What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thanksgiving Visitor
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 this year, there's trouble in the air.
This edition is NOT illustrated.
This edition is NOT illustrated.
63 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
15 people are currently reading
1868 people want to read
About the author
Truman Capote
344 books7,286 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
November 14, 2017
A heart warming Thanksgiving memoir. Capote's happiest childhood moments were during his time spent in this "eccentric Alabama household" with four of his much older cousins. This story is set in the Great Depression era yet Capote's cousins can afford as many turkeys as needed for Thanksgiving dinner so the friends and family come from miles around to celebrate with them. The stand out cousin in this group is the 60ish-year-old Nanny Rumbley Faulk(Miss Sook) for she has become Capote's (Buddy) very first friend. Within this story Capote emphasizes the importance of family and friends as Miss Sook helps 8-year-old Buddy in his dealings with a local bully. A classic tale fit for people of all ages.
Soon after the first publishing of this story in 1967 it was made into a television movie. Filming took place in Alabama with Capote and members of his family present.
Geraldine Page won an Emmy for her portrayal as Miss Sook. What I liked most of all in this film is that Truman Capote narrates at times with readings from his book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfkYV...
page 57
Truman Capote/Buddy narrates
"Talk about mean! Odd Henderson was the meanest human creature in my experience."
"And I'm speaking of a twelve-year-old boy, ..."
page 60/61
Capote/Buddy narrates
"The house belonged to distant relatives, elderly cousins, and these cousins, three maiden ladies and their bachelor brother, had taken me under their roof ... this somewhat eccentric Alabama household. Not that I was unhappy there: indeed, moments of those few years turned out to be the happiest part of an otherwise difficult childhood, mainly because the youngest of the cousins, a woman in her sixties, became my first friend."
"Except for the hours I spent at school, the three of us, me and old Queenie, our feisty little rat terrier, and Miss Sook, as everyone called my friend, were almost always together."
page 78/79
Miss Sook to Buddy
"It made me feel ashamed, Buddy. It hurts me all the way down to see somebody struggling like Molly. Never able to see a clear day. I don't say people should have everything they want. Though, come to think of it, I don't see what's wrong with that, either. We really all of us ought to have everything we want. I'll bet you a dime that's what the Lord intends. And when all around us we see people who can't satisfy the plainest needs, I feel ashamed. The shame I feel is for all of us who have anything extra when other people have nothing."
page 86
Capote/Buddy narrates
"However, everybody arrived earlier than we intended ....
Most of these people lived year-round in lonesome places hard to get away from: isolated farms, whistle-stops and crossroads, empty river hamlets or lumber-camp communities deep in the pine forests; so of course it was eagerness that caused them to be early, primed for an affectionate and memorable gathering."
page 87
Capote/Buddy narrates
"By noon, not another soul could be accommodated in the parlor, a hive humming with women's tattle ...
The odor of tobacco fanned out across the porch, where most of the men had clustered, despite the wavering weather ...
Tobacco was a substance alien to the setting; true, Miss Sook now and again secretly dipped snuff, a taste acquired under unknown tutelage and one she refused to discuss ... "
page 92
Capote/Buddy narrates
"Reading back, I see that I haven't thoroughly described Odd Henderson's ears -- a major omission, for they were a pair of eye-catchers ...
Now, because of Annabel's flattering receptivity to my friend's request, his ears became so beet-bright it made your eyes smart."
Soon after the first publishing of this story in 1967 it was made into a television movie. Filming took place in Alabama with Capote and members of his family present.
Geraldine Page won an Emmy for her portrayal as Miss Sook. What I liked most of all in this film is that Truman Capote narrates at times with readings from his book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfkYV...
page 57
Truman Capote/Buddy narrates
"Talk about mean! Odd Henderson was the meanest human creature in my experience."
"And I'm speaking of a twelve-year-old boy, ..."
page 60/61
Capote/Buddy narrates
"The house belonged to distant relatives, elderly cousins, and these cousins, three maiden ladies and their bachelor brother, had taken me under their roof ... this somewhat eccentric Alabama household. Not that I was unhappy there: indeed, moments of those few years turned out to be the happiest part of an otherwise difficult childhood, mainly because the youngest of the cousins, a woman in her sixties, became my first friend."
