Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Our December 2019 Short Story/Novella is
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote.

Beware Short Story Discussions will have Spoilers.

Capote is always a pleasant read. Perhaps I read this too early in the season, but it came off a little saccharine to me. Perhaps I'm not quite in the Christmas spirit just yet. The bulk of the story was very nice and interesting. Capote at his best is reminiscing. He has such a talent for looking back with happiness at a time that you know was difficult in many ways--poverty, growing up gay, effeminate, and without friends his own age in the rural south. Somehow, he brings out the positive aspects of such an upbringing, an ability to live in the happy moments of a life where there are plenty of unhappy ones as well. The memories turn more nostalgic, wistful, and haunted by the remembered passing of Queenie and his friend. This story has less of a 'lesson' than A Thanksgiving Visitor, but the need to close with the deaths of Queenie and Miss Sook feel a little bit forced, like Capote couldn't end it any other way. At any rate, the process of reading the story is almost more enjoyable than having read it.

I reread this last night. It is a touching memory of times and friends long past. The story is both lighthearted and poignant. I enjoyed it very much. But like Christopher, I may have jumped the gun a little bit. It just isn’t ‘fruitcake weather’ where I live, at least not yet.

I enjoyed the holiday preparations in A Christmas Memory; they brought back lots of memories of Christmases with my grandparents. And Beth Peck's watercolors are lovely.

I feel the same as you both on jumping the gun. I may try and read it again closer to Christmas. I wasn't in the mood for it. I liked it, but it didn't wow me.

I found this quite a moving story, and I loved the description.

I like the part where they make the Christmas cakes and then send them to various people, and then get thank you cards in reply.

My sister's fruitcake arrived in the mail a couple days ago, so it was time to read this story (she uses my mother's recipe, which I think was my grandmother's as well). Capote really captured the mood of Christmas preparations that was part of my youth, but I no longer feel so much. A great little story, I think. I'll have to recommend it to my sister.

"A Christmas Memory" is one of my favorite holiday stories because it shows the spirit of giving and sharing. When Truman Capote was young, he was sent to live with an aunt and an uncle. His older cousin was a bit childlike, but had a heart of gold. She made Christmas fun as they made fruitcakes, decorated the Christmas tree, and fashioned homemade presents. She gave Truman the gift of love when he most needed it, and some lovely, warm memories to carry through his life.

Connie wrote: "She gave Truman the gift of love when he most needed it, and some lovely, warm memories to carry through his life...."

Connie, I love this comment. It is such a beautiful way to look at their relationship.

Rosemarie wrote: "I like the part where they make the Christmas cakes and then send them to various people, and then get thank you cards in reply."

What I most enjoyed about the Christmas cake story is the revelation of the people they were sending them to. Initially, I thought it was Sook's role to make them for the extended family, or that they were gifts for the family. It was delightful to discover that they were sending them to such distant, unrelated people. In this jaded world that we live in today, it seems absolutely unimaginable that someone was doing something like this.

I also love the idea that they spent their entire year saving money just for this purpose.

I don't know if I am feeling nostalgic at this moment, or if I am just a Christmas fan, but I really enjoyed reading this story. It felt like the perfect time to read it. Capote's style is so evocative that I could smell the Christmas cake, and reading about the simplicity and joy of their Christmas activities inspires the desire to go back to the basics and recover the true joy of Christmas.

I really like this story and being born and living so far away from USA, it was fun to read about the Christmas tradition Capote and Miss Sook had. I also thought that they were making the fruitcakes for the family and was surprised when I found out that they were sending them to different people that they met maybe once if ever. Also loved that they found out Mr. Haha Jones was actually a good man. Being prone to prejudice is one of the worst character flaws we as a society have.

Oh my goodness! I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading this. I wept real tears. What a lovely story. I own several literature textbooks in the series we use in our school. A Christmas Memory is in the book for students who are two years older than the group I teach.

I read along with the youtube audiobook. This audiobook is an old vinyl record with Truman Capote reading his own story. The scratches on the vinyl record can be heard and add a charming detail of nostalgia to the story.

I loved the character development, the lovely use of setting, and the symbolism. What a charming sense of place and time he created. I have said before that I love sappy stories. I just did not expect it. I gave it 5 stars, and will tag it "books that made me cry."

I am definitely in "fruitcake weather" now. We have already missed a day of school due to snow and ice. In one week my Christmas Break will begin. I have been organizing having my children and grandchildren come visit. We are expected seven children and six adults to come over on Dec. 26th. I could not help but think of my grandmother reading this. She was born in 1901, so not as old as the friend in this story, but she is the earliest bearer of Christmas traditions I remember.

