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Capote: A Biography Paperback – Illustrated, September 21, 2010

by Gerald Clarke (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 946 ratings
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The bestselling biography of the author of In Cold Blood​ and basis for the award-winning film Capote, Gerald Clarke provides insight into the life of Truman Capote like no one before.

An American original, Truman Capote was one of the best writers of his generation, a superb and almost matchless stylist. His short stories made him a literary celebrity while still in his teens, and for the next thirty years he was a comet of genius, fame, and finally self-destruction. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, was followed ten years later by Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which introduced to the world one of American literature’s most endearing heroines, the irrepressible Holly Golightly. In the 1960s came the phenomenal success of In Cold Blood, a true-crime story whose novelistic techniques have influenced nonfiction writers ever since.

A much-sought-after dinner guest among the rich and famous, Capote reciprocated in 1966 with a party that made headlines, his black-and-white ball at Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel. The trauma of researching and writing In Cold Blood had shaken him, however, and even as he reached the heights, Capote was beginning a losing battle with drugs and alcohol. In 1975 he published a chapter from an uncompleted novel, Answered Prayers, in Esquire magazine. The unflattering, thinly disguised portraits of some of his rich friends provoked a furious reaction, and the comet that had risen so swiftly fell even faster. Capote died in 1984, just short of his sixtieth birthday.

Capote’s is an astonishing story, and Gerald Clarke’s biography, first published in 1988, tells it in all its many dimensions. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with Capote himself, as well as interviews with nearly everyone else who knew him, it is now recognized as a masterpiece of literary art.
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  1. Print length
    656 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster
  4. Publication date
    September 21, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    6.13 x 1.9 x 9.13 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1439187509
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1439187500
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mesmerizing. . . . The book reads as if it had been written alongside the life, rather than after it."
--Molly Haskell, The New York Times Book Review

“A book of extraordinary substance, a study rich in intelligence and compassion....To read Capote is to have the sense that someone has put together all the important pieces of this consummate artist’s life, has given everything its due emphasis, and comprehended its ultimate meaning.”

—Bruce Bawer, The Wall Street Journal

“Engrossing, vivid, beautifully written, a large-scale portrait of the rich and famous. . . This is literary biography the way it should be written, as rich and densely textured as a novel.”

—James Atlas, Vogue

About the Author

Gerald Clarke is the author of Capote: A Biography and Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland. He has also written for many publications, including The Atlantic, The New Republic, Rolling Stone, Architectural Digest, where he is a contributor; Time, where he was a senior writer; and Esquire. A graduate of Yale, he now lives in Bridgehampton, New York.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (September 21, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 656 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1439187509
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439187500
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1.9 x 9.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 946 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
946 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this biography well-written and fascinating, providing a detailed account of Capote's life from childhood to death. The book receives praise for its comprehensive research, with one customer noting its remarkable inside look into Capote's tortured life. Customers appreciate the author's portrayal of Capote as a great literary figure with a complex personality.

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70 customers mention "Biography"70 positive0 negative

Customers find this biography fascinating and wonderful in its discussion of Truman Capote's complex life, with one customer noting it provides a detailed account from childhood to death.

"...Such fascinating tales and I was drawn to watch the movies about him and became even more interested...." Read more

"Interesting, historical and sometimes sad. A good book." Read more

"This is a long biography of Capote that covers the writer from birth to death, and appears comprehensive...." Read more

"...This book offers an insight into America post World War II. I honestly didn’t know that people were living openly gay lives, at that time...." Read more

70 customers mention "Writer"67 positive3 negative

Customers praise the biography's writing style, describing it as beautifully written and fast-paced.

"...Yes he was amazingly talented and yes he was funny and could be very generous and kind but the bitchiness and cruel side of him overwhelmed my love...." Read more

"...Mostly it is an easy read about a fascinating character as well as a great author...." Read more

"Truman Capote had the potential to write many masterpieces...." Read more

"This is the thorough, frank and beautifully written biography that the brilliant but tortured Truman Capote deserved...." Read more

65 customers mention "Readability"65 positive0 negative

Customers find the biography highly readable, describing it as a wonderful and top-notch read.

"Interesting, historical and sometimes sad. A good book." Read more

"...But it turns out I really enjoyed reading this. This book offers an insight into America post World War II...." Read more

"The book is great but it showed that the authors signature was inside the cover of the book in the advertisement. I was hoping it was there...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the entire book in so many ways...." Read more

47 customers mention "Interest"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the biography engaging and fascinating, describing it as a truly entertaining read about a remarkable life.

"...Yes he was amazingly talented and yes he was funny and could be very generous and kind but the bitchiness and cruel side of him overwhelmed my love...." Read more

"Interesting, historical and sometimes sad. A good book." Read more

"...me that Capote was a truly likable, easy-going person with a wonderful sense of humor and a flair for telling hilarious stories about the famous..." Read more

"...knew a lot about Capote, I learned far more with this book and had a magnificent time too. Very highly recommended." Read more

18 customers mention "Likability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the subject of the biography to be likable, describing him as one of the greatest literary figures, with one customer noting the author's boundless affection for their subject.

"...amazingly talented and yes he was funny and could be very generous and kind but the bitchiness and cruel side of him overwhelmed my love...." Read more

"...Mostly it is an easy read about a fascinating character as well as a great author...." Read more

"...The first half persuaded me that Capote was a truly likable, easy-going person with a wonderful sense of humor and a flair for telling hilarious..." Read more

"This biography was so detailed from childhood to death. So many famous people he was friends with. I enjoyed every minute reading this...." Read more

18 customers mention "Visual style"18 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual style of the biography, describing it as wonderful and beautiful, with one customer noting it provides an in-depth look at a tortured life.

"...Mr Clark has written a beautiful book which I loved - it was only Mr Capote I did not love. This is not someone I would have wanted to know." Read more

"...His biography on Judy Garland was equally as beautiful. I highly recommend any of his books." Read more

"A well-written and engaging. An honest portrait of an incredible talent and a complex human being...." Read more

"...recounts all of this with accuracy, sympathy and a close look at an enigmatic figure who was really much more than an odd little man who fascinated..." Read more

16 customers mention "Research quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers praise the research quality of the biography, noting it is extremely well researched, with one customer describing it as a magnificent piece of work.

"This is a superb and exemplary account, detailing the bitter and the sweet. A magnificent contribution." Read more

"A well-written and engaging. An honest portrait of an incredible talent and a complex human being...." Read more

"...and revealing Biography about the man who wrote a great book(s) and articles, you should read "In Cold Blood" as to see what the biographer..." Read more

"And deserving of the praise it's received. Clarke's deeply researched and brilliantly crafted exploration into the curious life of Truman Capote is..." Read more

7 customers mention "Bio quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise this biography of Truman Capote, with one noting it serves as the best reference for Capote scholars.

"...Having read the bio, the short stories make more sense. The bio captivated me, but I wish there had been photos of Capote and the major &#..." Read more

"...In my opinion it's still the best of the bios, probably because it was written by a journalist who had relatively little "skin in the game"..." Read more

"Capote was brilliant and crazy all wrapped up in a strange package. This biography really gives interesting insights into this very complicated man." Read more

"This is pretty much the definitive bio of Truman Capote. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about Capote...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • susuandmo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Truman Capote - monster or genious - or both??
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I became interested in Capote when I worked with a wonderful elder gentleman who was a judge and had been born and raised in Monroevile. He eventually became the Lawyer to Harper Lee and was one of the 'pack' of boys who tormented Boo Radley. He tells of seeing the body of the real Boo being brought out of his house following his death and of seeing Capote riding round and round the town sqauare in an open topped fancy sports car with a famous actress. Such fascinating tales and I was drawn to watch the movies about him and became even more interested. I am English and so many of the names in this book meant little to me and had to constantly dash to google to research as I went along. The book is well written and i thought the first chapter was the most beautiful thing I had ever read. Eventually I was also running to google to find out the meaning to many obscure words and referencess. My fault - not Mr Clarke. That I enjoyed it and could hardly put it down is true, but as I read it I found myself disliking Mr Capote more and more. This was a disappoiontment to me - I had hoped to find a hero!

