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Master Misery
‘Master Misery’ follows a character named Sylvia, a typist at a New York underwear company. She lives with her friends Henry and Estelle, who are ‘so excrutiatingly married… [that] everything had a name; the telephone was Tinkling Tillie, the sofas Our Nelle, the bed, Big Bear; yes, and what about those His-Her towels, those He-She pillows? Enough to drive you loony!’. Sylvia has taken the job merely to escape their apartment during the day. The main thread of the story comes when Sylvia discovers that there is a man in the city whom it is possible to sell dreams to, and how this affects her in consequence.
The storyline is quite lovely, I think, despite the chilling aspects of it which begin to creep in as it goes on. The tale is incredibly character focused, and the thing which I first noticed about it was that characterisation is most interesting, particularly from a psychological standpoint. Mr Revercomb, the buyer of dreams, for example, is described as follows: ‘All mothers tell their kids about him: he lives in hollows of trees, he comes down chimneys late at night, he lurks in graveyards and you can hear his step in the attic. The sonofabitch, he is a thief and a threat. He will take everything you have, and end by leaving you nothing, not even a dream’.
The storyline is quite lovely, I think, despite the chilling aspects of it which begin to creep in as it goes on. The tale is incredibly character focused, and the thing which I first noticed about it was that characterisation is most interesting, particularly from a psychological standpoint. Mr Revercomb, the buyer of dreams, for example, is described as follows: ‘All mothers tell their kids about him: he lives in hollows of trees, he comes down chimneys late at night, he lurks in graveyards and you can hear his step in the attic. The sonofabitch, he is a thief and a threat. He will take everything you have, and end by leaving you nothing, not even a dream’.
- GenresShort Stories
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1949
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About the author
Truman Capote
347 books7,344 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.
He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 12, 2019
A story one should read slowly (and possibly more than once), to savour each sentence. Capote excels at creating moods by using unexpected adjectives and verbs. Fifty Shades of Grey this is not; this is the work of a master writer.
And yet this is also the story of a young vulnerable woman, abused by a wealthy benefactor. Not in the way you’d expect; but somehow and without any violence, this is much, much worse than what happens in Fifty Shades.
And yet this is also the story of a young vulnerable woman, abused by a wealthy benefactor. Not in the way you’d expect; but somehow and without any violence, this is much, much worse than what happens in Fifty Shades.
April 14, 2020
"Now a sound can start a dream; the noise of one car passing in the night can drop a hundred sleepers into the deep parts of themselves. It's funny to think of that one car racing through the dark, trailing so many dreams. Sex, a sudden change of light, a pickle, these are little keys that can open up our insides, too. But most dreams begin because there are furies inside of us that blow open all the doors. I don't believe in Jesus Christ, but I do believe in people's souls; and I figure it this way, baby: dreams are the mind of the soul and the secret truth about us."
October 23, 2023
there is something so enchanting and captivating about truman capote‘s writing. even this bite-sized example was a journey and a pleasure—even the strange, uncertain bits. Each sentence is like a golden honey and pungent philosophy stirred together💛
November 7, 2022
‘I do not know what I want, and maybe I never will. My only wish from every star is another star… and truly I’m not afraid’
One of the best most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read. it’s a rare beast both beautiful and moral, I hate to admit though, that I’ll need to read it a few more times to truly understand it message!
My thought is that it was written in ode to Hoppers painting ‘Soir Blu’.
One of the best most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read. it’s a rare beast both beautiful and moral, I hate to admit though, that I’ll need to read it a few more times to truly understand it message!
My thought is that it was written in ode to Hoppers painting ‘Soir Blu’.
May 8, 2019
This short story is about a young woman who is living in New York with a married friend/relative. Her life is aimless and she hears about a man who pays money for dreams. She begins selling her dreams, meets an ex-clown and her life falls apart. This story has lots of symbolism but I must confess, most of it was lost on me. The story was very well written.
November 10, 2024
4/10
A pretty effective story of urban depression and modern malaise and the longing for if nothing else nostalgia. The scenario and set were not really very interesting and they didn't have any sort of development either so you have to really love the aforementioned ideas to gel well here and I cared barely for them on their own.
A pretty effective story of urban depression and modern malaise and the longing for if nothing else nostalgia. The scenario and set were not really very interesting and they didn't have any sort of development either so you have to really love the aforementioned ideas to gel well here and I cared barely for them on their own.
December 26, 2019
Another unique and twisted tale from Capote. Love him as a writer.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews