionantes se levarmos em conta a idade do Autor. Mas não têm valor literário "per se", são quando muito excelente material para um biógrafo.
Imagine-se a descoberta de gravações de um Luciano Pavarotti com 5 anos a cantar o "Atirei o Pau ao Gato". Deveria tal descoberta merecer uma edição da Deutsche Gramophone? Não me parece.
Eça de Queiroz
Sou um apreciador da obra de Truman Capote. "In Cold Blood (A Sangue Frio)" integra, sem favor, a lista dos 100 livros que eu levaria para uma ilha deserta. A restante obra, não desmerece e recordo a sua leitura com prazer.
Tudo isto levou-me a adquirir esta, no espírito da citação de Eça que aqui reproduzo. Julguei tratar-se de uma colectânea dos primeiros escritos.
Enganei-me. O que na verdade aparece vertido nesta edição é a produção literária de Capote num género a que, no meu tempo de escola primária, chamávamos "Redacção". E que apenas beneficia de publicação não pelo seu mérito literário, que não tem, mas pelo mérito literário que o Autor vem a adquirir mais tarde. Indiciam genialidade? Admito que sim, são textos impressionantes se levarmos em conta a idade do Autor. Mas não têm valor literário "per se", são quando muito excelente material para um biógrafo.
Imagine-se a descoberta de gravações de um Luciano Pavarotti com 5 anos a cantar o "Atirei o Pau ao Gato". Deveria tal descoberta merecer uma edição da Deutsche Gramophone? Não me parece.
December 13, 2018
I spotted a gorgeous US edition of The Early Stories of Truman Capote in Fopp, and could not resist picking it up. As one of my favourite authors, I have been wanting this collection since I first learnt of its publication, which followed the rediscovery of a lot of Capote's juvenilia in the New York Public Library's archives. It collects together 'the early fiction of one of the nation's most celebrated writers... as he takes his first bold steps into the canon of American literature.' They 'provide an unparalleled look at Truman Capote writing in his teens and early twenties'. Many of the stories were published for the first time between 1940 and 1941.
The edition which I read featured a foreword by Hilton Als, a writer at the New Yorker magazine. He begins by focusing upon a moment in 1963, in which Truman Capote was in Kansas, conducting his research for In Cold Blood. Als writes: 'He's almost forty and he's been a writer for nearly as long as he's been alive. Words, stories, tales - he's been at it since he was a child, growing up in Louisiana and rural Alabama and then Connecticut and New York - a citizen formed by a divided world and opposing cultures: in his native South there was segregation, and, up north, at least talk of assimilation. In both places there was his intractable queerness. And the queerness of being a writer.' He goes on to note that 'Capote's cinematic eye - the movies influenced him as much as books and conversation did - was sharpened as he produced these apprentice works.' Als also remarks upon Capote's fascination with outsiders, believing himself to be one too.
The collection is short, spanning less than 170 pages, but over a dozen relatively brief pieces have been included. Throughout, Capote is more focused on people than plot, but things do happen in each of the stories. Indeed, the blurb writes that in his early work, it is evident that 'Capote's powers of empathy [are] developing as he depicts his characters struggling at the margins of their known worlds.' For the most part, his early efforts have a tremendously effective pace to them.
The stories here take into account many different themes: 'crime and violence; of racism and injustice; of poverty and despair. And there are tales of generosity and tenderness; compassion and connection; wit and wonder.' There are moments of comedy in some of these stories, and shades of tragedy in others. Whilst there was less about race in the book than I was expecting, it is possible to identify Capote's later influences and interests in this collection.
The stories here are not overly simplistic, but they perhaps err a little, on the whole, on the matter-of-fact, and are less descriptive than his later work tends to be. As in the books of Capote's written when he was more mature, however, I found that he has an uncanny ability to evoke both place and character by mentioning just a few details. In 'Parting of the Way', for instance, he describe his protagonist like so: 'Jake's flaming red hair framed his head, his eyebrows looked like hors, his muscles bulged and were threatening; his overalls were faded and ragged, and his toes stuck out through pieces of shoes.' Of Jake's companion Tim, very much the antithesis, Capote writes: 'His thin shoulders drooped from the strain, and his gaunt features stood out with protruding bones. His eyes were weak but sympathetic; his rose-bud mouth puckered slightly as he went about his labor.' Although many of the stories did not mention the specific geographic location in which they were set, each holds certain allusions to Capote's Deep South.
In his tales, Capote's characters have a lot of variance to them, hailing as they do from different walks of life - from the aforementioned downtrodden Tim in 'Parting of the Ways', to the privileged protagonist of 'Hilda', who is troubled in an entirely different way. He is adept throughout at setting scenes, particularly when they involve impoverishment. As in his later work, Capote has a real knack here for capturing his characters. In 'This is for Jamie', Capote describes the typical Sunday morning for his young protagonist: 'Teddy ran along the paved paths of the park with a wild exuberance. He was an Indian, a detective, a robber-baron, a fairy-tale Prince, he was an angel, he was going to escape from the thieves through the bush - and most of ask he was happy and he had two whole hours to himself.'