    Many people cite the fact that he had a terrible childhood as a reason - even an excuse for his bad behavior. Yes I was incredibly sad when I read of his lonely unhappy life as a boy who did not fit in and had little support, but then I began to question whether that absolved him of some of his faults and decided that no it did not. Yes he was amazingly talented and yes he was funny and could be very generous and kind but the bitchiness and cruel side of him overwhelmed my love. His acts of kindness seemed generated not by inate goodness but about his personal desires and ambition. When he tries to shape several of his friends into actors or models I saw nothing that indicated this was their wish or desire - only that Trumann wanted to create them into something else and this new 'goddess' would bask in his genius.

    The cruelest thing I read was when he took a normally hetrosexual lover, and when it did not work out he did everything in his power to take everything away from him: his job, wife, family and home. When that was not enough he sent thugs to beat him up. There was a relentless visciousness to him and he lost many of his previously beloved friends and camp followers when he used their confidences to create a scandalous headline catching story. As he got older his mean streak seemed to intensify and I found it difficult to feel as sorry for him as I felt I should. A phrase is used to describe him and his friends that I found most fitting - the spiteful sisterhood. He seems to have been loved by many but he squandered those gifts.

    Mr Clark has written a beautiful book which I loved - it was only Mr Capote I did not love. This is not someone I would have wanted to know.
    51 people found this helpful
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  • leslie
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting, historical and sometimes sad.
    A good book.
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  • Sebastian Melmoth
    4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive but flawed
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    This is a long biography of Capote that covers the writer from birth to death, and appears comprehensive. Mostly it is an easy read about a fascinating character as well as a great author. I can't give it five stars however, since I feel it has problems in several areas. First, the author spends too much time on Capote's childhood. Alright already, he had a weird childhood. So do most people these days! It dragged on for far too long at the expense of more interesting periods where five years could fly by in one (short) chapter. Second, there should have been an introductory chapter on NY high society before the author disclussed Capote's voyage through it. Sort of what Painter did on French high society before describing how Proust entered it. This would have been useful because no one remembers who these people were anymore (and I was an adult at the time in NY) or worse, only remembers them because they were friends or foes, or both, of Capote. So the book is dated in that respect; reading it in 2006 it seems like Capote was conferring social distinction rather that trying to acquire it. Finally the paperback cover was absolutely weird. I know it was a tie in to the movie, but instead of a picture of Capote it was a picture of Seymour Hoffman playing Capote. Bizzare. It would be like having a biography of Lincoln with a picture of Raymond Massey on the cover. Considering Hoffman didn't even mention Capote at the Academy Awards, it was truely strange.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • AshevilleChicken
    5.0 out of 5 stars I bought the book because it was cheap
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I had seen “Capote,” but that’s really all I knew about Truman. I bought this book because it was cheap on a Stuff your Kindle day. But it turns out I really enjoyed reading this. This book offers an insight into America post World War II. I honestly didn’t know that people were living openly gay lives, at that time.
    I had also previously been a little weirded out by Truman Capote: that voice! This biography warmed me to him substantially (in spite of his self-destructive, unendearing demise). As a young man Capote was curious and loved by many people. Apparently, like him or not, Capote changed the way creative nonfiction books are written in the United States.
    During the section on Capote writing about Brando, I subscribed to The New Yorker to have access to that article. While reading the article that Capote wrote, I felt almost as if I was reading the book. I wonder how much Capote has influenced Gerald Clarke’s writing?
