Happy (day after) Birthday to moxiegirl  !

I just finished reading No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy. I can honestly say I have no desire to see the film. It's an excellent book, but...

On a completely different wave, I also re-watched Peter's Friends, which, while charming and featuring a terrific cast of wonderful actors (Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branaugh, and many more), now seems like a very dated and British version of The Big Chill. It's lovely to watch this talented cast interact, and of course for those of us now used to seeing Hugh Laurie as the cynical American doctor on House, it's great to be reminded of his musical and comedy abilities (although he gets a chance to use his drama chops, as well.) What seems dated is the death knell that sounds when Peter announces he is HIV positive: I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to say that 16 years later it is no longer the absolute death sentence that it was. Thank goodness for modern medicine.

And finally, Husband and I were invited by the neighbors to spend Saturday playing kickball in a tournament (and drinking beer, beginning at 10 AM.) Considering that was the only sport in elementary school for which I did NOT get picked last, it was quite fun. I'm pretty sure it's been 25 years (ye gods that makes me feel old) since I played it last.

With March 1 comes the loss of my Gold Medallion status on Delta... I'm now only Silver, which essentially makes me a peon. It means I'll no longer get frequently upgraded, and will have to be content being squeezed into coach with the rest of you lot. Actually the only real reason I really like the upgrades is NOT for the alcohol or larger seats (I'm small enough that coach is generally fine in that regard) - it's for the meals served on longer flights. Totally worth it when it means an actual full meal with protein, vegetable, starch and dessert - instead of a pack of crackers, something that passes for spreadable "cheese", and a teensy box with about 8 raisins. Ah, woe is me. I somehow think I'll survive; I just had to whine a little.
.

Book Title.....In Cold Blood
Author.....Truman Capote
Link.....at Amazon.com
Genre.....True Crime
Your rating of the book, F- [worst] to A+ [best]......Solid A
Who would be interested in this book?.....Fans of gothic literature, southern literature, people interested in what makes a murderder tick
Warnings....The true crime described is senseless and extremely violent.

Short description/summary of the book:

Four violent, random murders in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas shook the residents in 1959. Truman Capote took this as an opportunity to dive deep into the mystery of the murder, and all the characters of the real people involved.

Your own thoughts

Someone gave me the definition of great writing, versus good writing: pick a page, any page, and every word on that page was meant to be there. This was my first exposure to Capote's writing, and I was quickly and deeply drawn into his amazing descriptions and insights drawn about the nature of the crime, the murderers, and the victims. Interesting issues surrounding the death penalty are raised, with points being made for both sides. While the story itself is fascinating, however, it is Capote's writing that keeps the reader fastened to the page. This is not just reporting - this is true human insight. Capote researched every facet of the crime, and lays it out at just the right pace, and with just the right connections.

Highly recommended.

(X-posted to book_club)