Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

I love the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's and I enjoyed the movie Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman. So, I figured I needed to read Capote's novella that inspired Breakfast at Tiffany's. And I loved it. If you need a plot summary click here.

Fantastic prose. First person narration doesn't really describe it. It's chock full of conversation which is not what I tend to associate with "literature." But this is the good stuff. The conversations are interesting because they reveal the way Holly's world works -- the way she works, the way 1950s New York society works and how people perceive other people. Also, they're funny conversations -- unusual and witty.

How people perceive other people... I think this is why I enjoyed "Fred's" narration so much. He's not really telling us a story about himself like most first person narrators do. He doesn't droll on about his own feelings (interesting though they are). He's telling us Holly's story -- she's the main character and "Fred" is just the one to tell us about her. The fact that we never know "Fred's" real name drives home this point for me. "Fred's" perspective is limited to his direct and indirect encounters with Holly and information passed through the grape vine. As a result, Holly is something more than a character in a book. She's that person we all knew once or maybe catch glimpses of in ourselves. "Fred's" narration makes me wonder: Am I who I think I am or, am I who others think am I? Which is the truer perspective? The narration works well in establishing both "Fred" and Holly's characters and their relationship and is a technique I haven't really encountered before (or noticed if I have).

On the surface, Breakfast at Tiffany's is about a quirky girl who obeys her own ambiguous set of rules. But I found this book is really about getting to know someone -- encountering a person who is special, unusual and magnetizing but also evanescent, elusive and fragile. That's Holly Golightly. The reader goes through this social experience with "Fred," getting to know Holly with him.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite passages with O.J. and "Fred" talking, O.J. speaking first...

"So," he said, "what do you think: is she or ain't she?"
"Ain't she what?"
"A phony."
"I wouldn't have thought so."
"You're wrong. She is a phony. But on the other hand you're right. She isn't a phony because she's a real phony. She believes all this crap she believes" (28-29).


Publisher: Modern Library, 1994 (originally, 1958)     Pages: 3-105 (of 161)
Full Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories
Rating: 5 Stars     Source: Public Library

Review of Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart: A Memoir

There are many reasons why I liked this memoir. First of all, I must confess that I do enjoy perusing Tiffany’s online catalog. I’ve been in a couple Tiffany stores before with my mom in Chicago and Kansas City (My mom and I have taken some fun trips just to go window shopping in the big towns and keep our eyes peeled for a bargain or a little treasure to take home). It’s such fun to look at all the sparklies. And the salespeople always treated us with respect even when we were just looking.

But Marjorie Hart’s memoir, Summer at Tiffany, is about more than just expensive jewelry and timeless heirlooms. It’s about war and loss. It’s about growing up. It’s about friends. About taking risks. And probably my favorite theme, it’s about women forging their way into the work world.

During World War Two, the United States began recruiting women to fill what were traditionally men’s roles as much of the male population had enlisted. One such role was a page at Tiffany, responsible for relaying packages within the Tiffany building to repair shops or the shipping department. Marjorie Hart and her friend Marty were the first women to work as pages at Tiffany let alone work on the show floor. The friends saw actors, actresses and many other famous people which totally tripped their triggers.

Another reason I enjoyed this read was because Marjorie and Marty are from my home state and attended my University. It was fun to see how New Yorkers responded to these small-town Iowan girls. Many still have the same responses today – we must be quaint, naïve and very cute in our small-town ways. And maybe we are, but no more than most young women I dare say. Here’s another reaction Marjorie encountered when helping a well-to-do shopper:

‘I’m from Iowa.’ I said, flustered by the attention.
‘Oh, dear!’ She shook her head, her feather bobbing. ‘Here on the East Coast – we pronounce it O-hi-o!”
I bit my lip… (Hart 185)

Ha! That’s actually happened to me and when I try to tell people it’s IOWA they don’t get it! There were lots of moments like this that had me laughing.

The text is written in a present tense style akin to journal writing. I think it helps the book feel immersed in the 1940s as Marjorie worries about sugar rationing, painting pretend stocking lines on the backs of her legs and getting her hair pinned up for the perfect curls. I remember my grandma talking about painting that line on her legs because pantyhose production was cut for the war effort. Until this past year she always put her hair up in pin curls, too! Marjorie shares many humorous stories that had me chuckling. I enjoyed Summer at Tiffany and recommend it for someone looking for a fun read or for those who like memoirs.

Publisher: Harper Collins, 2007    Pages: 266
Rating: 4 Stars        Source: Purchased at a library sale for 10₵! Can you say bargain!?!