IN COLD BLOOD

TRUMAN CAPOTE - IN COLD BLOOD

Like so many other readers of books, I have to buy books, read them and stock them in my apartment; throwing away a book is in my opinion a sin, especially if you enjoyed reading it. Over the years I have created a sense of which books I actually like to read and I must say I almost never buy a book that I dislike. And if so, bad luck - I can not dump the book anyway.

Modern literature by young male writers I enjoy most; not that female writers can't write but if I look through my library there are hundreds of books, but only about 3 or 4 by female writers. I suppose the subjects or style of the books do not suit me - for example I would never buy a book on illnesses or other tear-jerkers.

There is only one book I read cover to cover in one go: "In cold blood" by Truman Capote. Although the storyline was known beforehand I never read anything as catchy and fascinating as this novel based on an article in the New York Times on the murder of a family of four in the tiny village of Holcombe in Kansas in 1959, so 50 years ago.

Truman Capote started to write just days after the tragic event happened and had many talks with the actual murderers, who were caught after a hunt down of several months and sentenced to the electric chair. It seems that the flamboyant Truman Capote was so caught up in this story that he was not able to write another work of importance after "In cold blood" and died as an alcoholic and drug-addict in 1984. The book itself was published after 9 years of research in 1965.

It is fascinating to read about two killers and the family Clutter, who seem to have no connection at all and are doing their own thing. Then you see them physically move towards eachother, which culminates in the actual killing of the family. After that act the lines diverge again and the hunt for the killers starts.

Although you know exactly where the story is heading to (the article in the NY Times is in the introduction of the book), the tension is tangible on every page of the book. A must-read for everyone.

What am I reading now: "A spot of bother" by Mark Haddon - a very enjoyable family history with a lot of subtle humor in it. Maybe on that one later.