In Cold Blood

Rating:
Summary: "Unforgettable in every way"
Review: I first encountered this book on an A-Level course at the age of 16 and have been hooked on reading Capote ever since. The wonderful juxtaposition of the Clutters, and Dick and Perry as they move towards the events that all told would kill six people (as we are told at the novel's opening), is truely wonderful.

A highly skilled writer Capote has an excellent eye for detail, and the memories of the Clutters, and reactions of the community created a sense of envolvment, empathy, horror and devastation, that I had never encountered before, nor I fear am ever likely to encounter again. For those who may likewise be interested in the author, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Gerald Clarke biography, and indeed a collection of Capote's work published by Penguin, "Capote: a reader". This item portrays the writers magnificient and diverse expertise, including travel logs, short stories and novellas. One in the latter category is "Breakfast at Tiffany's", a piece which is rarely commonly attributed to Capote, although known by a wide range of people - a great shame in my opinion.

"In Cold Blood" was highly controversal at the time, and still creates debates concerning the death penality, the McNaughty rules in the justice system, and among psychologists. A masterpiece that drew heavily upon Capote own's character, a great man who, along with his childhood friend Harper Lee ("To Kill a Mockingbird"), manages to retrive the thoughts and feelings of a deeply shocked Kansas community at an horrific time.

Although a book of faction, those areas of both fiction and fact are so cleverly interwoven, that although the final scene is obviously 'artistic license', there is no destraction from either the characters, events, or the reader's involvement. You may certainly never forget Perry's dangling legs in court, or Nancy's dress, or the auction.

A great read for all ages (from late teens onwards), all over the world, and an author that deserves to be bette! r known.

Rating:
Summary: trash
Review: what's up with these insanely glowing reviews? to each his own, i suppose. This is well-written and enjoyable. And yes, it's groundbreaking. But it remains essentially trash... well-written trash is still trash. And as far as breaking new ground, has anything really worthwhile (beyond the simple enjoyment that comes from reading trash) come from this? maybe i'm a fool, but... END

Rating:
Summary: In Cold Blood reveals the fallacy of small-town America
Review: Through his descriptions of the people who live in Holcomb, Capote evoked the picture of a stereotypical 1950's middle-American town. The townsfolk were shown to be caring and neighborly, and the peaceful environment appeared so wholesome and pure. This picture of an ideal environment was best characterized by what we were shown to be an ideal family - the Clutters. However, in chronicling the mystery behind the four deaths, Capote revealed the fragility of Holcomb, its inhabitants, and the idea behind small-town 1950's America. The murders themselves, combined with the prolonged search for the killers, tore apart the seemingly strong fabric of the tightly-knit community and shook the very foundation of the small town. The sweet innocence of Holcomb was quickly and irreversibly corrupted by this first brush with crime, and was immediately replaced with an undercurrent of paranoia and fear in which even the most trusted of friends became wary of one another. In this sense, the deaths of the pure, wholesome, and innocent Clutter family was symbolic of the "death" of Holcomb's way of life which was to follow. Through the chronicle of Holcomb's change in collective attitude, we are at first quick to believe that their change in heart was due solely to the crime itself. However, by displaying the town's distrust even after the killers were captured, Capote reveals that these individuals were no different than anyone else living in any other town or city. The people we once saw to be entirely good-natured were shown to be as untrusting and contemptuous as anyone else might be. Capote shows us that the people of Garden City (or in any other 1950's small town) were of no better character than city dwellers, but because they did not have to face the trials and hardships that people in larger, more crime-ridden cities did, they could afford to be more trusting and neighborly towards one another. But after the murder of the Clutters - the first real crime in Holcomb in numerous years, their change of heart proved the fallacy of small-town America.

