Capote: A Biography

by Gerald Clarke

Hardcover, 1988

Status

Available

Publication

New York : Simon and Schuster, c1988.

Description

The national bestselling biography and the basis for the film Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman in an Academy Award-winning turn. One of the strongest fiction writers of his generation, Truman Capote became a literary star while still in his teens. His most phenomenal successes include Breakfast at Tiffany's, In Cold Blood, and Other Voices, Other Rooms. Even while his literary achievements were setting the standards that other fiction and nonfiction writers would follow for generations, Capote descended into a spiral of self-destruction and despair. This biography by Gerald Clarke was first published in 1988-just four years after Capote's death. In it, Clarke paints a vivid behind-the-scenes picture of the author's life-based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with the man himself and the people close to him. From the glittering heights of notoriety and parties with the rich and famous to his later struggles with addiction, Capote emerges as a richly multidimensional person-both brilliant and flawed.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member BinnieBee
I enjoyed the book very much. It was quite lengthy so at times I tended to scan rather than really "read", but I would recommend it.
LibraryThing member jennyo
This was, without a doubt, the best biography I've ever read. Clarke couldn't have had a more interesting subject to write about. Capote's life seemed somehow larger than most, and Clarke makes you feel as if you were right there watching the action. He seems to have adopted Capote's In Cold Blood
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technique; he removes himself as a narrator and lets the events of Truman's life unfold as if he were writing a novel, a novel with some of the richest characters ever created. Yet it's entirely based on fact. It's absolutely fascinating and well worth a read whether you're a Capote fan or not.
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LibraryThing member Nahotep
Gives great insight into its subject, skips around chronologically a bit too much, but is quite well written overall.
LibraryThing member jmatson
Well written and documented biography of Truman Capote.

Incandescent rise and dark and depressing fall.

Good read.
LibraryThing member michaelbartley
a first rate biography of truman capote. a very talented but flawed and tragic man. he was a greek tragic person excellent story
LibraryThing member sbrca
Well researched. Excellent!

Language

Barcode

6002
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