Truman Capote's Southern Years: Stories from a Monroeville Cousin

by Marianne M. Moates, Jennings Faulk Carter

Although much is known about the mature Truman Capote-his literary genius and flamboyant life-style-details of his childhood years spent in Monroeville, Alabama, have remained a mystery. Truman Capote's Southern Years explores Capote's formative years, the abandonment
by his mother, and his early life in the care of elderly relatives. In Monroeville young Capote formed significant bonds and played childhood games with his cousin, Jennings Faulk Carter, and next door neighbor, Nelle Harper Lee. Through the tales told here by Carter, readers discover the lively imagination and the early tragedies of a brilliant child.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 1996

Reviews

[Di]

Read out loud to a feral kitten to help socialize, thus leading to the christening of little Capote. Welcome to the family.

[Cheryl]

Probably the most truthful and entertaining of the 'I knew him' books I've read about Truman Capote. I'm puzzled as to why Marianne Moates gets the cover credit as author, when the book is really nothing but personal stories told by Truman's boyhood friend and cousin,
Jennings Faulk Carter.

[Debra]

I really enjoyed reading this book on Truman Capote's early years growing up in Monroeville, Alabama. The memories are well-written, and give you a bit of understanding into how this small town shaped him.

[Annette Malen]

Really enjoyed this book. To Kill a Mockingbird is one book I read again and again so I really liked reading about Harper Lee's life and influences as she grew up with Truman and Jennings Faulk Carter. Highly Recommend.

[Maurice A Thomas]

Brief Insight

Interesting read and insight on Capote's childhood. It is a great start to learning more about this very complex writer before he became the literary genius we know him as.

[Leslie]

One of Truman Capote's relatives wrote a book about his childhood in Monroeville. It was a nice to see Truman in his relative childhood innocence before he became a bon vivant.

[Claire]

Fairly interesting, though light book on Capote's Southern years by a distant cousin.