Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories in The Perks Of Being A Book Addict

Jun 21, 2008 Debra Harrison rated it really liked it

this is a book I read in order to complete my reading of Capote. I was surprised by how much I liked it, though I enjoyed everything of his I had ever read.

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Dec 22, 2011 Cindy rated it it was amazing

I've only read In Cold Blood by Capote and obviously, subject matter aside, it was amazing. The amount of research that went into creating that allows me to forgive any creative license that he may have taken. So, though a fan of that, I was more engrossed with the heartbreaking story than whether or not I was a Capote fan. Then, my book club suggested Breakfast at Tiffany's. I had no clue that the Hepburn film was based on a Capote book. And, as always I loved the book more. Let me start first I've only read In Cold Blood by Capote and obviously, subject matter aside, it was amazing. The amount of research that went into creating that allows me to forgive any creative license that he may have taken. So, though a fan of that, I was more engrossed with the heartbreaking story than whether or not I was a Capote fan. Then, my book club suggested Breakfast at Tiffany's. I had no clue that the Hepburn film was based on a Capote book. And, as always I loved the book more. Let me start first with the other short stories and then revisit BaT.

I love the feel of these short stories. They feel real, honest, and straightforward...with no condemnations inherent in the tone.
In House of Flowers, a prostitute enjoys the high life of sex and fortune until love shows her a different life, a life with a home of flowers, ghosts, reprimands, and I guess freedom.
In A Diamond Guitar, an older gentleman reminisces about how he procured the guitar and about what it means to him. Accepting a life imprisonment is made much more difficult with the arrival of a new inmate who brings life and an awareness of the outside world to the forefront. When he escapes, his guitar becomes a form of escapism for this gentleman. "In the night, his hand soemtimes searches it [guitar] out, and his fingers drift across the strings; then, the world."
As for Christmas Memory, well, I'm just happy I read it now...how appropos (12/21/2011). It's about a special relationship between an older and younger relative, about the memories they make baking, cutting down trees, preparing for Christmas, and about the realities of life and aging. The writing again is so real and poetic at the same time. "The tree's virile, icy perfume revive us, goad us on." I love it!
As for BaT, seriously, I wish the film, which I loved, was able to convey all that was in this novella because I felt like this could have been written in 2011. Anything that breaks down the image of the 1950s as this era to hearken back wins points and this certainly does that. Homosexuality, drugs, sex, alcohol, affairs, illegitimate pregnancies, mafiaesque events...all are a part of the 1950s fabric weaved by Ozzie and Harriet. Holly reminds me of Madame Bovary, unable to stop herself from self destructing, unable to find happiness. She's running away from her past and constantly rebuilding her self image to mimic whatever will be liked. It's heartbreaking.
Favorite lines:
"She's a real phony. She believes all this crap she believes."
"I haven't any right to give him [cat] one [name]; he'll have to wait until he belongs to somebody....I don't want to own anything until I know I've found the place where me and things belong together. I'm not quite sure where that is just yet. But I know what it's like. It's like Tiffany's...You know those days when you've got the mean reds?...It calms me down right away, the quietness and the proud look of it; nothing bad could happen to you there...If I could find a real life place that made me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name."
"Why on earth would they be teaching p-p-portuguese? It isn't as though anyone spoke it."
"I love New York, even though it isn't mine, the way something has to be, a tree or a stree or a house, soemthing, anyway, that belongs to me because I belong to it."
"I'm very scared, Buster. Yes, at last. Because it could go on forever. Not knowing what's yours until you've thrown it away. The mean reds, they're nothing. The fat woman, she nothing. This, though: my mouth's so dry, if my life depended on it I couldn't spit."

I love her wit, her honesty, her blunt outlook on life...who knows if she ever found home but, from the looks of it, she had an adventure looking for it and maybe that's the kind of peace a child bride, with inner demons, needs.

Now I need to rewatch the movie. :) ...more

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Jan 06, 2016 Leslie rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 15, 2014 Esther rated it really liked it

Shelves: usa, author-male, film_reads, short-stories, zz-2015, zz-2015-from-my-own-shelves

Breakfast at Tiffany's is good but I thought the other short stories in this collection were even better.
Capote has a lovely writing style both intelligent and entertaining without being overly aware of itself.
...more

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