Book #33: “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” by Truman Capote

 

Breakfast At Tiffany’s

Truman Capote

 Released: January 1st, 1961

My 3rd book for 2024 was the classic Breakfast At Tiffany’s.  I have seen only part of the movie (I fell asleep due to starting at 1am…luxury of 2nd shift retail).  My girlfriend picked this one up to read, and by virtue of her being tied up with another book, I scooped it up and knocked it out in swift order.  Just in time for her to read it next.

A lot of the information is about Holly and her adventures in New York.  Many are simply observances or things that stood out

Here is what I learned:

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• The narrator decided to write about Holly Golightly after a conversation with Joe Bell
• Holly lived in the brownstone building below the narrator
• Joe ran a bar on Lexington Ave
• Holly and the narrator would go to Joe’s bar to make phone calls 6-7 times a day during wartime
• Joe was not an easy man to talk to
• Joe Bell’s fixations are Holly, ice hockey, Weimaraner dogs, “Our Gal Sunday”, and Gilbert & Sullivan
• The bar has no neon or television
• A “White Angel” one-half Vodka and one-half Gin
• Mr. Yunioshi was a photographer who lived in the building and made a trip to Africa
• He tried in vain to learn how a man was carving wood
• The narrator’s birthday is January 10th
• Holly is always losing her key, and wakes Mr. Yunioshi up at odd hours of the night
• Holly is 18 years old
• The narrator admired a birdcage that costs $350
• Holly smokes a cigarette brand called “Picayunes”.
• Holly has a red tiger-striped Tom cat
• She plays the guitar and enjoys songs from “Oklahoma!”, which were new at the time.
• “Merde” is French for “Shit”
• Whiskey and apples go together
• The narrator is an author
• “Very few authors, especially the unpublished, can resist an invitation to read aloud.”
• The narrator likes lesbians, but finds stories about them boring
• Holly had a lesbian actress roommate in Hollywood she called “The Lone Ranger”.
• Holly unsuccessfully took French lessons
• Rusty Trawler’s parents died when he was young.  As a result he was an orphan, a millionaire, and a celebrity all by the age of five.
• “No, the blues are because you're getting fat or maybe it's been raining too long. You're sad, that's all.”
• According to Holly, the “mean reds” are when you're afraid and you sweat like hell, but you don't know what you're afraid of. Except something bad is going to happen, only you don't know what it is.”
• The story takes place in 1943.
• “Successful theft exhilarates.”
• In the library, Holly looks at “South by Thunderbird”, “Byways of Brazil”, and “The Political Mind of Latin America”.
• Holly bought the narrator the $350 bird cage
• “Wuthering Heights” means something to Holly
• “I don’t compare myself to you…Therefore I can’t feel superior.  We want different thing.”
• Holly’s real name is Lulamar Barnes
• Holly was a child-wife in Tulip, Texas at age 14
• “A man ought to smell somewhat.”
• Holly has attempted to learn Portuguese 
• The narrator’s birthday is September 30th
• Holly’s horse is named Mabel Minerva
• Holly believes Picayune cigarettes taste bum yet divine.
• According to Holly, she once helped OJ win 10k in a single hand of poker
• “If you’re going to hell, you’ll go on your own.” - Joe Bell
• Sally Tomato died of a heart attack in Sing Sing on Christmas Day
• The narrator finds the cat and takes it in.

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Very interesting tale.  You see the narrator’s retelling of his relationship with Holly Golightly.  It’s fascinating to see a country woman become someone who transforms into the city socialite that Holly becomes.  The narrator gives an interesting point of view, and the tale is fascinating.  I definitely plan to revisit the film and see how it stacks up against the novel.

On to Book #34: “The Art of the Deal” by Donald J. Trump.