National Bestseller On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the … and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
more
Capote must have loved to read what he wrote, because there are times he goes on and on at length. But, he definitely nailed this book, so it can be forgiven for being a bit longwinded. Creepy and haunting, this one’s a classic for a reason.
Another recently finished book I’m only now getting around to writing about. Since reading Popular Crime: Reflections on the Celebration of Violence by Bill James last summer, where he mentioned ICB as the best true crime book ever written, I’ve wanted to tackle it.
So ICB tells the story of Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, two ex-cons who had …
Simply said, ” The Best book I’ve ever read!”
SV
I loved the language n this book. I could picture everything going on in the book.
This is a must read for anyone who likes true crime or crime novels. It is a classic but not dated.
Being that it is based on an actual event it was informative regarding the time it took place, 1959, and how the crime was investigated without today’s technology. Also very insightful into the minds of the people who commit these crimes.
Page turning “non-fictional novel” by Capote. Truman helped pioneer this style, in which true events are relayed in novel style. A true crime story, but also an amazing tale about 1950s Kansas and the amazing bounty of hard-working farm families.
I thought it was interesting and very good.
When I read it in the early 1980s, it terrified me so much I dragged my headboard across my bedroom door and kept my little kids in bed with me. My then husband was a State Trooper and worked overnights.
Classic crime novel with tragic characters.The depiction of violence is mild by today’s standards but I imagine quite shocking when first published.
As good as when it first appeared. Has aged better than early Tom Wolfe, incomparably better than Hunter Thompson.
I had read In Cold Blood years ago, Mr. Capote took (ripped) pages from the newspaper headlines and wrote about the wealthy Kansas Clutter family.
I had also watched the movie with ex-convicts Perry Smith (Robert Blake) and Richard “Dick” Hickock (Scott Wilson), in looks, Robert Blake did look like the real Perry Smith, Scott Wilson looked like …
This book made me think for months…..
I always thought I was against capital punishment……I still am … however I wasn’t sure if I were for months after I read it.
I wish it was fiction a complete made up story and not based on true events.
The question that I keep asking myself is
WHY things like that happen?
Are we willing to ask …
True crime of two idiots who didn’t do their homework…….and it was awesome! Capote has a way of writing characters that unnerve, endear, infuriate and deserve empathy. I really liked this story….but it’s one of the few I wish wasn’t true
It took me years to get up the courage to read this book. The women in my book group finally talked me into it. I’m glad I read the author’s portrayal of the Clutter family and their murderers. Strangely, the most sympathetic of the murderers, Perry, was also the most vicious.
I’m not sorry they were hanged; I think they probably killed some …
Two mass murders serve as grim bookends to the 1960s. The first was the murder of the entire Clutter family in November of 1959 by Perry Smith and Richard Hickok. The second was the Tate-LaBianca murders of movie star Sharon Tate and her house-guests in August of 1969 by the Manson family. When fiction writer Truman Capote learned of the …
My favorite book
A classic all should read.
Densely written, it was obvious to this reader that Capote had a crush on one of the accused.
This story made a huge impact on my life. There were six of us kids and come summer my mother couldn’t handle all of us so she farmed me out every year to the aunts. One aunt lived in Indio. My mother put me on a Greyhound bus and nine years old; all alone with my brown paper grocery bag as luggage. I was scared to death. A Seagull hit the …