This was honestly the first thing that I have read by Truman Capote and maybe I should have chosen something different than this collection of short stories. I just did not love it. The first few stories were compelling but it became a bit of a slog as I went along. I will try again, but for me it is never a good sign when I am excited to be finishing a book.

This book was very intriguing and really a very funny premise. All the stories contain some truths and some lies although they are all presented as real stories. Truman Capote is always a delight to read.

Reviewing this book is quite complex for two reasons:
1. I find it difficult to talk about books I didn’t enjoy very much.
2. Every story had a god damn awful ending.
However, I must say the writing was enjoyable enough to carry me all the way to the end of the book. The only story I can salvage from this collection is A Lamp in a Window.

Truman Capote does mention that this collection is something that he created with the hope of developing stories in which he could explore different writing styles and push himself in different areas of literature. Was he successful? I mean, I can’t say for sure HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO FINISH A STORY WELL ENOUGH, SO IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. NOPE.

READ IT IF:
-You are a fan of his work.

TRIGGERS:
Awful endings. (No, really, I was really angry every time I read a different story.)

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Enjoy the way he writes about famous people. Also the way he writes about nobodies. Uses foreign-sounding words that belong in italics.

Short stories, a novella and a series of "conversational portraits" by Capote, who is a writer well worth studying (I'm talking to you, George R. R. Martin). Whether you like what Capote is writing or not, there is not a word out of place, not a sentence that can be thrown out. I liked "Mr. Jones", "Dazzle", the novella and "A Beautiful Child" - a portrait of Marilyn Monroe - the best. Capote doesn't worry about putting himself front and center in anything - so that is just something to know, you are going to see him peeping around every corner of every story in the book! Smile and wave at Truman, then enjoy this book.

Interesting, late in life writings. The Marilyn Monroe story was my favorite.

Todo el talento de Capote al servicio de estas historias. La que incluye a Marilyn es bellísima

aunque el estilo y la atención a los detalles de capote, prácticamente construyendo la narrativa a partir de ellos, me llamaron la atención desde el principio, tengo que reconocer que no he conectado con el volumen tanto como me gustaría. de los relatos del principio no he llegado a entender la intención más allá de un ejercicio de ego, y quizás esa sea la cuestión, pues las estampas de la tercera sección (titulada "conversaciones y retratos") parecen más que nada una excusa para que capote pase por el microscopio a las variadas personalidades con las que se relacionó en vida; eso sí, con muchísimo más interés que al comienzo: se parece un poco a compartir anécdotas y cotilleos con mi amigo truman en un bar. y aquí se luce mucho más, yo creo que porque ante todo capote es un gran observador y un gran taxidermista.
con respecto a "ataúdes tallados a mano", se trata de una historieta à la a sangre fría, un poco más larga y basada también en un caso real, que me enganchó desde el principio y me tuvo pegada al libro hasta terminarla.
pienso que ante todo música para camaleones trata sobre el propio capote, sobre su genio obsesivo. ha sido divertido intentar diseccionar su cerebro a partir de la forma en la que se va colando en estas páginas y, sobre todo, de la forma en la que permite que le veamos. "vueltas nocturnas. o experiencias sexuales de dos gemelos siameses" me ha vuelto completamente loca y me ha parecido el mejor autorretrato que he leído jamás. ahí es nada.

n. de la t.: hay cosillas de la traducción que simplemente han envejecido regular, pero por dios, ¿podría alguien revisar esos signos de puntuación? si gómez ibáñez dejase de calcar adverbios a lo mejor esto habría sido menos doloroso para todos.

Bello bello bello bello !
Come scrive Capote davvero in pochi ci riescono. Continuerò con la lettura di tute le sue opere. Lo merita.