In Cold Blood

Captivating from start to finish! I appreciate the amount of research that was put into writing it, and I love how it read like a novel.

This was an awesome read.

I have never been a huge fan of nonfiction. However, this book may just get me interested in a sub-genre of nonfiction- true crime. I thought this was so fascinating, especially since it is about a real crime. This was something I found myself needing to remind myself throughout the book. I got lost in Capote's prose that I occasionally forgot that these had been real people who had been actually murdered.

The writing is phenomenal. Capote's writing style is beautiful and easy to understand. I found this book particularly interesting because it reads as if it is a fiction novel, when in fact it is based in truth. Of course, there are some fictional conversations included in the novel to maintain this feeling, but I did not personally think it distracted from the novel in any way.

The story is engaging and heart-wrenching. For me, it felt like there was never a dull moment. The path of each character is thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I even found myself immersed in Smith and Hickock's POV's, despite the fact that they were murderers. It was fascinating to see their perspective on their events.

I admit, the ending made me cry. I found it extremely poignant and moving. It was brilliantly written and concluded the book in the most perfect way.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in reading it.

Being a fan of true crime it was insane that I hadn't read this already. I did know of the crime, but this was such a detailed account from both the family and the killers perspectives. So well written and so engrossing.

Damn that was well read by Scott Brick. I'm going to have those American accents stuck in my head for days. A seminal true crime work that deserves it's notoriety. (Capote might have made things up for all I know but the experience of the non-fiction novel was fantastic)

An amazing book... I think it is a good reflection about our modern society, as relevant as 40 years ago when it happened. It not only discusses the local reaction about a cold blooded murder but all the facts that lead to it from a very human point of view.

Capote's retelling of the murders of the Clutter family in Kansas in 1959 certainly blurs the lines between fact and fiction. The events leading up to the murders are told novelistically, based on interviews, though much imagination was involved. In the end, I found myself surprised at just how dry and passionless the writing was.

I also ramble review over at A Tiny Reader's Reference. Come say Hi!Short but Sweet: Despite suffering from weighty unnecessary detail and a story-like structure that leans more toward fiction than true crime, In Cold Blood utilizes a unique storytelling structure that allows for a peek into the minds of the killers, the effect the murders had on small town Holcomb Kansas, up to the trial and beyond. Caution: This book contains several uncensored uses of a racial slur toward people of color.That synopsis sounds good, right? Intriguing? No hint of any dated storytelling, long-winded writing, and detrimental attention to detail, right? Right?! [b:In Cold Blood 168642 In Cold Blood Truman Capote https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424931136s/168642.jpg 1940709] did not wow me. To be honest, I expected it to, based on the 4.04 rating on Goodreads and a title of ???must read!??? for the true crime genre. Perhaps that is where I went wrong, going into a book first published in 1965 with 2016 expectations.But, if I were still being honest, what tripped me up about this novel were a few things not related to date ??? mainly, the lengthy introduction/lack of a genuine hook, the detail that felt overloaded or unnecessary, and the lack of a conclusion/exploration on the killers themselves. I shall explain.The opening in [b:In Cold Blood 168642 In Cold Blood Truman Capote https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424931136s/168642.jpg 1940709] is long. The viewpoints alternate between the family before their murder (and the investigating force afterward) and the killers. While this sounds like a viable storytelling method (and for the most part, it is) we are dropped in around twelve hours before their demise ??? twelve hours of hearing about Nancy???s relationships, Bonnie???s mental health issues, Herbert???s morning routine, etc. It goes far beyond establishment of routine and character. A method of print empathy and characterization I???m sure, but quite frustrating to trudge through when it stretches on and on.This method is not spared for the killers either, where we get to read pages and pages of their prep before the murder ??? like the restaurant they ate at, the exact food they ordered, the car they drove, who drove, where they slept, the arrangements, etc. This is one of many examples of the weighty detail that permeates through each section, something I feel reduces the effectivity of actual, relevant detail.Interspersed in the narration was, literally, copy-pasted segments relevant to the chapter or section at that time. In one situation, it was the entire letter penned by the sister of one of the killers ??? all four and a half pages worth. In another, it was conclusions, from a newspaper, drawn and published ??? all five pages of it. I surmise they were included in this novel for transparency, but it really didn???t do it for me??? I ended up skimming through it.[b:In Cold Blood 168642 In Cold Blood Truman Capote https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424931136s/168642.jpg 1940709] did not reach a point of excitement for me until the infamous break in the case occurred, and then the ball got rolling and became more exciting ??? especially as the killers began to make poor decisions that would, ultimately, allow for their capture.I feel I should have loved this more than I do. It???s been regarded as a ???pioneer in the true crime genre??? and praised for accurately delving into the psyche of the killers (source), a claim I will unfortunately have to partly disagree with.Is the background of the killers discussed? Absolutely. In-depth, long-winded discussion. But when I finally turned the last page and closed the book, I felt like I didn???t have a full understanding of the killers and why they did what they did. The conclusions, if any, felt incomplete and cobbled together. It felt wasted, especially given the conflicted and changing stories about that night, and the apparent choice-based juxtaposition one of the killers had ??? a venue I wished had been explored more thoroughly.I sound like I hated this novel, and I truly did not. Once it picked up, I had to finish it. I even did some research afterward, and saw some pictures (both NSFL and otherwise) so it was a really neat thing to connect story to picture. But the work that I had to do in order to get into the novel in the first place bothered me enough to almost put it down, had the reviews not saved it.I???d recommend picking this up if you???re a fan of true crime (my reason) or if Vincent Bugliosi???s [b:Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders 105992 Helter Skelter The True Story of the Manson Murders Vincent Bugliosi https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347694754s/105992.jpg 1077715] was far too long and/or dry. It presents the crime and aftermath as a tale rather than a succession of events, a method that may appeal to you. To my disappointment, it did not appeal to me.

