Ugh....Capote

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

A nonfiction book about the Clutter murders in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959. Sounds like it would be a great read, right? True crime and all that. I wish I could say it was a great read. Three hundred forty-two pages that took an inordinate amount of time to read because it is bogged down with unnecessary details. It took seventy-five pages before I even got to the murders.

The book is separated into parts, and some parts read more easily than others. The part leading up to the murders drags, so does the part immediately after the murders. The book's pace doesn't pick up until Smith and Hickock are arrested.

I never thought I would say it,  but this book has too many details. There were things included that took up several pages, but weren't relevant to the story at all. Case in point, one chapter is dedicated to one of the residents on death row who is there when Smith and Hickock are. Another chapter is devoted to two more death row residents. Who cares? This was unnecessary. There are other instances of irrelevant details, and it was a waste, in my opinion.

I don't understand why people gush about what a good book this was. It wasn't that great, and it dragged on too much. Maybe the book will be better. I hope I never have to teach this book because I don't think I could subject others to this crap. I do know this though: I will never read another work by Capote. He's overrated, and his writing uninteresting.