"Except for the hours I spent at school, the three of us, me and old Queenie, our feisty little rat terrier, and Miss Sook, as everyone called my friend, were almost always together."
page 78/79
Miss Sook to Buddy
"It made me feel ashamed, Buddy. It hurts me all the way down to see somebody struggling like Molly. Never able to see a clear day. I don't say people should have everything they want. Though, come to think of it, I don't see what's wrong with that, either. We really all of us ought to have everything we want. I'll bet you a dime that's what the Lord intends. And when all around us we see people who can't satisfy the plainest needs, I feel ashamed. The shame I feel is for all of us who have anything extra when other people have nothing."
page 86
Capote/Buddy narrates
"However, everybody arrived earlier than we intended ....
Most of these people lived year-round in lonesome places hard to get away from: isolated farms, whistle-stops and crossroads, empty river hamlets or lumber-camp communities deep in the pine forests; so of course it was eagerness that caused them to be early, primed for an affectionate and memorable gathering."
page 87
Capote/Buddy narrates
"By noon, not another soul could be accommodated in the parlor, a hive humming with women's tattle ...
The odor of tobacco fanned out across the porch, where most of the men had clustered, despite the wavering weather ...
Tobacco was a substance alien to the setting; true, Miss Sook now and again secretly dipped snuff, a taste acquired under unknown tutelage and one she refused to discuss ... "
page 92
Capote/Buddy narrates
"Reading back, I see that I haven't thoroughly described Odd Henderson's ears -- a major omission, for they were a pair of eye-catchers ...
Now, because of Annabel's flattering receptivity to my friend's request, his ears became so beet-bright it made your eyes smart."
November 26, 2019
The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote is a 1996 publication. (Originally published in 1968)
It often seems to me that Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle between Halloween and Christmas- at least in the book world. These days I find myself reading both horror novels and Christmas books alternately, during the months of September and October, especially since publishers are releasing Christmas books earlier and earlier every year. This year I decided to find at least one Thanksgiving themed book and squeeze it into my holiday reading schedule.
While I didn’t see many new releases, I did discover there were more Thanksgiving themed books for adults than I realized. Unfortunately, my DH and I have been sharing a deep cold and bronchitis, and I fell even further behind on my reading and reviews.
Just when I decided I didn’t have time for a Thanksgiving novel, a Goodreads friend reminded me of Truman Capote’s classic short story- "A Thanksgiving Visitor”. Thankfully, a copy of this book, which was a part of a compilation of Capote’s short stories, was available from my library.
This story is believed to be at the least, a semi-autobiographical tale, and a childhood holiday memory. It is geared mainly towards young readers. However, the story is one for both young and old alike. There is a moral to the story- sort of a ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ sort of lesson, and the conclusion has an uplifting tone.
The writing is terrific, and the setting is nostalgic, eccentric, very southern, and although I can’t claim to have felt all the warmth others have claimed to have experienced from reading this story, I suppose I can see why some consider it a holiday classic. It's a very short, easy read, and although it didn't affect me the way it has so many others, I'm still glad I finally got around to reading it.
While I have this book loaned out, I suppose now would be a great time to read ‘A Christmas Memory’- another classic by Capote, I’ve been meaning to read for ages.
3.5 stars
It often seems to me that Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle between Halloween and Christmas- at least in the book world. These days I find myself reading both horror novels and Christmas books alternately, during the months of September and October, especially since publishers are releasing Christmas books earlier and earlier every year. This year I decided to find at least one Thanksgiving themed book and squeeze it into my holiday reading schedule.
While I didn’t see many new releases, I did discover there were more Thanksgiving themed books for adults than I realized. Unfortunately, my DH and I have been sharing a deep cold and bronchitis, and I fell even further behind on my reading and reviews.
Just when I decided I didn’t have time for a Thanksgiving novel, a Goodreads friend reminded me of Truman Capote’s classic short story- "A Thanksgiving Visitor”. Thankfully, a copy of this book, which was a part of a compilation of Capote’s short stories, was available from my library.
This story is believed to be at the least, a semi-autobiographical tale, and a childhood holiday memory. It is geared mainly towards young readers. However, the story is one for both young and old alike. There is a moral to the story- sort of a ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ sort of lesson, and the conclusion has an uplifting tone.
The writing is terrific, and the setting is nostalgic, eccentric, very southern, and although I can’t claim to have felt all the warmth others have claimed to have experienced from reading this story, I suppose I can see why some consider it a holiday classic. It's a very short, easy read, and although it didn't affect me the way it has so many others, I'm still glad I finally got around to reading it.
