1924 -1984

Birth….

Born in New Orleans and spending most of his early childhood with his aunts and distant cousins in Alabama

Born Truman Streckfus Persons on September 30, 1924, to Lillie Mae Faulk and Arch Persons.

Lillie Mae became pregnant on her honeymoon. After discovering the news, she returned to her southern home and sought an abortion. Her mother refused to allow her, and she unwillingly accepted her new role as a mother.

A Mother’s Rejection…

Abandoned by his mother with his cousins, Lillie Mae was free to begin separating herself from her husband Arch. After he and Lillie Mae separated and divorced in 1931, Arch agreed to spend the summers with Truman, but instead traveled the country in search of his next big deal.

She and Joe Capote married and she moved to New York City with him to begin her new life, a life that rarely included her son.

Truman found much love in his elderly cousin Sook. She would become the subject of several of Truman's stories, including “A Christmas Memory.”Truman also had the good fortune of meeting a friend in his southern neighbor, Harper Lee. Truman was the basis for Lee's character, Dill, in her famous book and Truman is rumored to have helped Lee write the novel.The two remained friends throughout and Lee would later accompany Truman in his research about the Kansas murders that would become In Cold Blood.

“You’re not man enough..”

In 1933, after winning sole custody of Truman in court, Lillie Mae took her son to live with her and her new husband. His stepfather adopted the boy and his name became Truman Garcia Capote. Truman's dream of a fabulous life in New York was quickly shattered as his mother still continued to push her son away and would continually berate him about his increasingly noticeable lack of masculinity.

Truman was consumed with writing. He would practice writing the way other children would practice football or piano. Truman didn't so much dream about being a writer as he already considered himself one. Instead, he envisioned himself writing for the elite magazine, The New Yorker. In 1941, while repeating his senior year of high school, Truman got a job as a copy boy for the magazine he idolized. Truman, a flamboyant, eccentric, and very noticeable boy, stood out like a neon light in a dark alley. Truman always maintained a high, lispy voice and boyish looks. Combined with his short stature, this led many to assume that he was much younger than he was. The fact that Truman was easy to like and often befriended people that were not helped him in many situations and soon Truman was invited to social parties and was the talk of the town.

The New Yorker was not interested in hiring a copy boy. In 1944 he left the magazine, (either resigned or was fired) for offending Robert Frost. Sick with a cold, Truman left in the middle of Frost's reading. Outraged, Frost, knowing that Capote worked for the New Yorker, immediately took the matter up with the magazine.

Soon he began submitting his stories to more suitable magazines including Mademoiselle and Harper's Bizarre. The immediate acceptance of his work and fame that followed launched Truman into the social and literary world he had been seeking.

His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms in 1948 would increase his fame and praise, as well as draw controversy for the stories subject matter: a boy who falls in love with a transvestite.

While his mother never accepted his choice and often tried to change her son, Truman owned his sexuality at an early age and lived it to his fullest. Like many in the social elite, Truman had many relationships. Most notably perhaps is his long time affair with Jack Dunphy whom he met in 1948. The contrast of southern life and big city society, along with Truman's sexual themes in many of his stories, helped define Capote as a writer. Truman also had a sensitivity and a flare for being able to capture the truth of real life. This great ability lead to what would become one of his greatest works, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Through all his successful writings, Truman still felt that he was lacking something. He was looking to create something new, not just a new story, but a new way of telling a story. When Truman read about the 1959 killings of the Clutter Family in rural Holcomb Kansas, Truman had found his muse.

For his research of In Cold Blood (the stories of the famous murders), Truman's comforting way with people aided his ability to get exactly what he wanted form an interview. Truman did not use notes during his interview, but instead memorized the facts and later in the day would write them down.

IN COLD BLOODTruman had created a new literary style ,the "Nonfiction Novel,” combining journalism with a literary voice.

The book that most consider his masterpiece, is the story of the 1959 murder of the four members of a Kansas farming family, the Clutters. During his stay, the two murderers were caught, and Capote began an involved interview with both. For six years, he became enmeshed in the lives of both the killers and the townspeople, taking thousands of pages of notes. Of In Cold Blood, Capote said, “This book was an important event for me. While writing it, I realized I just might have found a solution to what had always been my greatest creative quandary. I wanted to produce a journalistic novel, something on a large scale that would have the credibility of fact, the immediacy of film, the depth and freedom of prose, and the precision of poetry.”

The Killers:Perry and Dick

Truman became very attached to both of these men as he researched the motives behind the crime. He was there to witness their deaths as well. Some say he had an “emotionally troubled” relationship with Perry, but it’s hard to say for sure.

To celebrate his success, Truman hosted what was to become one of the greatest social events ever, the Black and White Ball.

The highest in society were invited to the Grand Ballroom at the New York City Plaza Hotel to be held November 28, 1966. The event was talked about for years and would be the highlight of Truman's social career.

After In Cold Blood, Truman began work Answered Prayers. The first of these stories was printed in 1975 in Esquire magazine. In these stories, Truman characterized his friends in his biting descriptions with largely factual accounts of the glittering world in which he moved. His friends easily saw through the thinly veiled characters and soon alienated him.

Truman acquired his mother's disease, alcoholism.

His heavy drinking, drug use, and eccentric behavior increased and he would often come out of hiding for an interview or appearance, only to disappear again. Truman once said, "Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act."

Capote’s Tragic End

Capote died in 1984 from complications due to alcohol and drug abuse.

http://www.capotebio.com/