For Truman Capote fans

[Dookus]

two new books just came out:

The first is "The Complete Stories of Truman Capote" from Random House. It's the first collection (that I've seen) of ALL his short stories in one format. If you've only read his novels, definitely check out his stories. They're beautiful.

The second is "Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote", edited by Capote biographer Gerald Clarke, also published by Random House. Finally, a look at the huge collection of letters Capote wrote over the years.

I'm most excited about the Letters. I've probably read every story of Capote's at one time or another, but the letters opens up a whole new world.

[flamingyouth]

1. I saw the Letters book the other day - looks great

I think I'll have to get it for myself as a treat.:hi:

[Dookus]

2. If you haven't read a lot of his stories

get that, too. THAT'S a treat!

I wish I could read a lot of Capote again for the first time. No writer has ever made me stop more often and just re-read a sentence in sheer awe.

[flamingyouth]

4. I have read all of his stories

A truly great writer, IMO. And I love Gerald Clarke's bio of him as well, so I think I will have to get the Letters book. :D

[Dookus]

5. ok...

you have my permission :)

He is my favorite writer, ever. There's just a clarity and beauty to his work that I adore. He's poetic, but not flowery. He's sentimental, but not sappy. Is there a more beautiful story than "The Grass Harp"? Is there a more insightful, heartbreaking work than "Breakfast at Tiffany's"? Well, probably there is, but I like the way Truman does it.

[flamingyouth]

6. And I love his ending to "Breakfast..."

The movie cheesed it up too much. I liked it bittersweet. ;)

[Dookus]

7. yeah

the movie sucked compared to the book, but it had Audrey, so therefore it's automatically a great movie.

But the book was amazing. Poignant, sad, beautiful.

[jonnyblitz]

3. I'd read both.

thanks for the info!

[Dookus]

8. You're welcome

anything to help spread the beauty that is Capote.

[Dookus]

9. kick

c'mon...

I *KNOW* there are more Capote fans here.

[VOX]

10. Capote is my favorite writer. He strings words together so beautifully...

...that is almost musical. He truly was quite gifted. hard to believe that it was 20 years ago last August that he died.

I found the snippet below at The New Yorker online; it's from "The Duke in His Domain," a 1957 profile of Marlon Brando. In it, Capote gives his impressions of the city of Kyoto:

"...I set off through the marrow-chilling drizzle in what I hoped was a homeward direction. I’d never before been abroad so late in the city. It was quite a contrast to daytime, when the central parts of the town, caroused by crowds of fiesta massiveness, jangle like the inside of a pachinko parlor, or to early evening--Kyoto’s most exotic hours, for then, like night flowers, lanterns wreathe the side streets, and resplendent geishas, with their white ceramic faces and their teal looping lacquered wigs strewn with silver bells, their hobbled wiggle-walk, hurry among the shadows toward meticulously tasteful revelries. But at two in the morning these exquisite grotesques are gone, the cabarets are shuttered; only cats remained to keep me company, and drunks and red-light ladies, the inevitable old beggar-bundles in doorways, and, briefly, a ragged street musician who followed me playing on a flute a medieval music..."

[Dookus]

11. beautiful....

the man could sure put words together.