While I have this book loaned out, I suppose now would be a great time to read ‘A Christmas Memory’- another classic by Capote, I’ve been meaning to read for ages.
3.5 stars
November 25, 2021
When his beloved cousin invites Capote's personal bully to share the Thanksgiving meal, the author reluctantly learns a lesson in, well . . . life, I suppose.
This is but a short reminiscence in which Capote stirs up delightful memories filled with the excitement, the smells, the relatives coming to freeload - all the things that make an American Thanksgiving a unique, and occasionally trying event.
This is but a short reminiscence in which Capote stirs up delightful memories filled with the excitement, the smells, the relatives coming to freeload - all the things that make an American Thanksgiving a unique, and occasionally trying event.
September 20, 2018
Un'altra Dolly
Breve e delicato racconto in cui un'altra eterea e impalpabile Dolly impartisce ad un altro tenero e insicuro Collin la prima vera lezione della sua vita; mentre a noi Truman Capote insegna che si può essere un poeta anche scrivendo in prosa.
«Solo una cosa vorrei dirti Buddy. Due torti non fanno una ragione, mai. Lui ha fatto male a prendere il cammeo. Ma perché l'ha preso noi non lo sappiamo. Forse non gli è mai passato per la testa di tenerselo. Qualunque cosa lo abbia spinto a farlo, non poteva essere un'azione calcolata. Per questo ciò che hai fatto tu è stato molto peggio; tu hai calcolato di umiliarlo. È stata una cosa deliberata. Ascoltami bene Buddy: di peccati imperdonabili ce n'è uno solo, la crudeltà deliberata. Tutto il resto si può perdonare. Questo, mai. Mi capisci, Buddy?»
La capivo, vagamente, e il tempo mi ha insegnato che aveva ragione.
Breve e delicato racconto in cui un'altra eterea e impalpabile Dolly impartisce ad un altro tenero e insicuro Collin la prima vera lezione della sua vita; mentre a noi Truman Capote insegna che si può essere un poeta anche scrivendo in prosa.
«Solo una cosa vorrei dirti Buddy. Due torti non fanno una ragione, mai. Lui ha fatto male a prendere il cammeo. Ma perché l'ha preso noi non lo sappiamo. Forse non gli è mai passato per la testa di tenerselo. Qualunque cosa lo abbia spinto a farlo, non poteva essere un'azione calcolata. Per questo ciò che hai fatto tu è stato molto peggio; tu hai calcolato di umiliarlo. È stata una cosa deliberata. Ascoltami bene Buddy: di peccati imperdonabili ce n'è uno solo, la crudeltà deliberata. Tutto il resto si può perdonare. Questo, mai. Mi capisci, Buddy?»
La capivo, vagamente, e il tempo mi ha insegnato che aveva ragione.
November 11, 2022
Happy Thanksgiving
The Henderson boy was horrible. He was the class bully at 12 years old and buddy Was his victim. He would pick up cockleburs on the way to school and put them in a bag. When he saw buddy, he would chase him, Knock him down, . and put the cockleburs in his hair.
My 12 year old brother billy, was not so mean. We lived on a farm and had a pony, and he would not let me get near the pony. He kept saying that he would make the pony bite me. So 1 day, the pony named Bucky bucked him off in a sticker bush. When he got out of the bush he was covered in stickers. He stood there with his arms away from his body and said, Can you come over and help me get the stickers out of my clothes? No, I said. You will make Bucky bite me.
Buddy's best friend and cousin Miss Sook, decided to invite the Henderson boy for thanksgiving, This against Buddy's wishes. Then at the thanksgiving dinner, buddy got even with the Henderson boy. Then he was scolded by Miss Sook.
Turkey Cranberry Sandwich
2 slices of bread
Turkey or chicken slices
Cranberry sauce, with or without berries
Bread stuffing, as much as you want
We only Roast chicken because we don't like turkey. These have to be my favorite sandwiches. Good to do this at other times of the year.
The Henderson boy was horrible. He was the class bully at 12 years old and buddy Was his victim. He would pick up cockleburs on the way to school and put them in a bag. When he saw buddy, he would chase him, Knock him down, . and put the cockleburs in his hair.
My 12 year old brother billy, was not so mean. We lived on a farm and had a pony, and he would not let me get near the pony. He kept saying that he would make the pony bite me. So 1 day, the pony named Bucky bucked him off in a sticker bush. When he got out of the bush he was covered in stickers. He stood there with his arms away from his body and said, Can you come over and help me get the stickers out of my clothes? No, I said. You will make Bucky bite me.
