Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The story that destroyed Truman Capote

The story that destroyed Truman Capote — and high society

5 comments:

Deb said...

Coincidentally, I had just put that book (THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE) on my tbr list. I have to believe that on some level Capote knew that story would destroy his life.

Ed Gorman said...

As an older student I worked in the PR department of Coe College. A few times I schlepped guest speakers to their hotels and later to the campus where they spoke. The only time I saw Capote was at the dinner they had for him. In Cold Blood was still an enormous hit so he was a huge "get" for the college. What I most remember about him was him bitching about Tennessee Williams and Norman Mailer but esp Williams whom he seemed to consider an inferior writer. I felt sorry for him. His life must have been hell.

Don Coffin said...

A classic case of biting the hand that feeds you...having forgotten that the other was a big bigger and tougher...

Kent Morgan said...

Yesterday I picked up a copy of New York Stories Landmark Writing From Four Decades of New York Magazine. Last night I read an article titled Unanswered Prayers: The Death and Life of Truman Capote by Julie Baumgold that was published in 1984 one month after his death. It's the first of a two-part series that includes the impact La Cote Basque had on his life.

Bill, if this is the one book you don't have in your collection, it's worth tracking down. Tom Wolfe, Pete Hamill, Gail Sheehy, Gael Greene, Jimmy Breslin, George Plimpton, David Halberstam, Gloria Steinem, Nora Ephron, Nik Cohn - need I say more.

Unknown said...

I don't have it, and it sounds great. I'll look around.