Reading lists and articles featuring Truman Capote

Truman Capote Biography

Early Life and Education

• Truman Garcia Capote, born Truman Streckfus Persons, on September 30, 1924.
• Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Lillie Mae Faulk and Archulus Persons.
• Parents divorced when he was two, and he was raised by his mother’s relatives in Monroeville, Alabama.

Discovering Writing and Education

• Showed an early passion for writing, teaching himself to read and write before starting school.
• Moved to New York City in 1932 to live with his mother and José García Capote, her second husband.
• Attended Trinity School, St. Joseph Military Academy, and Greenwich High School.
• Left formal education in 1942, working briefly at The New Yorker.

Early Writing Career

• Published short stories such as “Miriam” (1945) and won the O. Henry Award in 1948.
• Published his first novel, “Other Voices, Other Rooms,” in 1948, gaining critical acclaim and commercial success.

Breakthrough Novels and Success

• Achieved fame with “In Cold Blood” (1966), a groundbreaking non-fiction novel about a Kansas murder.
• “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1958) introduced iconic character Holly Golightly, marking a turning point in Capote’s career.

Later Works and Career

• Adapted “The Grass Harp” (1951) into a play and co-wrote the screenplay for “Beat the Devil” (1953).
• Produced non-fiction work “The Muses Are Heard” (1956) based on his Soviet Union travels.
• Continued with works like “A Christmas Memory” (1956) and “In Cold Blood” (1966).

Truman Capote, an American novelist, screenwriter, and actor, left an indelible mark on literature with his innovative approach to storytelling. His works, including “In Cold Blood” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” remain enduring classics.