Monday, December 24, 2007

Truman Capote: A Christmas Memory

I've seen Truman Capote's short story A Christmas Memory in the Chinaberry catalog for a couple of years now, but didn't actually pick it up until readers of Seven Impossible Things for Breakfast mentioned it recently. I have to thank both Chinaberry and the 7-imp readers...once again, you did not steer me wrong.

Truman Capote (author of Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood) wrote A Christmas Memory in 1956, and it's a beautiful story about the friendship between a 7 year old boy and his "sixty-something" year old cousin. Truman Capote was abandoned by his mother early on in life, and this story is largely a true memoir about his years growing up with aunts and cousins in Alabama. The story is nostalgic without being sentimental, and truly captures the delight, wonder, and joy inherent in the best holiday traditions without ignoring some of the darker, sadder aspects of life.

You can read the entire story online here.

You can pick up the illustrated book at Chinaberry here.

You can even listen to Truman Capote himself read A Christmas Memory on This American Life. How cool is that?

Here's a bit about Truman Capote's life at American Masters.

No comments: