Breakfast at Tiffany's & Other Voices, Other Rooms: Two Novels

With the possible exception of the Herbert Clutter family of IN COLD BLOOD, Miss Holiday Golightly, "Traveling," has to be Truman Capote's best-known character. Those who have seen the movie with Audrey Hepburn may be surprised to read Capote's World War II-set novella and realize that "Holly" was more of a demimondaine -- and even a bit of a racist -- compared to the beguiling movie. As "George Constanza" found out to his chagrin on an episode of SEINFELD, there is no room in this novella for a George Peppard-type love interest. Nonetheless, it's captivating reading. Enjoy it as Capote and the NEW YORKER magazine meant it to be. Perhaps better yet for the canny "Capote consumer," this 2013 Random House companion volume includes Capote's etheral first published novel, OTHER VOICES OTHER ROOMS, written in a style of literary symbolism that captures so well the changes a young orphan goes through when he leaves home, connects with distant relatives in a distant location, and realizes his sexuality. Few contemporary readers realize that Capote journeyed well into Southern Gothick with this late-Forties novel. It isn't perfect, but it is highly absorbing, and psychologically revelatory in a way Capote didn't really intend when he wrote it. One novella, one novel; one well-known, the other that deserves to be. This isn't a huge volume, but getting them together between hard covers make this a worthwhile buy.

Came quickly in good shape. Haven’t read the Capote yet finished Breakfast at Tiffany’s easily. Just what you’d expect if you’ve seen the movie that came after the book.

Watched the recent series on Hulu and became hooked on Truman Capote’s history. Great books at a time before he went off the rails.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s was quite a surprise from the film, which is one of my absolute favorites. I know Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe to be the main character, but I thought Audrey Hepburn, while a little too sophisticated, was fine. Back to the book - it’s good, lighthearted reading for a day at the beach. It would be nice if this could be remade and truer to the book, with perhaps Renee Zellweger playing Holly Golightly. The second story, Other Voices, etc. , was bizarre, but worth the read.

Enjoying the book very much.

Book was in excellent condition, better than expected.

I loved Breakfast at Tiffany's. Great story, characters; well written. Other Voices, Other Rooms is another story (pun intended) altogether. Time after time, when I was almost bored, he would begin writing so well it would make me remember why I love books. But something happened while reading that has never happened to me before . . . I couldn't finish the last 6 pages. I gave up. Only 6 pages left . . . Reading the last 20 pages of the book was like reading something that somebody had written in a drugged out stupor about a disturbing dream he had. As it is, so many books, so little time to finish this one . . . even 6 pages.

Exceed my expectations!

I've been a breakfast at tiffany's fan for ages, the book and the movie, and I was devastated when my room mate took off with my copy of the book. When I searched for a new one, I was delighted to see this one came in a combo of Breakfast at Tiffany's and Other Voices, Other Rooms! The hardcover and the book jacket are absolutely beautiful. This one will be on display in my home for some time. For those who have only watched the movie - please do not expect to receive the movie script in book form. Without giving away the plot, a lot of changes were made between book and screen. Both are excellent, but the movie is a far different story.

I read Breakfast at Tiffany's many years ago and promptly went through a 'Capote phase' reading everything he had written and everything about him. Inevitably my passion burned itself out and his books remained on my shelves - never to be thrown away. But then I realised I had lent Breakfast at Tiffany's to a friend and never got it back (never lend books!) and I decided to order this copy to set things right. And of course I dipped in to it when it arrived and then more or less read it in one sitting. It all came back to me - Capote once again wove his spell. It is a masterpiece - nothing more nothing less.

Me encantó el libro , llego en perfecto estado !

トルーマン・カポーティによって1958年に書かれた中編で、他に３つの短編とともに出版された。この、Modern Library Editionには、３つの短編はなく、1948年に書かれた“Other voices, other rooms”（「遠い声、遠い部屋」）が収められている。このカポーティのデビュー作が、南部（おそらくアラバマ州）を舞台にしてカポーティの出自が色濃く反映されているのに対して、“Breakfast at TIFFANY’S”（「ティファニーで朝食を」）はカポーティが成長して母親と暮らしたニューヨークが舞台になっている。 デビュー作が、南部の荒涼とした風景の中、ある種奇怪な人物達と会い、森や埃っぽい小道を彷徨う少年の姿をゴシック小説風に展開するのに対して、１０年後のニューヨークで青年が巡り会う大人達、特に一人の女性との交流が描かれる。青年を小説を書いていて、青年期のカポーティが想起される。「私」としか表わされない青年は、同じアパートの上層階に住む女性が巻き起こす騒動に振り回されるー未成年のまま結婚し、その後その家族から逃避し、レズビアンや売春まがいの振る舞いをしたりして、なお多くの男性との交歓が描かれる。それでもその女性は、作家として成功を願う青年を応援する。 女性に纏わる多くのエピソードを、フラッシュバックして時間を辿りながらーときには大戦時を背景にして、描いている。青年の一人称で語る中に、女性との会話が混じり話が展開していくのだが、原文はなかなか手強い。会話文は、普通の引用符を用いて表記されることは少なく、青年の語りの中に紛れ込む。口語英語、それも俗語表現が多い。ヘミングウェイやサリンジャーの会話文も独特だがーそれぞれ違うが、カポーティのは理解に時間がかかる。リーダースの第２版の辞書で調べても第一義の意味では意味を取れないことが多い。 そこで、当然の事頼るのは翻訳となる。１つは、1968年新潮社刊の瀧口直太朗氏のものと、もう１つは2009年同じく新潮社刊の村上春樹氏のものである。さらに、講談社英語文庫（注：都立北多摩高等学校教諭 瀬戸武雄氏）も参考にした。瀧口直太郎氏の翻訳は、原文に即した丁寧な訳で、自分の英語の理解に対応していたが、口語、俗語の蒐集・解釈が進んでいる現代にはそぐわない訳も多く見受けられた。例えば、原文中に何度か出て来る、dykes(dykeの複数形）は、注として括弧書きで「男性化された女性」となっているが、村上春樹氏のでは、はっきりと「レズ」と訳されている。瀧口氏の訳文はカタカナでダイクとなっていて、これではよく分からない。逆に、村上氏のものは、意訳した表現が多い感じがするーそれは村上春樹的でもあるのだが。読みやすさは、村上春樹氏の方に分があるが、瀧口氏の訳も、決して悪くないー英語本来の意味やその時代の雰囲気を捉えやすい。 もう１つの「遠い声、遠い部屋」は全く違う文体で、「早熟の天才」と言われた若いカポーティが文体に入れ込んでいる様子が思い浮かぶような、ある種硬さがある。それでも、文を綴り筋書きを進める中に、「ティファニーで朝食を」に見られるカポーティならでは表現がかいまみえる。

This Modern Library of The World's Best Books combines two works from Truman Capote. The first Breakfast at Tiffany's is an acknowledged classic. A young would-be author encounters a free spirit, chaotic, freewheeling but with a basic code of conduct, and who poses him, and us all, questions about the right way to live. The second, Other Voices Other Rooms, was Capote's first published novel. It too has some fine writing and some fine scenes, as a 13 year old on the verge of adolescence goes to live with his father and a group of, once again, very entertaining and interesting misfits or apparent misfits. If I enjoyed it much less, that is probably because the plot is, once again, episodic, but episodic at greater length, and because I found some of the episodes started to pall. However, there is also much here that I did enjoy...