The life of Truman Capote was riddled with glamor, addiction and even murder. His books are a staple among literary classics and Capote believed that real-life events could make better fiction than the imagination could ever dream of. The movie version of his own life was a testament to that. Capote, starring the recently deceased Philip Seymour Hoffman, was a ground-breaking tribute to Capote’s life and the creation of one of his more captivating novels. Hoffman portrayed the troubled author in a riveting, emotional performance. The movie was a critically-acclaimed re-telling of Capote’s journey while writing In Cold Blood, the true story of the gruesome murders of the Clutter family in Kansas. Capote, a drug addict himself, whose death was also partly contributed to intoxicants, could not have been more appropriately cast.
Capote’s personal life made him one of America’s most controversial authors. An open homosexual, drug addict and alcoholic, Capote was a target for the spotlight. His literary genius was almost overshadowed by his social life, but it was Capote’s troubled psyche that made him such a compassionate observer. His ability to capture the human spirit gave his novels instant success.
Capote did not shun the spotlight. Embracing his status among the elite and celebrating the success of In Cold Blood, Capote threw what some call the “Party of the Century,” The Black and White Ball. It was a considered to be “a pinnacle of New York’s social history.” But in 1975, when Capote published the first few chapters of a tell-all book in Esquire magazine detailing the intimate lives of his celebrity friends, he quickly found himself ostracized.
As ground-breaking as In Cold Blood was, Capote’s body of work is so large that it would be wrong to try to categorize his works into one genre. Capote is responsible for literary masterpieces such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Other Voices, Other Rooms. His rare and collectible books are in constant demand. When collecting rare Capote books, it’s important to find editions that are in prime condition. This is especially true with Breakfast at Tiffany’s, arguably Capote’s most sought-after title, due to its orange spine which easily fades.
We currently offer a first edition, signed copy of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A first edition, first state binding edition of The Grass Harp, and a very fine, first edition, signed copy of In Cold Blood.
