silverneurotic

In Cold Blood is a reread for me. I originally read the book back in college, not far into my short (though inpactful) Truman Capote phase. My friend had given me a Breakfast at Tiffany's teeshirt for Christmas and to my chagrin...I knew next nothing about the movie other than it was based on a story.

So I made it my mission to read some Truman Capote. I read the short story collection that contained Breakfast at Tiffany's and then moved on to In Cold Blood.  While I had enjoyed the collection if Capote's short stories...In Cold Blood floor me. Absolutely floored me. It thrilled and chilled me. It was the first narrative non fiction book I had read and until then, I had no idea that the genre had existed. 

In Cold Blood changed my life. Not in any dramatic way. I did not go out and kill anyone, nor did I go and become a narrative non fiction writer (yet). But the book did make me view journalism in a different light. For the first time I didn't view journalism as some dry, fact heavy, news storiesw found in newspapers and magazines. It was just a new way of telling a story...a new way of reading. And it made me into a life long fan of Truman Capote. A writer whom was tragically omitted from  my high school and college education.

I have sense learned a bit more about Truman Capote and the writing of In Cold Blood. I am no longer confident in the book as I was before...but this second reading was no less enjoyable (if one can say this book is enjoyable). The second time around I knew there was liberties taken. I knew that there was probably quite a bit made up but I still found myself completely taken over by the story and completely in love with Capote's writing and story telling ability. I did not care what was true or tweaked. I was just enthralled. 

Now I need to revisit Truman Capote and read all I missed the first time around.