Christopher wrote: "Capote is always a pleasant read. Perhaps I read this too early in the season, but it came off a little saccharine to me. Perhaps I'm not quite in the Christmas spirit just yet. The bulk of the sto..."

I agree that Capote could have ended the story earlier and it would have been just as effective. His mention of the fact that Queenie would die was enough to foreshadow his friend's inevitable death. I think he probably needed to mention his own "imprisonment" in military academies, but if the story had stopped at his friend's epiphany in the field I would have still found it fully satisfying.

I completely enjoyed it and thought Capote paid great tribute to the woman whose care and love must have helped counteract his sense of abandonment when he was sent to live with relatives. This memory would have warmed his heart on many a lonely night, I bet.

A Goodreads friend in Ireland commented on my review that she was so happy to find this story because it was so much like her own childhood experience. That made it extra nice for me, so thanks for choosing it!

I discovered a popular film was made of it with Geraldine Page, which you can see on YouTube. I added the link in my review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I completely enjoyed it and thought Capote paid great tribute to the woman whose care and love must have helped counteract his sense of abandonment when he was sent to live with relatives. This mem..."

Thank you so much for posting that link. It was so sweet and beautiful. I loved that Mr. Capote narrated. It had me in tears again.

I agree, it really was a wonderful and heartwarming story.
The story is very short but all those little details about their Christmas tradition and Queenie's behavior gives you a much bigger idea about her and about their relationship. That makes it a great portrait of a person he loved.

Fee wrote: "I agree, it really was a wonderful and heartwarming story.
The story is very short but all those little details about their Christmas tradition and Queenie's behavior gives you a much bigger idea a..."

To me, that's the sign of a good short story, Fee. It gives you a real sense of what came before and what might be coming after, but meanwhile, you get a clear slice of the here and now.

This story influenced me to get up early and make a lunch to take to school. I packed old-fashioned foods that reminded my of my grandmother: farmer's ham, collard greens, and carrots.

Lynn wrote: "This story influenced me to get up early and make a lunch to take to school. I packed old-fashioned foods that reminded my of my grandmother: farmer's ham, collard greens, and carrots."

What a delightful idea, Lynn!

This is my second reading of this lovely story and it warmed my heart (and used up my kleenex) just as it did the first time around. Capote brings the events and people to life beautifully. I think the ending is perfect and adds something to the overall feeling of the story--knowing this Christmas he describes is the last one they had together and the sadness of being separated from one another adds to the poignancy for me.

I might make this a yearly tradition. It is truly a story that embodies the Christmas spirit I look for.

Lynn wrote: "This story influenced me to get up early and make a lunch to take to school. I packed old-fashioned foods that reminded my of my grandmother: farmer's ham, collard greens, and carrots."

I love that!!!!!

Loved this image of the two of them. Posting it here in case anyone failed to read Patty's review.

Sara wrote: "

Loved this image of the two of them. Posting it here in case anyone failed to read Patty's review."

It's actually also the cover of one of the editions of the book!

I loved both of Capote’s holiday memories.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I completely enjoyed it and thought Capote paid great tribute....
I discovered a popular film was made of it with Geraldine Page, which you can see on YouTube. I added the link in my review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

There was another version also made for TV in '97 with Patty Duke as Miss Sook which you can evidently also see on Youtube.

George P. wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I completely enjoyed it and thought Capote paid great tribute....
I discovered a popular film was made of it with Geraldine Page, which you can see on YouTube. I added the ..."

I'll have to take a look, George! :)

I just watched the movie Patti mentioned. I am fairly sure I watched that movie on tv as a child or teen. Lovely movie.

Here is my review with a link to some illustrations:
www.goodreads.com/review/show/3044470709

Cynda wrote: "Here is my review with a link to some illustrations:
www.goodreads.com/review/show/3044470709"

Thanks for the link, Cynda. I added it to the bottom of my review and mentioned your name - hope that's ok!

Yes Patti
Honored

Cynda wrote: "Yes Patti
Honored"

:)

I borrowed this book initially to read Breakfast at Tiffany's, and unintentionally reached A Christmas Memory right on Christmas Eve. I didn't realise until I came to this thread that it's an autobiographical story of Truman Capote and his cousin. I had thought of it as a sweet story of friendship and simply joy, but the knowledge that it is true makes it especially poignant and touching.

Re-read this on Christmas day. Will try to make it a tradition, as Sara said above. Need to read more Capote!

I read this story when I was rushed (holidays!) so didn't enjoy it as much as it demanded to be enjoyed. Thank you all for your lovely thoughts about this story. You have enticed me to re-read when I have more time.