The authorial voice here is recognisably Capote's, but I did find it possible to identify echoes of other works and influences as I was reading. The opening of 'Miss Belle Rankin' reminded me somewhat of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, beginning as it does: 'I was eight the first time I saw Miss Belle Rankin. It was a hot August day. The sun was waning in the scarlet-streaked day, and the heat was rising dry and vibrant from the earth.' I did find it atmospheric at times, particularly within this story. Capote writes: 'The room was cold when she awoke and long tears of ice hung on the eaves of the roof. She shuddered a little as she looked about at the drabness. With an effort she slipped from beneath the gay colored scrap quilt.' Later in the story, Capote's descriptions become darker and more tense: 'It was quite dark when Miss Belle started climbing up the hill towards home. Dark came quickly on these winter days. It came so suddenly today that it frightened her at first. There was no glaring sunset, only the pearl grayness of the sky deepening into rich black.' There are other beautiful, evocative touches to be found within The Early Stories of Truman Capote. In 'If I Forget You', for example, he writes: 'She wanted to stay out here in the night where she could breathe and smell and touch it. It seemed so palpable to her that she could feel its texture like fine blue satin.'
I found it fascinating, having read all of Capote's other fiction, and a large chunk of his non-fiction, to see his growth as an author from these earliest efforts. Some of the stories in this collection perhaps end a little abruptly, but actually, I did not mind this. I found that the majority of the tales tended to finish at just the right time, leaving a sense of intrigue in their wake. The Early Stories of Truman Capote is rather a quick read, but it offers much to mull over. For juvenilia, some of it certainly feels quite accomplished. There perhaps is not the polish to the majority of the pieces here, but they are certainly interesting precursors. Regardless, Capote manages to capture a great deal in this collection, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys his later work.
The edition which I read featured a foreword by Hilton Als, a writer at the New Yorker magazine. He begins by focusing upon a moment in 1963, in which Truman Capote was in Kansas, conducting his research for In Cold Blood. Als writes: 'He's almost forty and he's been a writer for nearly as long as he's been alive. Words, stories, tales - he's been at it since he was a child, growing up in Louisiana and rural Alabama and then Connecticut and New York - a citizen formed by a divided world and opposing cultures: in his native South there was segregation, and, up north, at least talk of assimilation. In both places there was his intractable queerness. And the queerness of being a writer.' He goes on to note that 'Capote's cinematic eye - the movies influenced him as much as books and conversation did - was sharpened as he produced these apprentice works.' Als also remarks upon Capote's fascination with outsiders, believing himself to be one too.
The collection is short, spanning less than 170 pages, but over a dozen relatively brief pieces have been included. Throughout, Capote is more focused on people than plot, but things do happen in each of the stories. Indeed, the blurb writes that in his early work, it is evident that 'Capote's powers of empathy [are] developing as he depicts his characters struggling at the margins of their known worlds.' For the most part, his early efforts have a tremendously effective pace to them.
The stories here take into account many different themes: 'crime and violence; of racism and injustice; of poverty and despair. And there are tales of generosity and tenderness; compassion and connection; wit and wonder.' There are moments of comedy in some of these stories, and shades of tragedy in others. Whilst there was less about race in the book than I was expecting, it is possible to identify Capote's later influences and interests in this collection.
The stories here are not overly simplistic, but they perhaps err a little, on the whole, on the matter-of-fact, and are less descriptive than his later work tends to be. As in the books of Capote's written when he was more mature, however, I found that he has an uncanny ability to evoke both place and character by mentioning just a few details. In 'Parting of the Way', for instance, he describe his protagonist like so: 'Jake's flaming red hair framed his head, his eyebrows looked like hors, his muscles bulged and were threatening; his overalls were faded and ragged, and his toes stuck out through pieces of shoes.' Of Jake's companion Tim, very much the antithesis, Capote writes: 'His thin shoulders drooped from the strain, and his gaunt features stood out with protruding bones. His eyes were weak but sympathetic; his rose-bud mouth puckered slightly as he went about his labor.' Although many of the stories did not mention the specific geographic location in which they were set, each holds certain allusions to Capote's Deep South.
In his tales, Capote's characters have a lot of variance to them, hailing as they do from different walks of life - from the aforementioned downtrodden Tim in 'Parting of the Ways', to the privileged protagonist of 'Hilda', who is troubled in an entirely different way. He is adept throughout at setting scenes, particularly when they involve impoverishment. As in his later work, Capote has a real knack here for capturing his characters. In 'This is for Jamie', Capote describes the typical Sunday morning for his young protagonist: 'Teddy ran along the paved paths of the park with a wild exuberance. He was an Indian, a detective, a robber-baron, a fairy-tale Prince, he was an angel, he was going to escape from the thieves through the bush - and most of ask he was happy and he had two whole hours to himself.'
