These are the Best Books by Truman Capote

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Truman Capote's life might be great fodder for television, but we mustn't forget his invaluable contributions to literature. Capote was a prolific writer—despite never quite finishing Answered Prayers—whose fiction, essays, interviews, and short stories remain thrilling reads. Here are some favorites, from T&C's library to yours.

Other Voices, Other Rooms

Capote's semi-autobiographical debut was released in 1948, and tells the story of a young man, Joel Harrison Knox, who is sent to live with his estranged father after his mother's death. Upon arriving at the decrepit Mississippi mansion where his father lives, Joel is introduced to a cast of characters that will surprise no reader of Capote (or Williams or McCullers for that matter), including faded aristocrats, carnival folk, and—somewhat shocking for the time—an openly gay uncle. His father, however, proves a bit harder to find. The book was a hit upon and spent weeks on the best-seller list, though not everyone loved it; the New York Times review noted, "The story of Joel Know did not need to be told, except to get it out of the author’s system.”

In Cold Blood

Billed as the first "non-fiction novel," In Cold Blood is perhaps Capote's best-known work. The book tells the story of the murder of four members of the Clutter family in a small Kansas farming town, and is especially notable for the author's deep research. Cold Blood is fascinating not just because of the gruesome crime at its center, but also in how it explores the impact of the killings on the community and finds a way to humanize the killers. The book was (and remains) a sensation—it's said to be the second best-selling true crime book ever—even if in recent years, the precision of Capote's presented facts have come into question.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

While parts of this 1958 novella might surprise readers who saw the film version first, there's no denying that Capote's Holly Golightly is just as powerful a character on the page as she is on screen. In Capote's story, a narrator befriends Golightly, his Upper East Side neighbor, and chronicles her wild life—one of nightclubs, parties, rich suitors, and mysterious prison visits. It's a somewhat less rosy picture than the one made famous by Audrey Hepburn, but it's a beautiful, observant, and carefully constructed story that's still essential reading.

Music for Chameleons

This collection of stories, reported pieces, and a novella is celebrated for any number of reasons—including Capote's writing on Marilyn Monroe and Bobby Beausoleil, and his charming short stories. For our money, however, the real draw is "Handcarved Coffins," a supposedly true story about a haunting series of crimes that's nearly impossible to put down. Over the years, skeptics have cast doubt on whether Capote's tale is really all that factual, but true or not it's one of his greatest pieces and reason enough to have this volume in your library.

A Christmas Memory

This story about a young man and his touching friendship with an older relative is one of his most popular, and for good reason. Not only is packed with the kind of seasonal spirit that makes it perfect for revisiting every winter, but it also goes beyond joy to tackle the less savory (but still so often prevalent) feelings that the holidays can bring. The story has been adapted for both stage and screen, and Capote even won an Emmy Award for the screenplay in 1967.

Too Brief a Treat

Capote's novels, essays, and articles are all delicious, but to really get inside the writer's mind, there's nothing quite like reading his mail. Here, readers can see Capote's life taking shape through his correspondence—it's worth mentioning that he's writing to the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lee Radziwill, Cecil Beaton, and Tennessee Williams—and peek behind the public facade for a closer look at what was really happening as he became a superstar.

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