    May we all be like young Capote, curious and taking joy from being alive, and less like the “maliciously bitchy” older Capote.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • L Moreira
    5.0 out of 5 stars Maravilhoso.
    Reviewed in Brazil on July 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Gerald Clark consegue o prodigio de cumprir a tarefa com um brilhantismo a altura de Truman Capote. Ofuscando o próprio Capote? Deleite de texto.
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  • Jose Benito Barragan Garrido
    5.0 out of 5 stars La mejor Biografía que he leído.
    Reviewed in Spain on August 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Gerald Clarke, al que ya le había leído una Biografía Judy Garland, se supera muy mucho con este trabajo. Ha escrito su biografía intentando"pillar" el estilo Capote primeros relatos.. Y lo ha conseguido!!. El libro se lee mas como relato que austera Biografía. No me he podido encontrar mejor libro para leer en las tardes de verano. Mas que satisfecho con la compra y la rapidez de la entrega.
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  • dave parkinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant but sad!
    Reviewed in Australia on April 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    As good as a biography gets. Unbelievable amount of detail, made for a very sad read in parts, even sadder because the ending is not a mystery.
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  • rschaepers
    4.0 out of 5 stars Weniger wäre vielleicht mehr gewesen
    Reviewed in Germany on March 15, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Fangen wir mit dem Nachwort an: Hier erläutert Clarke, wie seine Capote-Biografie entstand und immer umfangreicher wurde. Weite Teile des Buches basieren auf bis dato unveröffentlichten Gesprächen, Interviews und Briefen/Mails, die der Autor mit Truman Capote selbst und mit Menschen aus dessen engerem und weiterem Umfeld geführt hat. Bei der Lektüre der Biografie hat es bisweilen den Anschein, als habe der Autor auf keine der so erlangten Information verzichten wollen.
    Clarke war in den siebziger und frühen achtziger Jahren ein guter Freund Capotes, bringt dem Exzentriker viel Verständnis entgegen, hält sich aber auch mit Kritik nicht zurück; so lehnt er z.B. den von Capote für In Cold Blood geprägten Begriff "non-fiction novel" rundheraus ab. Wie Capote in In Cold Blood tritt Clarke in seinem biografischen Werk nicht in Erscheinung. Stattdessen lässt er seine Gesprächspartner stets ausführlich zu Wort kommen.
    Das Ergebnis der akribischen Recherche ist ein Werk von mehr als 600 Seiten, das dem Leser den Schriftsteller und vor allem den Menschen Truman Capote als zerbrechliche und am Ende zerbrochene Persönlichkeit vorstellt. Am Anfang und am Ende seines Lebens stieß dieser auf Ablehnung, zuerst seiner Eltern und namentlich seiner Mutter; in seinen letzten Lebensjahren erfuhr er diese Ablehnung von vielen bekannten Persönlichkeiten, die ihn zuvor, auf dem Höhepunkt seines literarischen Ruhms in den fünfziger und sechziger Jahren, als einen der ihren geschätzt hatten. So bewegt sich Capotes Leben zwischen American Dream und American Nightmare. Der Albtraum, so Clarke, begann mit der Veröffentlichung des opus magnus In Cold Blood.
    All dies zeichnet Clarke detailliert nach, gelegentlich eben zu detailliert. Weniger wäre vielleicht mehr gewesen.
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  • JOSEPH OLIVER
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellently written work
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I know the book uses an image from the film Capote but that is really all there is between the two. In the features of the film the author of this book is interviewed and gives some background to his research.

    The book itself is very well researched. You couldn't fault that and a lot of it is based on interviews. My only gripe is that I felt there was too much space given over to the private lives and histories of a lot of Capote's `swans' - high society women with whom he cavorted from the beginning of his career. I have no idea who they were and I doubt whether the background information added anything to the biography. He could have cut out at least 20% of the biography if he had omitted them.

    Overall, very well researched. Very readable style with some memorable quotes.
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