In Cold Blood

If only for the over this book should be called In Cold Eyes
In Cold Blood is one of those novels that stand out among the plethora of other written productions resisting more than anything the always merciless test of time.
Written by the American writer (also journalist), Truman Capote (1924 - 1984), this work tells the story of the tragedy that befell the Clutters, a family of rich farmers from Kansas who in 1959 were attacked and killed during their sleep by a couple of burglars who were later on identified, and arrested. The novel tells all these events and what happened during and after the trial that ended up when both criminals were sentenced to death penalty. They were both executed by hanging in 1965.
Besides the good writing, this book is a landmark: it is one of the first samples of the telling of a true crime told in the form of a novel. A best-seller in that time and still a book with creates a lot of mixed emotions in the spirits of those who read the story. Capote does not limit himself to tell the events and he offers insight on each of the participants of this modern tragedy to the point you can actually understand the frailties in each of them and thus understand them for what they were, genuine human beings with a good side and a bad side. While reading Capote's prose I had this experience: I felt I was first in some placid lake in the middle of which suddenly a whirlwind formed and then I was unable to avoid being sucked in.
For all those who like a good reading this book is highly recommended.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How do you say MIRADOR in English?

Image
"Hmm, why do I have this nagging feeling that someone is watching me watching?" In Spanish, a MIRADOR is any place that allows a privileged view of the surroundings. In English, a MIRADOR is a VIEWPOINT or a LOOKOUT. Another possible translation is VANTAGE POINT, though in a tourist context this term is a bit less common.
Read more

The Maps of Ship-Trap Island

Image
Once I had my high school students read The Most Dangerous Game, a short story by Richard Connell. Rainsford, the main character, is a professional hunter traveling by ship to his next hunting area, accidentally ends up in an island called Ship- Trap island. When he goes into the island he finds there are two men living in a palace in the island. One of them is a Cossack general and the other, his brutish servant.  The Cossack is called general Zaroff who is also  a game hunter but has become bored of hunting regular game and now uses the island's unique position to capture sailors from shipwrecks. He lets them go first and next after some time he hunts them down. Rainford's arrival who is worldwide famous presents Zaroff with a rare opportunity to find excitement in hunting again by hunting another hunter. Little does Zaroff know that Rainsford is The Most Dangerous Game in the World and hunting him will not be easy at all. My students enjoyed themselves at reading...
Read more

How do you say EXAMEN SUPLETORIO in English?

Image
Darn! I wonder if there's a Make Up exam for this Make up exam! I remember that long ago I asked my distinguished and knowledgeable colleagues of that time to enlighten me and tell me the right English word for what we know in Ecuador as EXAMEN SUPLETORIO or EXAMEN DE RECUPERACION.  After hearing Recovery exam or Supplemenary test and even Supletory exam, I was not convinced so I decided to go to a higher authority and looked up one of those encyclopedic dictionaries from Oxford or Cambridge university (these were the pre-browser times) and found the right expression is MAKE UP EXAM which is taken when an exam has been missed or when a student needs to change one score with a more favorable one. The British say RECUPERATION EXAM which is perhaps more practical since to some people the term Make Up is confusing. Make-up is the word for the wearing of cosmetics. There are Make-up tests which are oriented to future Make-up artists.
Read more