The authorial voice here is recognisably Capote's, but I did find it possible to identify echoes of other works and influences as I was reading. The opening of 'Miss Belle Rankin' reminded me somewhat of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, beginning as it does: 'I was eight the first time I saw Miss Belle Rankin. It was a hot August day. The sun was waning in the scarlet-streaked day, and the heat was rising dry and vibrant from the earth.' I did find it atmospheric at times, particularly within this story. Capote writes: 'The room was cold when she awoke and long tears of ice hung on the eaves of the roof. She shuddered a little as she looked about at the drabness. With an effort she slipped from beneath the gay colored scrap quilt.' Later in the story, Capote's descriptions become darker and more tense: 'It was quite dark when Miss Belle started climbing up the hill towards home. Dark came quickly on these winter days. It came so suddenly today that it frightened her at first. There was no glaring sunset, only the pearl grayness of the sky deepening into rich black.' There are other beautiful, evocative touches to be found within The Early Stories of Truman Capote. In 'If I Forget You', for example, he writes: 'She wanted to stay out here in the night where she could breathe and smell and touch it. It seemed so palpable to her that she could feel its texture like fine blue satin.'
I found it fascinating, having read all of Capote's other fiction, and a large chunk of his non-fiction, to see his growth as an author from these earliest efforts. Some of the stories in this collection perhaps end a little abruptly, but actually, I did not mind this. I found that the majority of the tales tended to finish at just the right time, leaving a sense of intrigue in their wake. The Early Stories of Truman Capote is rather a quick read, but it offers much to mull over. For juvenilia, some of it certainly feels quite accomplished. There perhaps is not the polish to the majority of the pieces here, but they are certainly interesting precursors. Regardless, Capote manages to capture a great deal in this collection, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys his later work.
September 25, 2024
Truman Capote wrote wonderful stories.
I’ve read many and enjoyed them all, especially the autobiographical ones about his childhood (my favorite being One Christmas, about the time he spent the holiday with his father in New Orleans and tricked him into buying him the greatest Christmas present ever).
This collection of his early stories were all well done, especially considering his young age when they were written.
I would attempt to describe what it is that I love so much about his style but I don’t think I could do it justice.
So instead I’m going to quote from the Afterword at the end of the book:
In these stories, we can see many flashes of Capote’s trademark prose—clear sentences, precise imagery, language that is both vigorous and light.
…these stories also give us a glimpse of Capote developing his powers of empathy by imagining the lives of many different kinds of people. The profound empathy we find in Capote’s masterworks was nurtured in part by his early fiction.
I agree.
Empathy is the perfect word.
I’ve read many and enjoyed them all, especially the autobiographical ones about his childhood (my favorite being One Christmas, about the time he spent the holiday with his father in New Orleans and tricked him into buying him the greatest Christmas present ever).
This collection of his early stories were all well done, especially considering his young age when they were written.
I would attempt to describe what it is that I love so much about his style but I don’t think I could do it justice.
So instead I’m going to quote from the Afterword at the end of the book:
In these stories, we can see many flashes of Capote’s trademark prose—clear sentences, precise imagery, language that is both vigorous and light.
…these stories also give us a glimpse of Capote developing his powers of empathy by imagining the lives of many different kinds of people. The profound empathy we find in Capote’s masterworks was nurtured in part by his early fiction.
I agree.
Empathy is the perfect word.
November 18, 2018
Тези 14 разказа са толкова ценни, не само защото са написани от едно мъдро дете, а и защото успяват да влязат в читателското въображение не чрез велики истории и колоритни персонажи. Точно обратното - една кротка и притихнала Америка, тихи и обикновени хора. Капоти наблюдава точно тези хора - различните със своята прекалена обикновеност. Онези, които вярват, че всичко си остава така, както е. Онези, които се опияняват за кратко от вкуса на "Голямата ябълка", но плачат за калните води на Алабама и се връщат там...
Много приятно и романтично в тези разкази се усеща бъдещият голям Капоти. Издаването на тези разкази е страхотен подарък за нас, обичащите това вечно мъдро малко дете Труман Капоти
Много приятно и романтично в тези разкази се усеща бъдещият голям Капоти. Издаването на тези разкази е страхотен подарък за нас, обичащите това вечно мъдро малко дете Труман Капоти
February 11, 2018
По-добре от Анушка Рошани, журналистката, която открива ранните разкази на Капоти, не бих могла да го кажа:
Сякаш Капоти още като много млад писател е започнал да разбира, че човек все пак има какво да открадне от света, но това никога не остава ненаказано.
Сякаш Капоти още като много млад писател е започнал да разбира, че човек все пак има какво да открадне от света, но това никога не остава ненаказано.
June 1, 2021
thank you kai for letting me borrow :-) so good. a few stories made me want to eat lead (if i forget you and this is for jamie) and others were masterfully filled with twists and thoughts provoking elements (traffic west, hilda, and where the world begins). overall just such a fun and quick read
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