Buddy's best friend and cousin Miss Sook, decided to invite the Henderson boy for thanksgiving, This against Buddy's wishes. Then at the thanksgiving dinner, buddy got even with the Henderson boy. Then he was scolded by Miss Sook.
Turkey Cranberry Sandwich
2 slices of bread
Turkey or chicken slices
Cranberry sauce, with or without berries
Bread stuffing, as much as you want
We only Roast chicken because we don't like turkey. These have to be my favorite sandwiches. Good to do this at other times of the year.
November 23, 2017
A few years ago, I read Truman Capote’s ‘A Christmas Memory’ and have wanted to read his Thanksgiving memoir, ‘The Thanksgiving Visitor’ since then, but things always seemed to be the wrong time of year (not close enough to Thanksgiving or too busy because of Thanksgiving.) This year presented an opportune time.
Set in the Great Depression, 1932, in rural Alabama, the story is centered on Buddy, a young school-age boy, and his friend, who is the youngest of his cousins, Miss Sook, in her sixties. Not only is she his friend, she is his first friend.
”As she was a child herself (many people thought her less than that, and murmured about her as though she were the twin of poor nice Lester Tucker, who roamed the streets in a sweet daze), she understood children, and understood me absolutely.
”Perhaps it was strange for a young boy to have as his best friend an aging spinster, but neither of us had an ordinary outlook or background, and so it was inevitable in our separate loneliness, that we should come to share a friendship apart.”
Buddy’s nemesis: Odd Henderson, a boy in his second grade class, held back twice after failing first grade.
”Talk about mean? Odd Henderson was the meanest human creature in my experience.
“And I’m speaking of a twelve-year-old boy, not some grownup who has had the time to ripen a naturally evil disposition. At least, Odd was twelve in 1932, when we were both second-graders attending a small-town school in rural Alabama.”
At sixty-two pages, this is a quick, if somewhat dark but heart-warmingly charming story, a “frankly autobiographical” story based on Truman Capote’s early life living with a family of his distant, elderly cousins in rural Alabama. The cover of the edition I own has a charming photograph of a very young Truman Capote with Miss Sook on the cover.
November 30, 2020
An endearing story of how two wrongs do not, indeed, make a right. Though, I must admit, I probably would have done everything the same way that Truman, AKA Buddy, did.
November 7, 2014
Truman Capote (Buddy) lived with a group of older cousins when he was seven years old. He was especially close to Miss Sook, a simple, innocent elderly cousin who radiated kindness and empathized with the less fortunate. When Miss Sook invites Buddy's impoverished schoolyard tormenter to Thanksgiving dinner, her act of compassion has an impact on both boys. Miss Sook was far from simple when it came to understanding the emotional needs of children.
This was a Moderator's Choice for the "On the Southern Literary Trail" group.
This was a Moderator's Choice for the "On the Southern Literary Trail" group.
October 15, 2022
Un relato límpido, justo, costumbrista. Un tipo de narrativa muy capotiana.
November 25, 2010
The perfect Thanksgiving story.
November 15, 2019
Loved this one!
March 12, 2012
This is a heart warming lesson on the virtues of loving your enemy and being kind to those who persecute you. It's an autobiographical story from the author's childhood which I presume is mostly true, subject to the usual limitations of any memoir. It is a long short story--or is it a short long story? I read it in one hour.
October 29, 2017
In Capote's short story, he shares the adage of being kind to your bullies as they may suffer what you least observe. Never seek revenge or humiliation towards your enemy. Their hurt may be enough to get by without your aid.
At least, that's my spin on the emotional spike of this story.
At least, that's my spin on the emotional spike of this story.
April 25, 2021
I grabbed this book at a library sale because I loved Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and because it had only 63 pages. Oh—and because I host our families for the annual thanksgiving event.
It’s a sweet story, if a bit predictable. The main character is forced to invite the school bully to thanksgiving dinner, and a life lesson ensues. The reading goes quickly, and the overall feel is of a southern storytelling festival. Nice.
It’s a sweet story, if a bit predictable. The main character is forced to invite the school bully to thanksgiving dinner, and a life lesson ensues. The reading goes quickly, and the overall feel is of a southern storytelling festival. Nice.
