Bon's Book Club - In Cold Blood

This month’s (ok last months….) book for Bon’s Book Club was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.  This is another book that has been adapted into a movie.  This book also, interestingly enough, is considered the first ever nonfiction novel.  The book reads like a novel, but all of the facts are historically true. Here is the description of the book from Amazon:

“On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.

As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.”

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I can’t say I really liked this book.  Actually, about halfway through I almost quit.  Which I NEVER do.  I was seriously thinking about it but I googled the book and decided to push forward based on other peoples comments.  That's why this review is so late too....sorry guys.
 

I think the thing I disliked most about this book was the author’s tendency to include too much information.  He would go into extreme detail about things that to me, weren’t very important.  I skimmed several parts in the book after the first section.

I do think it is cool that this book was the first ever non-fiction narrative.  The story is completely true and Capote learned so much about the crime and each of the men that he wrote the book like a story book.  It was pretty neat. I am definitely going to have to go back and watch the movie again.

Overall I’m glad I took the time to read this book as it has a pretty cool history, but it’s not on the top of my list to suggest to others unless they have some free time and really love descriptive and over indulgent writing.

Next up for Bon’s Book Club is Brain On Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Calahan.  At first I wasn’t really looking forward to reading this and almost decided not to purchase and take part this month.  I ended up changing my mind and I am glad I did.  I’m only a few pages in but I am totally intrigued!! 

Have you read In Cold Blood? What are your thoughts?