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From Booklist
*Starred Review* The common perception of Capote (who died in 1984) is that he had a brilliant early beginning to a career that eventually fizzled out in drug use and soured celebrity. His "new nonfiction" book, In Cold Blood (1966), the true story of a Kansas murder told with great fictional technique and elan, is generally regarded as his finest achievement. But now, for the first time, all of Capote's short stories are being published together, an event that signifies a renewed appreciation of his overall contribution to literature, for evidence is presented in this one volume that he should be ranked as a major American short story writer. By instinct, he produced the amalgam of fact and fiction that became In Cold Blood; similarly but contrarily, by instinct he wrote short stories always intent on maintaining the form's integrity as distinct from the novel. Most of Capote's short story work was concentrated in the early years of his career, the 1940s, but his capacity for writing deeply thought-out, deeply felt stories continued into the 1980s, from the first story in the collection, "The Walls Are Cold," a short, entertaining piece about a young, flirtatious socialite, to the last story, "One Christmas," set in the Alabama and New Orleans of his boyhood, a story conjured from the heart--but free of overripe sentiment--about learning the differences in how people love. Both a broadening of theme and deepening in treatment are observable when the stories in the collection are read in order; all of them are linked by a shimmering, but never showy, eloquence and sensitive observation of the personal environments his characters inhabit, both psychological and physical. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
“An abundance of riches. . . . It is not hard at all to open to any page . . . and be amused, moved, intrigued.” –Newsday
“To best experience Capote the stylist, one must go back to his short fiction. . . . One experiences as strongly as ever his gift for concrete abstraction and his spectacular observancy.” –The New Yorker
“It is a stunning experience to reread this fiction . . . and to realize how very golden this golden boy was. . . . We are in the presence of a tremendous talent, and a fully mature technique as well. Norman Mailer’s judgment that Capote was the most perfect writer of their generation–‘he writes the best sentences word for word, rhythm upon rhythm’–seems true and just.” –The New Criterion
“Capote does some things perfectly that many writers can’t do at all. . . . [He] summons the sensory world in its bewildering, inexhaustible richness.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review
“To best experience Capote the stylist, one must go back to his short fiction. . . . One experiences as strongly as ever his gift for concrete abstraction and his spectacular observancy.” –The New Yorker
“It is a stunning experience to reread this fiction . . . and to realize how very golden this golden boy was. . . . We are in the presence of a tremendous talent, and a fully mature technique as well. Norman Mailer’s judgment that Capote was the most perfect writer of their generation–‘he writes the best sentences word for word, rhythm upon rhythm’–seems true and just.” –The New Criterion
“Capote does some things perfectly that many writers can’t do at all. . . . [He] summons the sensory world in its bewildering, inexhaustible richness.” –Los Angeles Times Book Review
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read,
By Pius Mambo (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Complete Stories of Truman CApote (Paperback)
Beautiful collection. Loved every one of them . A must read for lovers of short stories.The Usurper and Other Stories, Runaway, The Lady with the Dog and other stories feature in my list of short story collections that are pleasurable to read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Writings from a genius,
This review is from: The Complete Stories of Truman Capote (Hardcover)
"My Side of the Matter," and "Miriam," are by far my two favorites in this collection-and I've read them all. Capote writes with a seemingly reckless abandon, but what is really happening is craft-craft of the genius kind. Each and every detail is lovingly cared for and nurtured during the process (or so I imagined---like some collection of exotic hot-house orchids that only have a short life). But Capote manages to keep the specimens alive for our pleasure. If you enjoyed books such as Jackson McCrae's CHILDREN'S CORNER, then you'll like this one.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Luscious read,
This review is from: The Complete Stories of Truman Capote (Hardcover)
The unfortunate thing about Capote is that many will remember him for his antics and flamboyant social life rather than the remarkable novels, short stories, and novellas he wrote. Of course BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS comes to mind, as does the favorite IN COLD BLOOD, but Capote was much, much more. One of his best efforts is his first novella, OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS. In addition, each and every one of his short stories is a gem, perfectly crafted and suited to its subject matter. From "The Walls are Cold" to the evocative and memorable "One Christmas," Capote captures perfectly mood, character, and all the nuances that are life. This is the most up-to-date collection and anyone even remotely interested in TC will want to have this on their shelf. If you're interested in Capote, you'll surely want to check out two books by a writer who has written extensively on and about him. McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, with its myriad Capote references (even the main character is named for Capote), will surely delight and disturb, just as TC himself did. And in the true Capote vein, McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER can't be missed. This writer was so obviously influenced by TC that it sometimes shows a little too much-right down to the incredible stories set in New Orleans and Alabama. But all of that is secondary to this stellar collection of Capote's work. Amazing, that we're still finding out just how brilliantly Truman Capote's star actually is, even all these years after it first made its way into the universe.
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