My Two Cents

I finished the book and I watched Capote this weekend. Never having read Capote before, I was often impressed by his turn of a phrase. Other times I found his seemingly random use of quotations a little weird. Watching the film, I learned, Capote purportedly had 94% retention of conversations (this was also confirmed by what I read online about him). Perhaps that accounts for his intermittent direct quotes. Nevertheless, I found it odd. As I read the book I eagerly awaited each section to find out what I would learn about the crime and I wondered whether readers of The New Yorker felt the same anticipation when this story was originally delivered in serial form. At least I was in control of when I would deliver the next piece. I was self-serializing. I couldn't wait to find out WHY WHY WHY??? In the end, I know this book was supposed to humanize the defendants, but it didn't work for me. These sociopaths not only took the lives of the Clutters but a certain way of life in Holcomb. The town was never the same once fear and distrust settled upon them. The movie only captured a fraction of the story in In Cold Blood, none of the crimes committed while the pair were on the run, and depicted all sorts of events that Capote didn't include in his own book. The movie is screen written from about 50 pages from Capote by Gerald Clarke. I'm almost tempted to read the Clarke book. If I hadn't read In Cold Blood, I don't know if I would have known what the fuss was all about. I didn't feel that I had a sense of the murder, of Capote, or Perry Smith. Other than Capote telling Harper Lee that he felt a sort of kinship with Perry, you don't really see why. He uses Perry and then stops writing and visiting when it doesn't suit him. He lies to him about details of the book, even when asked directly. I did not find anyone sympathetic except the Clutters and those they left behind to mourn and remember. I am, however, pleased to have read the book and to have experienced the incarnation of a literary style.