Capote's "In Cold Blood"

[Guitarzan]

In Cold Blood has been on my lengthy list of books to read for some time. The movie about Capote focused largely on his research (and Harper Lee's) for his articles on the killing and the book.

The location of the murder was near Holcomb, KS, a little west of Garden City. I know people in Garden City, KS and have hunted all over that area. That area is not exactly a part of the world one would expect such a gruesome killing.

How many of you have read it? Is it good, great, etc.?

[KokoTele]

I read it a few years ago and thought it was really excellent. It's a kind of documentary storytelling that isn't often done so well. I'm a picky reader, and found Capote to be a very compelling writer.

[Buckocaster51]

Read it many years ago.

IIRC it was a compelling, in-depth, hard to put down tome.

It will not be a waste of your time.

The film, while extremely well done, comes up way short of the book. (Of course they usually do.)

[Robert H.]

Excellent book. The original movie is quite good too.

[Skully]

From what I understand, a lot of the "documentary" detail was filled in by Capote's imagination. He didn't record his conversations or take notes during them, so they were all reconstructed from memory -- which gave him free rein to gild the lily.

[lupowitz]

I read it, but at least 20 years ago.
I loved it very much.
It is on my list of re-reads.
In Hungary we had a short story compilation coming out around the same time when In cold blood came out. I simply adore those.
Haven't seen the movie though.

[gayler]

I've not read the book, but have seen the movie. It was very good. For what it's worth, I live in Lakin kansas. It's about twenty miles from Holcomb. I used to work with a guy whos house was on the Clutter property.

[delb0y]

I've got this on my shelf to read, nestling right up against Mailer's The Executioner's Song. Must get round to reading them both soon.

[middy]

It's an unforgettable book.

[RogerC]

I actually read it in jr high as a class assignment. That was 25 years ago and i still remember certain details. Not that it scared me, but more because of the way he wrote. It was very chilling because it was so matter-of-fact about such a gruesome subject.

[Agave_Blue]

Read it. It's good - very good for the most part. It drags a little in a couple of sections, imo.

Part of the 'interest' is that that kind of thing shouldn't happen in a place like Holcomb; a random act of violence you might say.

One thing I found particularly interesting is that Capote stayed with the story for so long (waiting on appeals, etc) and it was such a drain, I guess, that he never completed another full-length novel.

Another interesting thing is that Capote set out write a new kind of non-fiction. In Cold Blood is the resulting "non-fiction novel".

[Stubee]

I read a lot. That is one of the best books of that genre ever written. I first read it so many years ago--maybe the '60s--that it is like a memory. I've read it several times since just cuz I do that with good books.

IMO a 'must read' if you have any interest. It reads like a novel. Capote's best I think. Truth can be stranger than fiction.

Another book that is not at all the same but a different view of this type of thing & hard to put down is "Shot In The Heart" by Mikal Gilmore. Disturbing because it is by a family member; heartfelt.

Life is odd & I've always been interested in the extremes.

[P Thought]

It's an excellent book, and he was a very interesting person. I remember seeing him on teevee when I was a kid.

Every year I drag a bunch of sophomores through To Kill a Mockingbird, and "Dill" somehow always gets me thinking about Truman Capote, because of his lifelong friendship with Harper Lee, and that always reminds me that I should read In Cold Blood again.

[FMA]

It is a classic for a reason. An excellent book. In the same genre, I would put Mailer's Executioner's Song up there with it. Both are classics of literary non-fiction and transcend the true crime genre.

[Doug 54]

excellent book.


movie excellent too

[Throttleneck]

Excellent book. He invented the docudrama with that book. A must read.

[macdog]

Brilliant book. I am teaching it later this year - can't wait.

[SpiderWeb]

I read it in English class when I was a senior in high school (quite a while ago...). It is an excellent book. Changed my life, in a sense, because it made non-fiction books a passion of mine. It's a masterpiece as was the original movie. It's one of those books that everyone should read...

[Agave_Blue]

Originally Posted by Doug 54

....


movie excellent too

Which one?

In Cold Blood with Robert Blake - the story of the murders, or Capote with Phillip Seymour Hoffman - the story of Capote writing/researching the book?

Or both?

[FMA]

Originally Posted by Agave_Blue

Which one?

In Cold Blood with Robert Blake - the story of the murders, or Capote with Phillip Seymour Hoffman - the story of Capote writing/researching the book?

Or both?

Both are very good. Hoffman is amazing in "Capote." But the original, written and directed by Richard Brooks, is exceptional. A very well made movie with a shocking ending. As a bonus, the soundtrack, written by Quincy Jones, kills.