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The Real Story Of Truman Capote's Life And Death; Find Out About The Breakfast At Tiffany's Author Amid Release Of FX's Feud
Explore the multifaceted life of Truman Capote, acclaimed author of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and 'In Cold Blood,' brought to the forefront by FX's Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to death and alcohol and drug addiction
Truman Capote’s name has resurfaced in the pop culture scene, courtesy of FX’s Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, an eight-part series based on Laurence Leamer’s book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era.
For those unfamiliar with Truman Capote’s name, he was one of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century and the sweetheart and most trusted confidant of the wealthy female socialites of New York, whom he referred to as Swans. Capote, however, was banished from the said elite social group after he published a scandalous short story in 1975, detailing the dirty secrets of the Swans. In light of the FX series revealing Capote's life and his subsequent banishment from the wealthy New York social scene—a consequence of his own actions—we delve into the unembellished account of his life and death. Have a look!
Truman Capote was born as Truman Persons
Truman Capote, whom the world best remembers as the writer of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, was born on September 30, 1924, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as Truman Persons. His parents divorced when he was 2 years old. Persons then spent a part of his childhood living with various relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. There, he befriended Harper Lee, who later wrote the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. 
Truman Persons became Truman Capote after his mother married a wealthy New York native named José Garcia Capote, who adopted Truman in 1935.
Truman Capote’s best works - Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood
After his mother’s marriage to José, Capote and the family settled in Millbrook, Connecticut. There, Truman Capote completed his higher secondary education but refused to pursue further studies. Instead, he began writing at a very young age. He published his debut novel Over Voices, Other Rooms in 1948. A decade later, in 1958, he published Breakfast at Tiffany's which spawned the classic Audrey Hepburn film of the same moniker. In 1965, he published another one of his classic works, In Cold Blood, a true non-fiction crime thriller that documented the Clutter family murders. Capote’s other unsung writings include A Christmas Memory, The Dogs Bark: Public People and Private Spaces, and more.
The darling of the New York socialites - A Story of Love and Betrayal
Truman Capote’s grandeur as a writer earned him a space at the lunch tables of famous wealthy women in New York. The women, whom he called Swans, trusted him with their life secrets of their own as well as of others. Little did they know, their friend was a wolf in disguise who would later betray them. The said betrayal came in the form of a short story titled La Côte Basque 1965. The short story, an excerpt from Capote's then-unfinished novel Answered Prayers, found space in Esquire magazine in 1975. Soon enough, after it hit the newsstands, Capote’s Swans realized the story was a fictionalized scandalous version of their life stories and dirty secrets. As a result, Truman Capote’s alliance with the Swans ended. He was kicked out of the elite social network of New York and spent the rest of his life in exile and in the company of drugs and alcohol.
Truman Capote - Later years and death
Following his expulsion from the upper-crust social circle of New York, Truman Capote descended into drug and alcohol addiction which took his life at age 59. He died at the Bel Aire home of his friend Joanne Carson on August 25, 1984. His cause of death was listed as “liver disease complicated by phlebitis and multiple drug intoxication.” Per Entertainment Weekly, his autopsy found that he'd taken Valium, Codeine, and Barbiturates.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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