Review: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely excellent. This ends up being a book about a trial for a murder committed in a church at a funeral, so not to much a whodunnit as a whydunnit. In exploring why, this ends up being a story about Harper Lee, Truman Capote, the South and its race relations (and to Kill a Mockingbird), to the attorney Tom Radney (defending the murderer in this case, but having defended the person killed for many others). But in the end, it also becomes a book exploring why Harper Lee never wrote a book about this trial, which she went to investigate, and took copious notes for, just as she had done for Truman Capote in helping him write In Cold Blood.

It's also somewhat infuriating to read about "To set a watchman". She wrote that book prior to "To Kill a Mockingbird", but never wanted it published. However, when her new agent took over from Lee's sister, she decided to publish it, and it is unclear as to whether Lee agreed to this or not.


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Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories

Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories by Truman Capote
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have yet to see the movie, but I'm already sure it's a highly censored version of this book. With sex, drugs, teen marriage, homosexuality, organized crime, etc., it doesn't seem like something acceptable for Hollywood movies in 1961. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, once again, see how a classic stands the test of time. 

There were some expressions I hadn't realized already existed back then, such as "Fuck off" and "Anyhoo", but there you go. 

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Review: In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quite interesting. As the first of its kind it sometimes doesn't feel as polished as a modern version of this would be, and at other times it seems more contrived. Sometimes the dialog is clearly changed in order to sound more like a work of fiction (e.g. direct dialog quotes from dialog that wouldn't be remembered verbatim, a few too many coincidences, etc.), and at other times some extra information is added that seems not to pertain to the story directly. I must admit I liked it a lot though, and I think it has aged quite well. Including being a glimpse into life in Western Kansas in the 1950s. His deep deep dive into this case and the people involved in it pays off.

I also get the impression that this was a book that was needed when it came out; when crime, criminals and the circumstances surrounding criminal activity were viewed very differently.



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