In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences by Truman Capote
Book description
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 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. Published in 1966; 343 pages.
Description from book jacket
Research the author and the book using library resources
Information on the author’s life and works is available through our library’s online resources. Recommended online resources for In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and its Consequences by Truman Capote include Literature Resource Center. Enter your library barcode and then use the author’s name or the book title to search for full-text encyclopedia or magazine articles.
Discussion questions
In Cold Blood discussion questions from the Kansas State LibraryHistory discussion questions from readinggroupguide.com
In Cold Blood discussion questions from sparknotes.com
Additional information
Two film adaptations of the circumstances surrounding In Cold Blood include 2005’s Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener and 2006’s Infamous starring Toby Jones and Sandra Bullock.
In Cold Blood resources including a lengthy book review and author biography are available from the Kansas State Library.
Readalikes
The term “narrative non-fiction” may have been coined when Truman Capote wrote In Cold Blood; his book is still considered one of the best examples of the genre.
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