January 3, 2008
I have an edition of this book from the 1970s that includes Capote's "A Christmas Memory" I read this every year during the holidays. Both stories are from Capote's childhood while he lived with distant relatives before being sent to military school. That may have been the only happy period in his life. This book makes me grateful at Thanksgiving and content at Christmas.
November 23, 2018
We created a beautiful memory of this today. Having read the Christmas companion a few years' back, I splurged on a first edition of this and finally we cracked it today, on Thanksgiving. Our kids have left home, staring their own families, so my wife and I visited her parents in their retirement community. He was born near the time of this book, of meager means, so we appreciated the feel of the time and place. My mother in law is losing her sight, and taking it nobly being the beautiful person she is, so my father in law read it aloud in their little apartment in the retirement home. Today was unseasonably warm for Missouri, and the warm sun poured in through the open window, as did the sounds of families laughing below us in the courtyard. It was a poignant moment, as we are of an age (my wife and I are 58) where realize that time is precious and especially with the generation ahead of us. My father in law read wonderfully, with his slight southern accent (he lived most of his life in Kentucky).
The tale from the Capote is a sweet one, and autobiographical of his time with an elderly woman who got along better with children than adults. She taught the young Truman his life lessons, how to handle a bully (with love!) and the turns of a phrase were perfectly rendered. Capote's give for writing, and his unique upbringing, collide in an innocent little tale of his coming of age, and the elderly relatives and guests who arrive for Thanksgiving dinner. It is spellbinding, as it has conflict, resolution, and a moral lesson. But it is light, authentic, and hauntingly innocent.
We may read this again in the future, but a year from now will not as it is today, where we mere mortals enjoyed quiet kinship and simple joy in being together and loving each other.
The tale from the Capote is a sweet one, and autobiographical of his time with an elderly woman who got along better with children than adults. She taught the young Truman his life lessons, how to handle a bully (with love!) and the turns of a phrase were perfectly rendered. Capote's give for writing, and his unique upbringing, collide in an innocent little tale of his coming of age, and the elderly relatives and guests who arrive for Thanksgiving dinner. It is spellbinding, as it has conflict, resolution, and a moral lesson. But it is light, authentic, and hauntingly innocent.
We may read this again in the future, but a year from now will not as it is today, where we mere mortals enjoyed quiet kinship and simple joy in being together and loving each other.
November 22, 2022
Treat yourself to this reading
https://www.queermusicheritage.com/NO...
https://www.queermusicheritage.com/NO...
November 5, 2019
The storytelling was enjoyable, that is sure. Moreover, in a few words Truman Capote was able to create characters that seemed real, live and complex (and simple at the same time, like all humans).
I understand why most people give it 4-5 stars. Nonetheless, to me, it was a 3-stars pleasure.
I understand why most people give it 4-5 stars. Nonetheless, to me, it was a 3-stars pleasure.
November 28, 2025
Truman Capote reflects on the sights and smells of a childhood Thanksgiving and his only friend, an aging distant spinster cousin, Miss Sook. He is bullied at school and Miss Sook invites his tormentor to share their holiday. Truman's behavior is less than stellar. We all have a time in our child, sometimes on a holiday, when we were a brat.
Capote's writing shines through as always.
Capote's writing shines through as always.
November 27, 2022
The story begins:
Talk about mean! Odd Henderson was the meanest human creature in my experience. And I'm speaking of a 12-year-old boy, not some grownup who has had the time to ripen a naturally evil disposition. At least, Odd was twelve in 1932, when were were both second-graders attending a small town school in rural Alabama.
Thus, Capote has introduced two of the principal characters, stated the conflict, and given time and place. Who, what, when, where, but not why. The other important character isn't introduced until the next page:
... moments of those few years turned out to be the happiest part of an otherwise difficult childhood, mainly because the youngest of the cousins, a woman in her 60s, became my first friend. As she was a child herself (many people thought her less than that, ...), she understood children and understood me absolutely.
The choice of characters is what broadens the audience -- kids will identify with the boys, while adults will recognize themselves (maybe) in the older woman. (I do object to Capote's description of Miss Sook as "a child herself." My guess is that she was just very shy, an introvert who found adult company exhausting.) The story was originally printed in the McCall magazine, which probably explains Capote's choice of characters.
The story unfolds smoothly with a nice balance between description and action. I thought it was going to be predictable, but of course, Capote took me by surprise.
