An interesting read given the (latest round of) Cat Person drama. La Cote Basque is only piece of Capote's fiction I've ever read it, and I had sort of taken the word of retrospective writers that its publication had a really central impact in Capote's declining career and mental health. Clarke presents it differently here—that, rather than being a big mistake on Capote's part, it (and Answered Prayers, the never to be completed novel it was part of) was a sort of literary middle finger to the high society Capote was never quite accepted into, and that his mental health struggles were more closely related to his successes than his failures—and I feel inclined to believe him. And, regardless of Capote's motivations, it does feel a little deserved, anyway. You can't tell your secrets to the world's most famous gossip and expect it to stay a secret for long, right?
Anyway, the whole Answered Prayers ordeal is easily one of the least entertaining bits of Capote's life. Biographies (especially 600 page biographies) aren't exactly known for being thrilling, edge of your seat type pieces, but Capote's life is so full of bizarre and specific moments, it reads almost more like fiction. ( )

I was not expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did, a really fantastic engaging account of Capote's life. ( )

a first rate biography of truman capote. a very talented but flawed and tragic man. he was a greek tragic person excellent story ( )

Well written and documented biography of Truman Capote.

Incandescent rise and dark and depressing fall.

Good read. ( )

Well researched. Excellent! ( )