Rating: 
Summary: Spectacular
Review: A spectacularly written true account of the 1959 murders of the Klutter family. Taking the reader to the lives of the killers and victims before the murder, the subsequent events, arrest, and executions, Capote allows the readers to empathize with everyone involved in the senseless act of violence. Gripping and an excellent example of non-fiction writing. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Capote's New Genre
Review: I liked this book, I'm just not sure I really loved it. Capote does get you into the story, the event of the murder of the Clutter family and he does it very well. His work on this novel defined a new genre of "real-life fiction" and we hear the common refrain before many of today's tv shows, "based on real life events" and we can thank Capote for much of this. However, I can't help but wonder if this story is not as timeless as Capote had initially imagined. In a day and age where horrific murder is reported daily or at least weekly on multiple news channels, Capote's book lacks the timeless essence his other work is known for and as a result, lacks that dramatic punch that it must have had in the 60s and 70s. I also found that once I read "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and several of his other short stories, (for which he was much heralded), I had a different take on the book. In retrospect, I noticed a much more liberal slant to Perry and Dick, the two murderers in the novel than I did when I first read their story. Capote is very forgiving of his character's faults in his stories and this becomes much more apparent in "In Cold Blood" if you are already familiar with his work. Capote is a one of the most well respected authors of the last century, but if you want a feel for his work, read some of his short stories before getting into his most well-known novel.
Rating: 
Summary: The Devil's in the Details
Review: This book set the precedent for nonfiction thrillers. It's a classic. Capote entwines himself in the lives of the victims and the killers, and it's easy to become engaged in it. It's a guilty pleasure - one feels terrible knowing these terrible crimes were committed, but the book is tough to put down!The element that set Capote's book apart from former nonfiction is the attachment he creates to the characters involved. He does this by artfully weaving details into the story, such as what the father ate for breakfast (always just an apple). The emotions touched by this book are heartbreaking, but very human and necessary. Not for the faint-of-heart.
Rating:
Summary: Great, though old
Review: I don't like classics but I liked this due to it being a true crime story. This was the book that suposily started the genre. It is very well written although I think Capote fictionalizes some aspects of the criminal characters to flesh them out more in the book. Some of the language used is old fashioned, but this was written in the 1950s so what can you expect.
Rating:
Summary: The Clutter family never knew . . .
Review: The Clutter family never knew what hit 'em. This book still gives me the creeps, even though I initially read it in college. While there's been a lot of territory covered over the years with murders, kidnappings, etc. this book still hangs together and will give you chills. At the time of its writing it was considered something quite unusual and launched Capote's career. Part fiction, part fact, and part grey area, it hasn't been equalled since. Also recommended: The Da Vinci Code, McCrae's Bark of the Dogwood, and Breakfast at Tiffany's
Rating:
Summary: Lock your doors before reading this book
Review: Published in 1965, this story about a senseless murder in 1959 in America that is so very relevant today. Truman Capote's accomplishment must have been a 'labor of love' as this very difficult story was so thoroughly researched and artfully composed into narrative. The reader is directly exposed and steeped in the details of this murder - I think - in order to evoke empathy toward the victims and to a certain although much lesser degree the killers too. What is the point of this book besides scaring you silly? Simply stated I think ultimately this is a debate on whether capital punishment is ethical and whether the defense of insanity is applied in court in a fair manner. The issue of capital punishment is what makes this a uniquely American crime story. Capote portays two murderers and one murder scene. He goes into a vast amount of detail on the killers lives. The reader feels they know both murderers personally. The book's subtext in my opinion is a series of debatable questions: Are these two killers equally responsible for the murders committed? Is one killer more deserving of capital punishment than the other? Are both equally beyond redemption? Is the killer that pulls the trigger more responsible than the one that plans the murder? Are both sane? These questions are left for the reader to decide. By exposing us to the intimate details of the victims lives and deaths, the reader sits in the jury box. By providing the reader with additional information on the killers backgrounds, childhoods etc., we are made privy to information that would never be allowed in court of law. Whether or not you care to delve into any of these ethical questions on capital punishment and whether insanity is a defense, the book is a fascinating read and a pioneer in literature.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling......
Review: In Cold Blood ranks right at the top of my list. I've read it at least eleven times in 5 years, and that will most likely continue. It is engaging in the way it reads entirely like a novel, yet you must remind yourself that it is not simply a novel, but a detailing of one of the most brutal crimes in history.
Rating:
Summary: 20th Century Classic
Review: If you are interested in 20th century literature, then this book is essential. It sheds light on the loss of innocence after the Industrial Revolution in America and how we changed from a largely peaceful populice to the somewhat violent and apathetic society today. This is all exhibited by an exceptionally disturbing murder in a time and place that knows no random violence. Very interesting - this is the original true crime novel!
Rating:
Summary: An important novel, a gripping read.
Review: Truman Capote essentially creates the nonfiction novel here in the harrowing "In Cold Blood." He vividly recounts the horrific murders of the Clutter family, the capture of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, and their subsequent trial.
It is known Mr. Capote had extensive contact with pretty much all the key individuals, allowing us into the disturbed and disturbing minds of the killers. It's an unnerving journey, yet one well worth taking. The prose is not flowery, but still elegant. It's an easy read, but better savored when taken slowly. The wealth of detail comes from the enormous amount of research done by the author, who conveys said information most effectively. You'll get goosebumps. More than once. It's not totally pleasant.
This stands as one of the most important books of the 20th century, not just for quality, but for influence. Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe are a few of the many authors whose style or approach can be traced back to this.
"In Cold Blood" is a fine way to spend a few hours.
Rating:
Summary: A literary milestone
Review: My wife is often exasperated by my habit of reading a book over and over again. Why do it, she asks, you know how it's going to turn out. Well, that's true in a way; especially with something like "In Cold Blood". Since it's based on a true story, you know the Clutters will die, you know the murderers will be captured and executed. What's the big deal? But it's not that simple for me. I know every note of "Stairway to Heaven", yet it still gives me goose bumps. I know that fried chicken is crispy outside and juicy inside, but I order that more than anything else. I love picking up my Jack London stories in mid-winter. There's nothing like reading that stuff while some norther whoops and screams outside. Hence, my affection for "In Cold Blood". I read it the first time when I was around 23 and took up reading as a pastime again as my flaming youth started to cool. I'm 44 and I think I've read that book maybe 15 times now. And just writing about it is making me want to read it again. In fact, I will probably have to buy a fresh copy because the binding on my paperback edition is starting to fail and pages are becoming loose. Most true crime stories these days are drenched in such lurid detail the viscera and entrails practically dangle off the page. Torture, dismemberment, infanticide; make the story as horrific as possible to sell the books. These are the bastard children of Capote's novel, with as much emotion as an autopsy report. They are more akin to the "B" slasher feature at the drive-in. But the murder here, while a central part of the story (without it, there would BE no story), is not the whole story. This is a very human drama, more in common with Steinbeck than Ed Gein. The killers are ruthless, to be sure - there's no doubt who's wearing the white hats and the black hats. But Capote drew all the characters as real people and not faceless archetypes. We've all known a family like the Clutters. Maybe we've passed under the malevolent eye of someone who shares something in common with Perry or Dick. And if something evil came our way, we all would want someone like Alvin Dewey to tirelessly pursue justice in our name. And, like a great song or a good meal, Capote's prose paints a vivid picture that can be read again and again over time. The perspective of time in itself has given the novel a different insight. A crime that moved a jaded New York writer into immersing himself into a spartan, midwestern existence now seems almost quaint and old fashioned compared to the horrors that greet us each morning on the news.
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