The John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Program 2016

2016 Selection - In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Cover of In Cold Blood

A Commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of In Cold Blood

 

When In Cold Blood was published in 1966 it was an instant bestseller, having been serialized in The New Yorker during the fall of 1965. Capote labored over this “non-fiction” novel, as he labeled it, for almost six years. He meticulously documented the Clutter murders, including the background, investigation, trial and eventual execution of the convicted killers. Capote’s unique fictional style of telling a true story, including dialogue, engages the reader in a unique and unparalleled manner. 

On November 28, 1966 Capote hosted the spectacular Black and White Ball at the Plaza Hotel, in part to honor Katharine Graham, president of the Washington Post and in part to celebrate the success of In Cold Blood. It is said that he invited 500 of his closest friends, all who came masked and dressed in black and white, and at the same time made 15,000 enemies, those who were not invited.

In 1967 the book was adapted as a film directed by Richard Brooks and shot in black and white on location in Kansas.
 

  • Book Discussion: In Cold Blood moderated by Professor James Tackach; Sponsored by the University Honors Program and the RWU Library; Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 4:00pm; Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, RWU Library

  • Keynote Lecture: “What’s So Dangerous About In Cold Blood? Truman Capote, American Culture, and the Literary Canon” by Dr. Thomas Fahy, Associate Professor of English, Long Island University; Sponsored by the Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Lecture Fund; Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 4:00pm; Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, RWU Library

  • Library Exhibition: “In Cold Blood and Truman Capote”; Prepared by Professor Christine S. Fagan with assistance from Liz Hanes, Megan Lessard and Christopher Truszkowski; Sponsored by the Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Library Fund; February 1-March 31, 2016; RWU Library

  • RWU Great Film Series: In Cold Blood (1967); Wednesday, March 20, 2016 at 7:00pm; Global Heritage Hall (GHH) G01

Click Here to see the original 2016 Birss resource page. Archive pages are presented as is.