TRUE STORY WEEK : IN COLD BLOOD

What is it about modern life that stops us reading? This doesn't happen everywhere, evidently, or to everyone but I was at a party just last night and everyone says they read a lot less than when they were students. I guess it's because we have to concentrate actively on one thing or the other for work for so long every weekday, we don't have the energy in our spare time... Then of course we get out of the habit... Being in possession of slightly more spare time I'm trying to break myself back into the habit... For the purpose I decided to go for something good quality and gripping. Not too taxing - remember I, like a lot of wage slaves haven't read a complete book in a good while - but not too much of a soap bubble either. When one is also naturally picky about what one reads, the task of choosing a book becomes tougher than you might think... I was staring intently at my library for inspiration and I alighted on the Truman Capote novels I have previously written about (Summer Crossing and Breakfast At Tiffany's). Actually there was one more Capote lying around that I hadn't read. It was a true crime novel to boot - and I know this isn't very ladylike but I have always liked true crime novels... It is the book that gave birth to the blockbuster starring Philip Seymour-Hoffman; Capote. I am talking about "In Cold Blood". I had actually seen the film but of course the film was basically about how the book was written not an adaptation of the book itself so I thought why not... Good thing I did, too... No wonder Truman Capote was obsessed with the event...
Now the event that gave birth to this book is quite well known but let's go through them again just to make sure everyone's on the same page... One fateful November evening in 1959, four members of a prominent family in a small town in Kansas were brutally murdered. Herbert and Bonnie Clutter along with their two children Nancy and Kenyon were loved and respected, religious and hard working, in short an example held up and respected by all who knew and loved them...The murder, in its brutality and its seeming lack of motive stunned the entire country; the Clutters had literally no known enemies at all and nobody could think of any reason for this bloodshed. The discovery of the culprits took a good many years and would not have happened if a man in jail at the time had not heard the news, put two and two together and in the end given way to his conscience... The culprits were Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Smith; they were caught (albeit a good few years after the murders) and accordingly dealt with in accordance with Kansas law (I guess I don't need to spell out how, yes?). In his novel Truman Capote gives us not only a memorial of an upstanding Kansas family and town but also of two men who could murder four people "in cold blood" and then get on with their lives as if nothing had happened. We see their thoughts, their hopes, the way they think... And while their acts and demeanors cannot be sympathized with, one thing is painstakingly clear. These men were not "monsters" but very, VERY human indeed...
I can see why you would not like true crime as a genre, generally speaking... These days a lot of it is gore, sensation; a superficial yarn, nothing more. You may wonder what else there is to it. But think about it. The act of killing is, to me, the single most horrific thing a man /woman can do to his/her fellow man/woman. (And just for disambiguation this for me includes capital punishment, as far as I go killing is killing and unless it's self defense there is nothing to justify it). I'm sure a lot of you would agree with me at least up to a point if not completely. But doesn't this make you curious as to what kind of being actually can do this with such ease and then go on living? Aren't you the least bit curious what went through their minds? Are they monsters? Were they born this way or did something happen to change them? If so, what? Compelling questions, no? Capote does not sympathize with the killers in the least. And there is nothing in this deadly duo's actions that makes it "forgivable". However the portrait painted of them is a clear and objective snapshot of both sides of this sad event thanks to long interviews with everyone from the Clutter family's friends and relations to the two assassins themselves. I assure you this book will compel you to think... Not necessarily happy thoughts, but deep ones and important ones...

THE PLACE TO GO WHEN YOU GET THE MEAN REDS! "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S" – THE MOVIE!

