Anyone read "In Cold Blood"?

[gidget]

Has anyone read Capote's "In Cold Blood"? I read an excerpt from it in my Postmodern class and was really intrigued by it. I am interested in reading the rest of the novel and was just curious as to what others thought about it.

[Zooey]

Has anyone read Capote's "In Cold Blood"? I read an excerpt from it in my Postmodern class and was really intrigued by it. I am interested in reading the rest of the novel and was just curious as to what others thought about it.
I read it last year. The first half is great- the tension, atmosphere and documentary-quality writing is superb, but the second half (the trial) is about twice as long as it should be, and I had a hard time getting through it. I thought it was rather uneven myself, though when it's good, it's great.

[AbdoRinbo]

Zooey is back! :D ;)

[Zooey]

Zooey is back! :D ;) Wow, I didn't expect anybody to miss me! Thanks!

I dissapeared over the summer months because I really don't get much reading done then. But now back at school and doing little else but reading... :)

[rachel]

In Cold Blood was one of the first books I bought with my own money after grad while i was trying to make some money working at the Foothills Hospital. I loved it and did not find anything tedious. I guess I was surprised at Capote's skill in writing. I rather thought him a fluffy person inside but he was articulate and absorbing.

[RusSpencer]

In Cold Blood was one of the first books I bought with my own money after grad while i was trying to make some money working at the Foothills Hospital. I loved it and did not find anything tedious. I guess I was surprised at Capote's skill in writing. I rather thought him a fluffy person inside but he was articulate and absorbing.

Shortly after it came out. If you like true crime, it is a good story. What makes it more interesting is that the two criminals were the last to receive the death penalty for many years as the Supreme Court came out with new guidelines. They were the last two executed after 1967 until Gary Gilmore in 1975 (who insisted on the execution decree being carried out in Utah by firing squad).

I think Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's is a very good fictional story, and my favorite of the Capote works.

[papayahed]

I bought the book as my "Welcome to Kansas" read but haven't really gotten into it yet. Now with that movie out I think I'll need to pick it back up again.

[starrwriter]

It was one of the first big successes of the non-fiction novel -- a true story written like fiction. There have been a flood of non-ficition novels since then.

The story was fascinating but grim. Getting inside the heads of psychopathic killers can cause nightmares. The guy who wrote John Wayne Gacy's biography said it took him two years to return to a normal state of mind.

[rachel]

RusSpencer,


I understand why Gary Gilmore did what he did but as to me life is so precious at the same time it freaked me out. I saw a documentary once where a young man, can't recall his name was being taken out to be executed after the pastor had prayed with him in his cell. He went hysterical and they put a sort black leather blinder over his face and he began screaming and I went hysterical right with him. It took me a long long time to blot his cries and pleadings from my mind.

[rachel]

Hey Starr,

you still write like your just getting ready to put the paper to bed. Awesome. Tight, consisive, to the point. kudos

[daddysfiddler]

I have never read "In Cold Blood", but I was told some interesting facts about it. My grandma used to spend everyweekend with the family that was killed. Also my great-grandpa on the other side of my family was their neighbor, and Capote mentioned him in the book.

[rachel]

REALLY? and this didn't stimulate you to read the book? How very amazing. Too bad your nana didn't write her own thoughts in a book about the family, it would have been fascinating and in depth and made their precious lives really visible to us. I am sure she must have a hundred stories inside her mind waiting to be told.

[mousemouse]

I think i was an interesting project to undertake. However, it seems to me, that the term faction or non-fiction novel is a bit wrong. In a way it is the same as "reality-tv", which is also very much edited before broadcast.
Anyway it is a good book, and the atempt at writing non-fiction is exiting even if it is impossible.

[Sandrine]

I read this book about ten years ago, and for what it's worth, I would highly recommend it. It set the standard for "true crime" literature -- some say it even created the genre.

I remember reading that many critics felt that Capote sided with the killers. I didn't see it that way when I read the book though. He was perhaps sympathetic but I don't feel that he neccessarily "sided" with them. I hope this isn't a spoiler (since everybody knows the subject matter of the book I don't see how it could be :) ) but one of the scenes that really sticks out in my mind is when one of the killers leads the son outside to his death but doesn't let him take his glasses with him. That little detail made me think that Capote was just as sympathetic to the victims as to the murderers.

Has anyone seen, or planning to see Capote? I'm looking forward to it. Philip Seymour Hoffman seems to have been possessed by the ghost of Capote!

[papayahed]

That's on my list of movies to see, it looks really good.

[snivslove]

i never read "In Cold Blood" however, someone last year in my lit class did a book report on it and it sounded interesting. gory, but interesting.

[Sandrine]

That's on my list of movies to see, it looks really good.

Me too!!! :cool: But I'm not sure when I'll get the chance...I may have to wait for the DVD. From what I've seen of the trailers and preveiw, it looks amazing. Philip Seymour Hoffman is actually spooky playing Truman Capote. It's perfect.

I sometimes go to Oscar Watch sites and I think they were throwing that movie around for a possible contender for best actor...but who knows? :rolleyes: Knock on wood, I guess. :)