Laurence Leamer - Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era

Bestselling biographer Laurence Leamer delves into the years following the acclaimed publication of Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1958 and In Cold Blood in 1966, when Capote struggled with a crippling case of writer’s block. While en­joying all the fruits of his success, he was struck with an idea for what he was sure would be his most celebrated novel…one based on the re­markable, racy lives of his very, very rich friends.
For years, Capote attempted to write An­swered Prayers, what he believed would have been his magnum opus. But when he eventually published a few chapters in Esquire, the thinly fictionalized lives (and scandals) of his closest fe­male confidantes were laid bare for all to see, and he was banished from their high-society world forever. Laurence Leamer re-creates the lives of these fascinating swans, their friendships with Capote and one another, and the doomed quest to write what could have been one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century.
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[@JR-cj3jm]

Babe Paley is the apex of elegance, beauty, grace, style, witty….. even sad she looks great….

[@ludovicleprinceroyal8721]

Not like many women now with gigantic, fake butts, fake breasts and lips.... I don't understand what the aesthetic is, but adding foot-long eyelashes and 4# of 'Fake Up" doesn't add anything to the look

[@MarciaMatthews]

His love-hate relationship with his mother explains a lot.

[@brigittelee9730]

This was fascinating! I was 13 when Truman Capote died and knew nothing about him. I’m so glad I found this interview.

[@karenturner3969]

Fascinating conversation about a book I've loved.

[@tbg733]

I just ordered your book today. I wanted to read it before the Feud: Capote vs the Swans airing January 31st on FX. Mr. Leamer, I am so excited to read your book.

[@erindrury785]

What an interesting interview. Thank you. I'm getting ready to watch Capote vs. The Swans and I'm trying to catch up on stories beforehand. I'll definitely be getting the book now. ❤

[@kathleenmckeithen118]

This was most interesting. I'm 75 and understand the times but a look behind and at the rich and famous is appreciated. Great interview and I'm interested in Leamer's books now. Thank you!😊

[@user-vo9ol2yy7r]

It’s really awful that one doesn’t know that The Glass Menagerie was based on William’s life with his mother and sister… and the other didn’t know that Holly Golightly was based on Capote’s mother. Do your homework , fellas.

[@hughjanus5336]

Truman's last words were,"It's Buddy. I'm cold.” Buddy was his childhood nickname.

[@brigittelee9730]

@@hughjanus5336 whoa! That’s eerie.

[@pcan01]

This book was fantastic. I couldn’t put it down.

[@funkymonk7]

Great book. I,too, wanted to read the backstory before the miniseries on FX. I also read Deliberate Cruelty, the story about Anne Woodward.

[@reidx512]

That was a nice book.... she was just internally disturbed.

[@thomasceneri867]

The interviewer has a wonderful gift for stating the obvious. 😂 The Glass Menagerie IS all but autobiographical.

[@vickd3702]

Great job with interviewing. The questions were different from some of the other interviews I've seen with this author, which augmented the questions. Great book too.

[@Linda-pw8gx]

Love Laurence leamers books

[@rosannavitale9922]

"IN COLD BLOOD just another episode of Law and Order"...hmmm...I don't think so.

[@MarciaMatthews]

It was the first criminal psychological study. Profiling behavior has become possible because of this groundbreaking book and movie.

[@WhatdidtheCountessdo]

That's fun hagiography not consistent with history- why else would the OSS create "psychological profiles" of Hitler and the rest of the high-ranking National Socialists during WW2? Would that be possible if they'd waited around for Capote to "start" the True Crime genre (also hogwash- it had been popular for a century, just not in novel form)and brilliantly discovered the "art of criminal profiling"? Guess Thomas Bond didn't use psychological theories to assert the Ripper Murders had sexual overtones and there wasn't any new psychoanalytic elements in the dark art of 19th century criminology, because Truman Capote and the great always correct John Douglas actually invented criminal psychology. Must be why there were several books about the subject before Capote ever published a word.

[@hughjanus5336]

John Edward Douglas, born 1944 or 1945 in NYC, a retired FBI special agent and unit chief, was one of the early criminal profilers writing books on criminal psychology, true crime novels and his biography.

[@hughjanus5336]

London's Police Surgeon and Father of Criminal Profiling, Dr. Thomas Bond, 1841-1901, is widely considered western civilization’s first true criminal profiler...One of the first to attempt a ‘Villain Profile’ for the killer called Jack, he was also the lead examiner of the London Torsos, a rash of dismembered bodies that turned up in and along the Thames River area, and was called on repeatedly to investigate other East End murders (even though they were out of his division’s jurisdiction). It was Bond's testimony that led to the ‘canonical five.’ If not yet so, one could write a book on Bond's contributions to modern forensic science.

[@hughjanus5336]

Not to mention the contributions of: - Walter C. Langer (1899 - 1981) - James A. Brussel (1905 - 1982)

[@emilycorwith1119]

A great listen! Thank you!

[@islesofshoals3551]

This was great Gentlemen. Thank you

[@sailid83doot]

Lovely talk. Fun stories. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@tomblackmore7460]

Great book !

[@bhodges00]

Awesome book.

[@tomblackmore7460]

Great book

[@samuelhankin1187]

I couldn’t agree with you more!

[@MarciaMatthews]

Must read!

[@ghostmanscores1666]

Norman Mailer pretended to be Irish.He even started to affect an irish accent in interviews, and drank in an Irish bar.

[@Linda-pw8gx]

What a poser

[@rosebudame]

Very interesting!

[@Elizabeth-fp7os]

In cold blood way before law and order. Movie was great

[@catherinew2136]

Hé thought I was one of the waiters! Classic! 😊

[@newnormal1841]

. 25:38 After a while it's boooring. And then Truman grew to his 15 min of fame Out like the 🔥. 🤺💐

[@MarciaMatthews]

“Breakfast at Tifanny’s” had a Hollywood ending because they couldn’t stick to the plot.

[@lulugoulart5014]

Babe Paley should had being played by Demi Moore, there is a great resemblance in between them.

[@MarciaMatthews]

Naomi Watts did a great job. She had me convinced she was channeling Babe.

[@hughjanus5336]

Rumour looks even more like Babe than Demi.

[@marieuzes]

Very disjointed interview, no focus. It sounds as if the interviewer was totally unprepared and was just winging it. I gave up half way through.

[@errorsofmodernism9715]

Interviewer should interview himself

[@javierorozco7518]

Good book, capote's, The kennedy women is a good read. Sadly this is a terrible interviewer.

[@samuelhankin1187]

Couldn’t agree more

[@kuhtone]

Very poor interviewer. Continually interrupts his guest, like he's competing with him to see who knows more. He should have done his own talk.

[@cellom.9227]

Meh. They're online which can be difficult.

[@Robutube1]

Agreed. I've watched several interviews on YT that Mr Leamer gave to promote this book and they all have a slightly awkward tone; he's an interesting, engaged interviewee but there's something about these Zoom type interactions. To witness a truly awful practitioner of this style the absolute worst I've found so far is the guy who fronts the true crime YT channel 'Surviving the Survivor'. He has great guests but his ego and nonsequitor interruptions make me cringe/angry in equal measure.

[@melaniejackson5816]

Awkward interview. Could you not have produced this and edited out the phones beeping ? I guess the author can write well , but he certainly can’t speak well . Mumbles and stutters. But that could have been edited out to make it more enjoyable for listeners.

[@Jasper7182009]

Terrible interview. Interviewer was all over the place. This is more a personal conversation that you are overhearing.

[@samuelhankin1187]

I hate that guy