Truman Capote combines a real life event and all of the components of a novel into one beautiful and emotional thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. By his use of the suspense, Truman electrifies the atmosphere and keeps the emotional roller coaster at mach three. Gruesome detail leaves the reader feeling as if he had witnessed the crime in first person. Although Capote could have pictured the murder at the very beginning of the book, he continually switching back and forth between the narrator and the different characters. By giving the narrator omnicient abilities the reader is able to probe into the mind of a maniac. This also gives the reader a sense of fright and unsettlement, the likes of which are only known when watching "Psycho." Capote takes on an entirely different and untested writing style in "In Cold Blood." He calls his new style the "non-fiction novel." By writing about a real life murder in novel form, Truman achieves in making the hair on the back of the readers neck stand on end and not lay down for days after the completion of the book. I believe that everyone should read this book. First for the sheer blood curdling entertainment and second for the great and almost frightening writing style that includes ever so colorful language and such suspense that will leave the reader screaming into the book to tell him what happened that faitful night.

After reading In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, the formerly obscure vision of "natural born killers" is finally illuminated by their own words. To paraphrase Perry Smith, the killer of the Clutter family, somebody had to pay for all of the cruelty he had suffered during his life, even though these people were completely unknown to him, innocent of any wrongdoing, and admirable from every point of view.

The book chronicles the crime of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, who, acting upon information provided by one of Hickock's former fellow inmates, drive off to Kansas to pursue the contents of one Mr. Herbert Clutter's alleged home safe. Mr. Herbert Clutter, an immensely successful and humble Kansas farmer, and his wife, teen-aged son and daughter are spending a typical quiet Saturday evening at home. After the family retires for the evening, Perry Smith and Richard Hickock walk into the house to make their big score. Upon discovering that there is no safe and precious little cash at the Clutter residence, Smith and Hickock systematically murder each member of the family. Each of the victims is tied up and shot in the head. So ends the lives of a fine, decent American family and so begins the examination of the crime in the seamless, highly readable account by Truman Capote.

Truman Capote takes the reader with the murderers on their long journey to the hangman's noose in the most intelligent manner of any crime writer to date. He doesn't leave anything out of the events and lives of the murderers and yet there is nothing superfluous or gratuitous about the account.

In Cold Blood is quite a departure from Breakfast at Tiffany's, to say the least, but for anyone who has read Answered Prayers, it is easy to look back with that good old twenty-twenty hindsight to see that Truman Capote never shrinks from an unpleasant topic. He, in fact, embraces it with his customary gusto and stylish restraint. However, In Cold Blood, presents the reader with an array of issues to ponder and inspiration to learn more about the trial. Mr. Capote addresses the possibility that the two killers were denied a fair trial since the venue of the trial was right in the heart of the region where the Clutter family were known and loved by so many. There was serious questioning about the competency of the prosecution and defense attorneys, the impartiality of the judge. All kinds of good stuff to chew on, to this day, if you are a hard-core advocate of the rights of the incarcerated self-confessed murderer. There is also some rather toothsome stuff for those who fervently believe in capital punishment (but would be content with plain old punishment) in cases such as O.J. Simpson. There is a twisted form of satisfaction, a faintly amusing irony, to be derived from the notion that Perry Smith and Richard Hickock paid with their lives for the future celebrated murderers who got off Scot-free. I wonder how Perry Smith would feel about that? Could his twisted sense of justice make any sense of that concept?

In Cold Blood is deftly written to leave the determinations of the outcome of the case to the reader. It would have been so easy for Truman Capote to slide in his own sentiments about the case but he stuck to excellence in writing, in reportage, and creating another one of those "can't put it down" books of my summer of 1999.

You won't be able to put this book down, and when you're done with it, you'll sit for awhile, deep in reflection of the journey you've just made.

This book is essential for antone pursuing vocal studies. All written in keys suitable for any soprano or mezzo-soprano. Definately look at the Poemes d'un Jour cycle. This song cycle. This book, is a definate must!!!

Gabriel Faure is perhaps one of the most astute musical composers, especially for vocalists. He creates complex, pleasing pieces, that are a challenge to sing. These peiece are for serious performers who like to achieve the satisfaction of doing hard work. Not that all of his pieces are an extreeme challenge, they are beautiful very artistic pieces. The performer can put a lot of drama into each song. I highly recommend anything by Faure.