I love this movie, but goddamn this was like reading a textbook. This is a great example of what it's like to take a highly interesting subject and make it duller than a box of rocks. Actually, that's not fair; I find rocks to be interesting at times.

Honestly, this might just be a case of it's-me-not-you. I don't care for Capote's style. Hell, I didn't much like Breakfast at Tiffany's either. I think the real kudos go to filmmakers for being able to pull classics out of some really rote writing.

“The original non-fiction book” is definitely engaging; if not a bit drawn out. I'm obviously late to the game in reading this, but I'm glad I did. Getting a non-fiction story from 3 different points of view sucks you in like no other true story I've ever read. You go on each person's journey as the pieces of this murderous adventure are put together and getting to know them as intimately as you do puts you right in the middle of their lives and it's done very well thanks for fantastic story writing. So fantastic, in fact, that it's hard to not believe that a lot of the dialogue is hear-say and otherwise made up; based on events gleamed from interviews and expanded upon with prose.

This book is longer than it needs to be. Some parts definitely could have been cut, such as all the legalese junk and cellmate backstory, but as pure telling of a real-life story, I can see why a lot of people consider this a modern classic and why Truman Capote was made famous. I can see this being required reading in highschools.

This was an interesting read but unfortunately it wasn't very gripping so I didn't enjoy it as much as other books. Saying that, it's a good read for people interested in the whole life cycle of crime and punishment.

“Enthralling” is a word I'd use to describe this book. It isn't a dry nonfiction nor is it a sensationalised thriller. It's just a recount of how life usually is, random, cruel and rarely makes sense.
What makes this book so chilling is that it humanises the victims as much as it does the killers. As if both fates are reserved to any one of us.

A beautiful read and a great study on human nature (or the many natures of what makes us human).

I have mixed feelings about In Cold Blood. On one hand, this is a book that pioneered interesting and elegantly-crafted non-fiction. Although there are moments when the story gets bogged down by legal or court details, for the most part In Cold Blood reads like a novel. On the other hand, the success of this book ushered in an era of over-sensationalized true crime and non-fiction works that speculated and outright lied about what really happened.

On its own, In Cold Blood is certainly riveting and, at times, gorgeously rendered. Some of the scenes come across as masterfully written fiction; of course, if you research the book after reading it, you'll find that some actually were fiction. Veracity aside, I was intrigued and disgusted by the Clutter family crime. I think having always lived in Kansas (though I'd never heard of Holcomb prior to reading this book) helped keep my interest. As I mentioned earlier, the story does drag from time to time, but not horribly so. Also, I'd have liked to have known more about Harper Lee's involvement, but I guess that's material for a different book.

I read this book the summer before last for an English class I was entering. It was (and is) not the type of book I would ever read for myself, and I'll probably not read it again. That being said, I deeply enjoyed [b:In Cold Blood 168642 In Cold Blood Truman Capote https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1365125582s/168642.jpg 1940709]. Heartbreaking though it was, you go into the novel knowing that the Clutters will die - and it's incredible to see their lives and then the lives of Richard & Perry after the fact. This book puts a firm but encircling frame around a period of time and people and really rocks your emotional world. Definitely recommended. If you're squeamish, you'll be able to flip past the worst bits and still enjoy a quality true-crime novel.

Middle section dragged like crazy for me. Didn't pick up again until the case broke. Cannot believe how different trials were then - no Miranda? No mandatory appeals? Capote seemed to think that alleging ineffective assistance is a personal affront, but it's not. I don't know. I'm looking at it from a defense lawyer's perspective.

Fantastic to imagine this as the first true crime novel. The story is gripping – I had trouble putting it down.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. The film is also a cinema classic.