If you recall, I have actually reviewed the book this is adapted from on the blog (click here!). I was dubious as to whether I should or shouldn’t put it here a second time but then I watched the film and realized something: They are literally two different works of art! I didn’t know what to make of this discovery (not that it’s anything too extremely new for anyone further immersed in the cinema than myself of course). Honestly, if Audrey Hepburn wasn’t such a DELIGHTFUL, no scratch that, PHENOMENAL Holly Golightly I would write the film down as a “disappointing Hollywood makeover”. As it is, well, the whole thing is based on a novella – not even a book – and OK artistic license is an acceptable thing but still… There is such a thing as too much of a good thing: S
The story is basically the same as the book. A young writer called Paul Varjak, his neighbor the inimitable Holly Golightly and her crazy life and her nameless cat (poor nameless slob). (The cat is second only to Audrey Hepburn in the film as far as artistic achievement is concerned in my humble opinion). ..
There are, however “little” additions and “subtractions” from the film. Here, Paul Varjak is the “kept man” of a rich and married decorator lady (in the novel, he’s just a starving writer). Naturally, the fact that he is torn between his true love, Holly and his “patron” make a nice Hollywoody twist but I found it slightly pointless and stale. A lot of the action is thus based around the patron – Ok, I get that it has to be “tied in” and it makes it very convenient; HOWEVER, there is nothing at all forcing them to squeeze the film into a shorter timeline, they might have let it flow a tiny bit longer… What else? Mag Wildwood is almost completely axed from the film (she has one short appearance and that’s it). Joe Bell’s bar is axed. Oh and just incidentally, the end of the story is completely and utterly turned on its head. I need to check and see whether Mr. Capote was alive at the time this was filmed (my common sense tells me probably not) but I would be fascinated to find out what he made of this…
“Then why on earth” I hear you exclaim”are you reviewing this in the first place? I thought we had agreed you only wrote about things you liked…” The thing is, I did like it. It’s great. It’s sweet. It’s worth watching for Audrey Hepburn and the cat alone(The film was nominated for 3 Oscars one of which was Best Actress so I'm not alone in thinking this. The other two nominations were Art Direction and Writing. It won a further 2 Oscars - Best Song and Best Music). If you haven’t read the book, you will LOVE it and think I’m mad. It’s a lovely, quintessentially 60’s Hollywood film. (Infact the director, Blake Edwards is also someone you probably actually know. If the name doesn't seem familiar he directed most of the Pink Panther films!) However, if you read the book and enjoyed it, just… Think of it as a different work of art all together… Then you should be all right…

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S – DAARLING!

OK, as I mentioned last week I’m feeling mighty guilty about being so “unliterary” for so long… And having both “discovered” Truman Capote and being in possession of another one of his works I have the opportunity to continue my review… And of course, if I recall, I had mentioned what it is to you folks as well: It is that classic of both literary and cinematic fiction; Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Now do not be confused, my review is of the original book, not the wonderful adaptation into film starring Audrey Hepburn. The film’s turn will come of course, but in our mediatic times, when I am faced with books adapted into films (or ofcourse vice- versa ) I always prefer checking out the original media first. As successful as it may be, the second is only an adaptation after all… And starlarınkine Capote was the writer of the original media so it kind of does deserve precedence in my book!... (No pun intended!)
Now, we are all familiar, I assume, with Holly Golightly – the heroine of Breakfast At Tiffany’s, if only through the film or through reputation. Incidentally I found the fact that the book I bought actually had a picture of Audrey Hepburn as Holly on the cover… I guess this is the point where the adaptation clearly surpasses the book in celebrity! And ofcourse I was also attracted by “the main act”. However, the edition I have has more people to introduce than an average “Breakfast” . In this edition in addition to the story that gave the book its name, we find three other short stories by Capote : House of Flowers ( the story of a Haitian “working girl”, her quest for true love and the price she is prepared to pay for it), A Diamond Guitar ( the story of a hardened convict whose life is changed in a way he never thought possible by the arrival of a new convict) and last of all A Christmas Memory (the story of a rather unlikely but very happy friendship).
Now, I was of course well aware that Capote was a good writer (see review of Summer Crossing last week for details) but I never expected to be blown away to this degree… To start with, we are faced with rather a different Capote then what we are taught “at first glance”. Indeed, in the afore-mentioned Summer Crossing, his friend and lawyer explains clearly how Capote’s wit turned poisonous later on in life and alienated almost all who knew him. These stories, I would dare say, were written before that happened. Beautiful encounters, life changing emotions, deep friendships and love… All are exquisitely and eloquently explored. And every single time this is done from a perspective you never quite expected it to be taken from – and this ofcourse is what made Capote great… I ventured, you may recall, a small analysis of what I thought Summer Crossing may symbolize. If I were to venture another opinion here – I might say that all these were written at a time when our author was secure in a relationship. All the emotions that make relationships – and not just relationships in the romantic sense but all relationships – beautiful and essential to our lives are described vividly… I will not go into what these are in detail – I assume you know what I mean already.
In fact, I will not rabbit on at all. Just by the book and get lost in it. You will NOT regret it.