Simple understanding of how we get the results we get in life and how we can change those results if we choose to do so. The simplicity of the language inclusion process and ease of understanding makes this book a joy to read. Should be a must read for anyone who works with people!

I have the audio tape of The Road to Optimism and Dr. Perry's Language Inclusion Process really works. It has changed my entire outlook and my company is flourishing because of it.

Introduced to this book at National Naval Medical Center, although not the text we use at MUSC, I'm glad I found it, great buy for the cost.

The Charlton Story is a well-written and important tribute to one of America's greatest business entrepreneurs. Earle Perry Charlton, one of the five founding fathers who made the F.W. Woolworth Co. the most successful and well-known discount chain of all time, was also one of the most generous of men. His personal letters, many of which are reprinted in this book, provide insight into his strong business ethics ...his dealings with employees...and much more. This book is a fine addition to the library of anyone interested in business or biography.

While the setting of the book starts off feeling like a juvenile fiction novel, it quickly spawns into a Lovecraftian epic. The almost absent-minded violence of the demon creates an excellent counterpoint to the desperation of the protagonists. This book is not for the faint-hearted!

Incredibly useful. I believe Flacks has written the most accurate and convenient pricing guide available for Maxfield Parrish collectors and anyone else who wants to figure out what a Parrish item is worth. If you're looking for a great coffee table book, I suggest Alma Gilbert's The Masterworks. -- James Halperin, sf novelist (The Truth Machine & The First Immortal) and Parrish collector.

This is an excellent book. It is by far the most readable and detailed account of these wonderful colonial monuments in either English or Spanish.

Superbly illustrated with dozens of original line drawings, this is a comprehensive survey of more than sixty ancient monasteries in central Mexico and Oaxaca. Many of them are architectural masterpieces. Most of them house extraordinary artistic treasures, whether in the form of murals, paintings, fonts or alterpieces.

The small villages where many of them are found go unrecorded in conventional tourist guides. Perry's landmark book has easy-to-follow sketch maps locating all the places described in the text and contains literally hundreds of little-known facts about the buildings, their contents and the background to their construction.

Why should you be interested in these monuments? Because, to quote the author, these are "buildings that not only mirror a crucial period in the history of the Americas, but continue to play a central role in the life of the Mexican people today." Few Americans know very much about the missions and monasteries of Mexico and anyone interested in the history of Mexico's colonial period, or interested in the country's art and architecture, will enjoy reading this book, even if they are unable to visit first-hand all the places described.

The book's value as a reference source is enhanced by a useful glossary, extensive bibliography and complete index.

I am the author of the "Adventure Guide to the Yucatan," a guidebook to the ruins and sites of Mexico's fascinating peninsula. I have been a fan of Richard Perry and his wife's writing since reading the "Maya Missions" book they did on the many ruined colonial missions in the Yucatan. This title is equally worthwhile with vivid descriptions of history and much detail on the colonial remnants of the Spanish church, in seldom-visited Chiapas. And their pen and ink drawings are evocative of the romance and tragedy of the conquest. A great book to make your Chiapas visit even better.

I & L Publishing of Oroville, California wishes to introduce RICHARD C. HERZBRUN, Author of "THE SILVER CHAUFFEUR. This is Richard's first published book about his father Perry Herzbrun, who from humble beginnings became the Chauffeur of a Multi- Millionaire, James L. Flood of San Francisco. Perry Herzbrun was a multi-talented man who became best friends to James L. Flood, and being his Chauffeur, traveled with the family all over the world. The Flood autos were sent by ship, along with the family, to be used. There is over 100 pictures never before seen included in this book of the famous family and the Flood Estate, where Richard, youngest son of Perry Herzbrun, had thousands of acres as his playground. His father was quite an inventor. He built a tractor to pull the lawn mower from the parts of a Model A Ford, which attracted the attention of the Ford Motor Co. After Mr Flood died in the 1920's Perry left and went into the business of building

airplanes, teaching himself how to fly, and building a plane for each of his sons, Richard and Stan. He started a flying school teaching flying and some of his students became Aces. Richards next book will be published by I & L Publishing of Oroville, California and will be titled: "THE FLYING CHAUFFEUR". It will be published in a few months.