Rating:
Summary: Capote, the refining of a genre.
Review: In Cold Blood is one of the finest examples of a book that is serving to strengthen and legitimatize the expanding genre known as True Crime Narrative. In this book,Capote not only incorporates the research and accuracy that those who read True Crime Narratives tend to seek, but he also brilliantly weaves into his writing the literary techniques of a great fiction writer. I am currently in a class that is studying this genre. Most of my fellow classmates also enjoyed Capote's work and writing technique, but the one thing that many of them criticized is that Capote does not seem to write from an objective viewpoint throughout his book. They complained that Capote blatanly favored and took pity on Dick and Perry, forgetting about the tragic death of the Clutter family. To be honest, this aspect of the book actually served to make me like the book even more. First of all, the reader is clearly presented with the brutality of the tragedy to the victims and the hurt that was done to the town. However, it is a fact that Capote saved the gorier details of the murder until later in the book when the reader has had a chance to know the killers as humans and victims themselves. It could be argued here that Capote is manipulating his facts in order to influence the reader's judgment of the crime they would see and the men who perpetrated it. Capote is not trying to favor Dick and Perry, per se, but he is making an effort to simply show them as human beings. Capote forces us to show compassion for the victim as well as the criminals.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutly captivating...a masterpiece.
Review: My dad recommended this book for me a few months ago saying how excellent he knew it was. Even at a young age (15) I know a true winner when I see it. The book was absolutly fantastic and I couldn't put it down. With every turn of the page I didnt know what to expect and it just made me want to read farther. Capote gave such detail that I could see every charactor in my own eyes, what they look like and how they acted. I love the way Capote writes, his style and technique amaze me still even after I have finished the book. Very highly recommended, if you havent read it yet, your definatly missing out.

Rating:
Summary: top of its class
Review: Having written a dissertation on true-crime novels dating back to the American Naturalists of the 1890s, I think Capote's book is the very best of its genre. Established, planted, traditional middle-America values personified by the Clutter family meet the violence and transience of modern life, personified by Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. This might very well be the Great American Novel.

Rating:
Summary: The most amazing book I ever read
Review: 10 10 10. This is an unbelieveable book. I had to force myself to read it slowly to grasp the fantastic writing style of Truman Capote. The subject matter is such that I found myself reading quickly because it is so engrossing. I have never understood what a truly gifted writer could produce until I read this book. I subsequently read a paperback best seller and couldn't believe how horrible I found the writing style. (Clearly I am no writer, but I can certainly appreciate good writing.) I only wish there were many more books by Truman Capote.

Rating:
Summary: does anything seem familiar?
Review: I read this book for the first time in late 97, coincidentally enough I had also recently viewed the entire Twin Peaks series. I absolutely loved the book, and I recommend it as a "must read". I couldn't help but notice many subtle similiarities between David Lynchs' fictional "Twin Peaks" and Capotes' true story of the Clutter murders. I think if you watch the series you will notice them as well. There is no doubt in my mind that Lynch derived his idea from Truman Capotes book "In Cold Blood".

Rating:
Summary: "In Cold Blood" is a book worth reading over and over
Review: Truman Capote brings 1959 western kansas and the people involved to life with only words. The criminals were described in such detail that I could see them in my minds eye. This is one book that never slows down, and once you start you will not be able to put it down. "In Cold Blood" should be required reading, and should be on every bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: Does murder justify murder?
Review: 'Fellow humans that come after us, harden not your hearts against us'. These words, inscribed in French at the begining of Capote's 'In Cold Blood' sum it all up. Capote has taken a brutal multiple murder, viewed the incident from all angles, and has produced a work that is gruesome, yet fascinating. What at first seems to be a book about murder soon becomes something more sinister, it becomes a book about society. It becomes a comment on capital punishment and a reminder that even the guilty are human. While not playing down the terrible crimes commited by the books two central characters, Capote shows that even through the dark haze of murder, these two men are still humans, and by showing us a grim image of death row he makes us question the morality of comitting murder to punish murder. By far Capote's best work, 'In Cold Blood' is a masterpiece of factual storytelling that grips the reader from begining to end. Don't miss it.