 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| The Entertainment Review |
| By: Kim Powers Publisher: Da Capo |
Truman Capote was undoubtedly a brilliant and misunderstood writer that until recently many didn’t know much
about. “Capote in Kansas,” the latest release by Kim Powers, offers and odd but boldly constructed novel where the
author assumes contact among and between the factual and now deceased author, one factual and still living author
and one factual but deceased murder victim. These three characters are Truman Capote, Harper Lee and Nancy
Clutter. For those that are fans of Capote’s work, the names will be recognized instantly from “In Cold Blood.”
“In Cold Blood” was an influential work because once it was written, it seemed to represent a time of a kinder
America, where people left their doors unlocked, trusted their neighbors, and only killed for passion. Then something
unthinkable happened, two drifters named Perry Smith and Richard Hickock senselessly murdered the Clutter family
on a Kansas farm one night. They were looking for money, but when they didn’t find the fortune they expected, they
simply stayed and killed four innocent people. Surely it was not the first time that such a gory ordeal was done for no
reason, but writing an exhaustive novelistic work of nonfiction about it made it seem like the first time. Not to mention
the fact that it was a brilliant book, with the chill of evil.
Kim Powers is a journalist whose first book, “The History of Swimming,” reflected his early struggles with his gender
identity. With “Capote in Kansas” he says that he thinks Capote might get enjoyment out of the book he has written.
He bent the truth so much in his non-fiction writing that he doesn’t think Capote would mind that he did it with him in
this novel. Powers identifies with Capote, but he also empathizes with Nancy, even to the point of feeling agony for
the actress who played the role in the much vaunted black and white film of the book. The actress had to speak Mrs.
Clutter’s pitiful last words to the attackers, “Please. Don’t.”
This book, with its snake boxes and grand ballrooms, will fascinate and please fans of Capote and Lee who long for
more closure on their sadly frustrating relationship. As childhood buddies, Capote was the model for her character
Dill in one of the finest examples of Southern American literature, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a book Capote is said to
have said he wished he’d written. She, boyish and single, the willing assistant for the then well-established author,
apparently was willing to let him write her out of the recognition she deserved for her role in constructing his book.
She went into virtual retreat from the world and never wrote again, and though he did, it was small works compared to
his early brilliance.
It all gets a bit confusing, as does the novel Powers has constructed. Even more confusing is the fact that there is
another book by the same title, a fictionalized speculation about Capote and the Clutter murders, though they are by
different authors and different publisher. Perhaps if readers are a serious student of all the actors involved, none of
this will seem the least bit daunting, but as well as Powers writes this book and as fair a premise as he has chosen for
his mysterious ghost story, it is difficult to get past the oddity of it all.
about. “Capote in Kansas,” the latest release by Kim Powers, offers and odd but boldly constructed novel where the
author assumes contact among and between the factual and now deceased author, one factual and still living author
and one factual but deceased murder victim. These three characters are Truman Capote, Harper Lee and Nancy
Clutter. For those that are fans of Capote’s work, the names will be recognized instantly from “In Cold Blood.”
“In Cold Blood” was an influential work because once it was written, it seemed to represent a time of a kinder
America, where people left their doors unlocked, trusted their neighbors, and only killed for passion. Then something
unthinkable happened, two drifters named Perry Smith and Richard Hickock senselessly murdered the Clutter family
on a Kansas farm one night. They were looking for money, but when they didn’t find the fortune they expected, they
simply stayed and killed four innocent people. Surely it was not the first time that such a gory ordeal was done for no
reason, but writing an exhaustive novelistic work of nonfiction about it made it seem like the first time. Not to mention
the fact that it was a brilliant book, with the chill of evil.
Kim Powers is a journalist whose first book, “The History of Swimming,” reflected his early struggles with his gender
identity. With “Capote in Kansas” he says that he thinks Capote might get enjoyment out of the book he has written.
He bent the truth so much in his non-fiction writing that he doesn’t think Capote would mind that he did it with him in
this novel. Powers identifies with Capote, but he also empathizes with Nancy, even to the point of feeling agony for
the actress who played the role in the much vaunted black and white film of the book. The actress had to speak Mrs.
Clutter’s pitiful last words to the attackers, “Please. Don’t.”
This book, with its snake boxes and grand ballrooms, will fascinate and please fans of Capote and Lee who long for
more closure on their sadly frustrating relationship. As childhood buddies, Capote was the model for her character
Dill in one of the finest examples of Southern American literature, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a book Capote is said to
have said he wished he’d written. She, boyish and single, the willing assistant for the then well-established author,
apparently was willing to let him write her out of the recognition she deserved for her role in constructing his book.
She went into virtual retreat from the world and never wrote again, and though he did, it was small works compared to
his early brilliance.
It all gets a bit confusing, as does the novel Powers has constructed. Even more confusing is the fact that there is
another book by the same title, a fictionalized speculation about Capote and the Clutter murders, though they are by
different authors and different publisher. Perhaps if readers are a serious student of all the actors involved, none of
this will seem the least bit daunting, but as well as Powers writes this book and as fair a premise as he has chosen for
his mysterious ghost story, it is difficult to get past the oddity of it all.
