Truman Capote-Enfant Terrible

by Robert Emmet Long

A close look at the genesis of one of America's great modern writers

R obert Emmet Long presents a full account of Truman Capote's early life, making use of Capote's unpublished papers. Topics covered include his strange relationship with his beautiful but immature mother (she was sixteen years old when capote was born) as well as his friendships with a series of rich and talented women.

Combining biographical insights with literary criticism, Truman Capote, Enfant Terrible presents a grand overview of a complex and fascinating author: one who remained a child in appearance and behavior; a southerner who strayed from the south; a celebrity while living in the most solitary realm of his vast imagination.

130 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2007

Reviews

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a biography of Truman Capote's life but more an analysis of his work.
Not what I was looking for . . .
I plan to read Gerald Clarke's highly rated biography of Capote sometime in the future.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just a rehash of everything I've read about Truman Capote already. The author didn't always do his homework. He states Ann Woodward committed suicide by jumping out a window in response to La Cote Basque 1965, one of the stories in the unfinished Answered Prayers. This is inaccurate, as she died from taking a cyanide capsule. It was her sons who eventually committed suicide by jumping out windows. I know I'm being nitpicky, but when I see any kind of avoidable sloppiness like this in a biography, it diminishes anything else the author writes, because I can't really trust it. Everything in this book has appeared in magazine articles, and other books about Capote by other authors. There is nothing new or revealing in this book.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not one to pass up a Capote bio. This author had access to some previously unreleased papers. I'm not sure if it shed any new light on Capote's life, but the analysis of several works is interesting. It's more scholarly than the Gerald Clarke or George Plimpton bios, but it's a slim volume and therefore managable.

[verbava · Rating 2 out of 5]

обіцяли поєднання біографічних інсайтів із літературознавчим заглибленням. у результаті: з біографії – доволі відомі факти, з літературного аналізу – в основному переказ текстів. та й пов'язати біографію з бібліографією вдалося слабко; наприклад, автор примудрився жодного разу не згадати про чорно-білий бал капоте.

[P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was mostly a critical overview of Capote's works and had little to say about his personal life. Pretty good if you are a student looking for some pointers on where he got his ideas from. But apart from that it doesn't really go into his particular mind and being.

2.5 stars

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: literary rewiew.
Good overview.
Insightful.

[Annie Garvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book focuses on Capote's writing. It reminded me of a term paper, and I bet Long got an A+.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real disappointment. I was looking for a biography of Truman Capote, not a lengthy recap of each of his stories and novels.