Beth Peck did a beautiful job illustrating this version.
Talk about mean! Odd Henderson was the meanest human creature in my experience. And I'm speaking of a 12-year-old boy, not some grownup who has had the time to ripen a naturally evil disposition. At least, Odd was twelve in 1932, when were were both second-graders attending a small town school in rural Alabama.
Thus, Capote has introduced two of the principal characters, stated the conflict, and given time and place. Who, what, when, where, but not why. The other important character isn't introduced until the next page:
... moments of those few years turned out to be the happiest part of an otherwise difficult childhood, mainly because the youngest of the cousins, a woman in her 60s, became my first friend. As she was a child herself (many people thought her less than that, ...), she understood children and understood me absolutely.
The choice of characters is what broadens the audience -- kids will identify with the boys, while adults will recognize themselves (maybe) in the older woman. (I do object to Capote's description of Miss Sook as "a child herself." My guess is that she was just very shy, an introvert who found adult company exhausting.) The story was originally printed in the McCall magazine, which probably explains Capote's choice of characters.
The story unfolds smoothly with a nice balance between description and action. I thought it was going to be predictable, but of course, Capote took me by surprise.
Beth Peck did a beautiful job illustrating this version.
October 20, 2015
Truman Capote can WRITE! I love this story and the reminders it offers of what it really means to be a good person and how we need to work to walk that mile in another person's shoes. This should be a Thanksgiving classic for most families. It is shelved with the children's books but should be read as a family as the language is rich and it warrants discussion. A few nice quotes:
"No. I never have hated. We're allotted just so much time on earth, and I wouldn't want the Lord to see me wasting mine in any such manner."
"The next morning I had a bad cold, which was pleasant; it meant no school. It also meant I could have a fire in my room and cream of tomato soup and hours alone with Mr. Micawber and David Copperfield: the happier to stayabeds."
"'Chrysanthemums', my friend commented as we moved through our garden stalking flower-show blossoms with decapitating shears, 'are like lions. Kingly characters. I always expect them to spring. To turn on me with a growl and a roar.' It was the kind of remark that caused people to wonder about Miss Sook, though, I understand that only in retrospect, for I always knew just what she meant, and in this instance, the whole idea of it, the notion of lugging all those growling gorgeous roaring links into the house and caging them in tacky vases (our final decorative act on Thanksgiving Eve) made us so giggly and giddy and stupid we were soon out of breath."
"No. I never have hated. We're allotted just so much time on earth, and I wouldn't want the Lord to see me wasting mine in any such manner."
"The next morning I had a bad cold, which was pleasant; it meant no school. It also meant I could have a fire in my room and cream of tomato soup and hours alone with Mr. Micawber and David Copperfield: the happier to stayabeds."
"'Chrysanthemums', my friend commented as we moved through our garden stalking flower-show blossoms with decapitating shears, 'are like lions. Kingly characters. I always expect them to spring. To turn on me with a growl and a roar.' It was the kind of remark that caused people to wonder about Miss Sook, though, I understand that only in retrospect, for I always knew just what she meant, and in this instance, the whole idea of it, the notion of lugging all those growling gorgeous roaring links into the house and caging them in tacky vases (our final decorative act on Thanksgiving Eve) made us so giggly and giddy and stupid we were soon out of breath."
December 21, 2019
Reading the short story from this collection: The Complete Stories of Truman Capote
Capote is a master writer.
Capote is a master writer.
August 24, 2007
wow, this is a fast-reading book, yet could claw you down. well, i start to enjoy and understand capote, and i admire the character of Miss Sook, his cousin, an old-woman who was so pure and naive, isolated and awkward to other human, and yet so open and touched by the humanity itself in her own sweet way. you´d learn how violence, humiliation and embarrassment could effect the goodness in you, yet if dealt in a clear and pure-hearted way, they could shape you up to be a better human with far-fetched understanding, too.
November 23, 2017
1967 birthday read
Perfect for this time of year. Me thinks this is more of a personal essay rather than fictional. Dedicated to Harper Lee.
Perfect for this time of year. Me thinks this is more of a personal essay rather than fictional. Dedicated to Harper Lee.
November 24, 2017
Book 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.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this short, easy to read, heartwarming tale of the joys of friendship and love. It is sure to be a Thanksgiving classic that is written with a beautiful message. I look forward to reading A Christmas Memory and One Christmas by Truman Capote in December. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy holiday message books.
