In Cold Blood

Title: In Cold Blood

Author: Truman Capote

Pages: 343

Genre: Non-fiction

Letter Grade: B+

Synopsis: This is the story of the brutal killing of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. The murders took place on November 15, 1959. The killers had entered the Clutter home and tied up all four members of the family. They were shot with a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. The only clues that were left were two bloody bootprints. No motive could be found. This is the story of the deaths of the Clutter family and their killers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith.

My Review: It was hard to believe that this book was a non-fiction book. The story is incredible and the details that Mr. Capote was able to turn up are astounding. The book was somewhat disturbing. Hickock and Perry (the killers) show no emotion for what they did and its hard to believe that humans can be so detached yet so conscious of the crimes they commit. There were a few slow spots but most of the book was exciting and unexpected - even though you already know the outcome.

From the Book: (pg. 55, Spoken by Dick to Perry less than an hour before they arrived at the Clutters) Perry gripped the edge of the washbasin and hauled himself to a standing postion. His legs trembled; the pain in his knees made him perspire. He wiped his face with a paper towel. he unlocked the door and said, "O.K. Let's go."

Envy

Title: Envy

Author: Yuri Olesha

Pages: 128

Genre: Socialist Fiction

Letter Grade: B

Synopsis: The main character, Nikolai Kavalerov, is taken in by Andrei Babichev - who is a very important person in the food industry of their city. Kavalerov is an aimless drifter and is often drunk. Babichev tries to help Kavalerov make a better life for himself but Kavalerov is so self-centered and deluded about his own worth that he even begins to hate Babichev. Kavalerov dreams of being important and envies Babichev to no end. Kavalerov gets himself kicked out of Babichev's apartment and he teams up with Andrei Babichev's brother, Ivan. Together they plot to kill Andrei but this comes to nothing. Eventually Ivan and Kavalerov end up living a life of indifference.

My Review: I had to read this book for a class but I was lucky because this book was very interesting. It was actually banned from being published in the Soviet Union for many years because the main character (Kavalerov) was not a good example of the 'new Communist man'. Another problem that they had with the book was that the reader would sympathize with Kavalerov. You do begin to like Kavalerov but you also begin to feel sorry for him and it's very easy to see how worthless he has become. The book reads very quickly and is almost humorous at times.

Favorite Passage: Forthcoming...

Cement

Title: Cement

Author: Fyodor Gladkov

Pages: 311

Genre: Socialist Propaganda

Letter Grade: B

Synopsis: This was one of the very first books to be published in the Soviet Union after the revolution. It is the story about a small industrial city and how they struggle to get the cement factory running again. The main character in the story is Gleb, who recently returned from fighting in the army. He returns to find his wife totally changed. Gleb takes the reins upon himself to work very hard to get the factory going. He and his wife are both members of the Communist party. Gleb and his wife Dasha are now equals in their social lives and in their working lives. The book chronicles their stuggles to adapt to this new situation.

My Review: I obviously had to read this book for school. It turned out to be better than I expected. The book was written (indirectly) as propoganda for the Communist party. It shows how honourable work and labor is to the country. I grew to really like Gleb and a few of the other characters but I also learned to be very grateful that I do not live in a Communist society.

Favorite Passage: (p. 232, talking about Communists who are not 'true' Communists because they think that they are better than others) "It was difficult for him to speak, as he had an unusually large tongue; there was too little room for it in his mouth, and in conversation it peeped out like a slug. Suskin could not get his words out; they stuck in his mouth and splashed about in the saliva with his tongue, suffering from their inability to escape."