SUMMER CROSSING

Well, hand on heart; it has been a SHAMEFULLY long time since I reviewed any literature… And truth be told that’s because it has been an equally shamefully long time since I actually read any good literature. But in my defense I was out to remedy that last weekend when I made another discovery: I have never read any Truman Capote! I’ve seen the film starring Philip Seymour-Hoffman, yes, but never actually read any of his work. And there on a shelf in a bookstore was Breakfast At Tiffanys (the book not the film) and assorted stories and his recently discovered début novel, Summer Crossing.
By recently discovered, I mean that his lawyer and friend Alan U. Shwartz discovered the four notebooks it was written on some time after Capote’s death. When dated it turns out to be his début novel – so it’s a little ironic in my view that it should be printed posthumously. Shwartz ponders whether he did well in publishing it in the short annex he provides to the book (in my edition) where he describes the book’s discovery. He ends up not regretting it – and I am glad. We would have been deprived of a true gem.
Now, this little 120-page jewel (Good news for those of you who get put off by books that are too long! – And don’t you deny it, I know you’re out there!) is the story of Grady. Grady is the 17 year-old daughter of a rich American family in New York, in the 50’s. And for the first time in her life she is completely alone all summer this year – her family are taking a boat to Europe. And why pray does Grady chose to waive such a chance at a European adventure? Well, that would be because she has a secret… And the secret’s name is Clyde Menzer. He is a Jewish car park attendant and they are madly in love. Left alone and completely free for the first time Grady clings to Clyde, intensifying their relationship and bringing it to a point Grady never imagined it would come to…
Now, I am not a particular fan of romances (nor am I particularly averse to them – I just am not “addicted” to them) but this is BRILLIANT. It is first love concentrated, boiled down and poured into a book. It is told exquisitely; it is gripping and is also full of all the mannerisms and quips of its age, giving a marvelous insight into life in the States at the time, right from the inside. But as I read Summer Crossing (not only crossing the Atlantic you understand – that comes into it as far as the parents are concerned but also Grady’s crossing into womanhood) I felt it contained more insights than first caught the eye. Take the rather bizarrely named Grady (named after her uncle apparently). One of her major characteristics is that she is DIFFERENT from her sister and parents. They are “nice” and “usual” she is “not like them” . Clyde is merely a more “obvious” demonstration of this. Now, this is a very common (and in this case very well described) state of mind for a 17 year-old but could it possibly be an insight into Capote’s own feelings towards society – or maybe even his family (this is a début novel right at the beginning of his career don’t forget) ? And then, Clyde, the Jewish car park attendant. A gloriously inappropriate lover for high-brow Grady. Maybe a consideration on Capote’s own homosexuality that was considered “very inappropriate” at the time ? Capote wasn’t “Capote” then you remember, so he didn’t have the liberty fame brings… I don’t know. And you really should read it and make your own judgments. But Mr Capote, allow me to say this: Do not regret the printing of this book even if you never meant for it to be seen. It was an amazing gala to your career that deserved to be shared with the world…