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.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this short, easy to read, heartwarming tale of the joys of friendship and love. It is sure to be a Thanksgiving classic that is written with a beautiful message. I look forward to reading A Christmas Memory and One Christmas by Truman Capote in December. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy holiday message books.
April 16, 2024
A wonderful short read. It highlights the relationship between Buddy and his "friend" in a very real manner, which makes it very believable. My favourite part in ending was about the lesson on deliberate cruelty - a perspective which I had not thought of before. High on recommendation.
December 9, 2017
Gradevole, ironico, elegante, assolutamente delizioso.
November 27, 2019
“I don’t say people should have everything they want. Though, come to think of it, I don’t see what’s wrong with that, either. You ought to have a bike to ride, and why shouldn’t Queenie have a beef bone every day? Yes, now it’s come to me, now I understand: We really all of us ought to have everything we want. I’ll bet you a dime that’s what the Lord intends.”
There’s something here—you can almost smell the Thanksgiving dinner as you read!
One of the trio of stories Truman Capote wrote about his childhood holidays, this one was lovely. A nice message, but not at all preachy. I came across A Christmas Memory years ago, quite by accident, and was absolutely charmed. This one is almost as good, and I plan to read One Christmas soon.
Short, sweet, and highly recommended.
There’s something here—you can almost smell the Thanksgiving dinner as you read!
One of the trio of stories Truman Capote wrote about his childhood holidays, this one was lovely. A nice message, but not at all preachy. I came across A Christmas Memory years ago, quite by accident, and was absolutely charmed. This one is almost as good, and I plan to read One Christmas soon.
Short, sweet, and highly recommended.
Read
December 19, 2024 The Thanksgiving Visitor is a semi-autobiographical story, part of Truman Capote's trio of nostalgic holiday tales, alongside A Christmas Memory and One Christmas.
Set in rural Alabama, the story follows young Buddy as Miss Sook, his kindhearted friend (cousin), invites Odd Henderson, the school bully, to their Thanksgiving dinner. For Buddy, this is a betrayal; for Miss Sook, it's an act of grace. The tension unfolds over a richly described holiday meal, with vivid details of dishes like golden turkey, fresh cranberry relish, and buttery sweet potato pie that bring the story to life.
Capote's storytelling is rich with sensory details and emotional depth. He vividly portrays the cozy, sunlit kitchen where pies are baked, the crackling fire that warms the home, and the awkward tension of a dinner table shared with an unexpected guest. Through Buddy's eyes, we feel the intensity of childhood emotions—anger, embarrassment, and, ultimately, a reluctant understanding.
The ending of The Thanksgiving Visitor is Buddy's moment of realization that forgiveness and empathy are acts of strength, not weakness. It is a tender lesson in empathy as Buddy learns the true meaning of kindness and humanity.
."Now listen to me, Buddy: there is only one unpardonable sin - deliberate cruelty. All else can be forgiven. That, never."
"You don't understand. You've never hated anybody.
No, I never have. We're allotted just so much time on earth, and I wouldn't want the Lord to see me wasting mine in any such manner." .
Set in rural Alabama, the story follows young Buddy as Miss Sook, his kindhearted friend (cousin), invites Odd Henderson, the school bully, to their Thanksgiving dinner. For Buddy, this is a betrayal; for Miss Sook, it's an act of grace. The tension unfolds over a richly described holiday meal, with vivid details of dishes like golden turkey, fresh cranberry relish, and buttery sweet potato pie that bring the story to life.
Capote's storytelling is rich with sensory details and emotional depth. He vividly portrays the cozy, sunlit kitchen where pies are baked, the crackling fire that warms the home, and the awkward tension of a dinner table shared with an unexpected guest. Through Buddy's eyes, we feel the intensity of childhood emotions—anger, embarrassment, and, ultimately, a reluctant understanding.
The ending of The Thanksgiving Visitor is Buddy's moment of realization that forgiveness and empathy are acts of strength, not weakness. It is a tender lesson in empathy as Buddy learns the true meaning of kindness and humanity.
."Now listen to me, Buddy: there is only one unpardonable sin - deliberate cruelty. All else can be forgiven. That, never."
"You don't understand. You've never hated anybody.
No, I never have. We're allotted just so much time on earth, and I wouldn't want the Lord to see me wasting mine in any such manner." .
November 8, 2019
I love the timeless wisdom of the seemingly "simple" Miss Sook.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews