Я нашла книгу про себя в мои 17, не в смысле событий или любовного треугольника, а в смысле наивных рассуждений влюбленных, тяги "домашней девочки" к "плохим мальчикам" и веры в то, что мама не поймет, куда ей. Не помню, чтобы когда-то читала книгу с таким острым чувством узнавания себя, смешанным со стыдом, ностальгией и той снисходительностью, которой мы иногда оглядываемся на юных себя, теперь умудренные опытом и сознающие, как Люси, что есть вещи важнее и что юные мы не в состоянии были это увидеть и понять.

"Лятно пътуване" е прелюдия към най-известното произведение на Капоти "Закуска в Тифани" и още тук откриваме почерка и изящния стил на американския писател и журналист. Има толкова красиви изречения и елегантни фрази, че през цялото време между редовете се усеща една лекота като летен бриз и нотки от небрежно впръскан парфюм.

Ето като това например:

"Старото отчаяние от вечното гонене на влакове, многото работа и сметки за плащане сякаш падаше от него като уморен прах, той седеше и пускаше колелца от цигарен дим, нули, празни, както Грейди започваше да се чувства..."

Историята се завърта около седемнайсетгодишната Грейди Макнийл, която отказва да придружи родителите си до Париж през лятото, защото има нещо много по-важно, което я задържа в горещия и опустял Ню Йорк. Какво може да е това, ако не любов, разбира се.

Грейди е всичко онова, което по-голямата ѝ, омъжена сестра и повечето млади момичета от средата на 20 век не са - витална, дръзка, несъобразяваща се с установените порядки и преследваща собствените си желания и пориви.

Самата история на раждането ѝ подсказва, че Грейди ще бъде различна и невписваща се - кръстена е с името на мъртвородения си брат, когото майка ѝ така и не може да преживее. Още този факт обяснява хладината и отчуждението между двете или, както Капоти много хубаво описва - обичат се, но не се харесват.

Грейди не се вълнува от предстоящото си представяне във висшето общество и от модела на балната рокля, който толкова въодушевява майка ѝ. Обича да кара синия си буик кабриолет, да пуши, да танцува и да се размотава с приятеля си от детинство Питър Бел.

Той е и единственият, който я разбира, и на когото би доверила тайната за любовта си към Клайд Манцър - работник от еврейски произход, с когото се запознават на работното му място в обществен паркинг, близо до Бродуей.
Клайд е възможно най-неподходящият мъж за Грейди - грубоват, небрежен, понякога суров и апатичен, с провалена кариера на бейзболист и преживяващ тежко смъртта на любимата си сестра Ан.

Сякаш за краткия преход от извънредно горещото нюйоркско лято към есента, бележаща завръщането на родителите Макнийл, Грейди се превръща от наивно, презадоволено момиче, което се чуди "каква безкрайна енергия пилее човек, за да се подготвя за беди, които идват толкова рядко", в жена, уплашена от това, че "всичко това щеше да продължи да съществува - вълните, шипковите храсти, ронещи по пясъка изсушени от слънцето листенца; ако аз умра, всичко това пак ще го има".

В този смисъл "лятното пътуване" може да се възприема и като класическата метафора за преоткриването, което обаче понякога не е животворно и спасително.

Още от самото начало става ясно, че "Лятно пътуване" е за любов, чийто край просто няма как да бъде щастлив. Финалните кадри (защото за мен романът е изключително кинематографичен) са сякаш единственият възможен изход от сблъсъка с узряването за Грейди, чийто пламък се оказва твърде силен, за да продължи да тлее кротко в съзвучие с условностите на времето.

"По-голямата част от живота е толкова скучна, че не си струва да се говори за нея, при това е скучно във всички възрасти. Когато сменяме марката цигари, местим се в нов квартал, абонираме се за нов вестник, влюбваме се и разлюбваме, ние протестираме с повърхностни и същевременно дълбоки жестове срещу неподлежащата на разсейване скука на всекидневието."

Както често се оказва обаче, скуката и монотонно повтарящите се дни могат да са спасителни.

Препоръчвам този роман! Винаги е интересно да се види началната точка от развитието на един знаков писател. По същия начин се чувствах с "Машенка" на Набоков.

‘“You are a mystery, my dear,” her mother said, and Grady, gazing across the table through a centrepiece of roses and fern, smiled indulgently; yes, I am a mystery, and it pleased her to think so.’

4.5 stars

This heady summertime novella is the first work from Truman Capote I’ve read but I can’t imagine it being my last. June afternoons and books set in the stifling haze of vintage American summers are a perfect match to me, and I’m glad I chose to finally pick up one of the three novels on my shelf with the word ‘summer’ in the title instead of decreeing that I’ll read them and yet, suddenly, it’s September once again.

Summer Crossing was a lost manuscript never published in Capote’s lifetime, and while it isn’t breaking any new ground or reinventing the wheel his style is so lyrical, visceral and so enrapturing that at times the actual plot of the novel felt almost irrelevant as I soaked up the beauty of his mesmerising style. It truly strikes what I’d consider the perfect balance of a distinct, accessible yet memorable and charming style that somehow made the well-trod concept of a NYC summer feel like no one else had quite understood it fully.

This isn’t really a novel about characters, as thin as the plot may be, it’s a novel of feeling, a sense of place, the loss of time you didn’t even realise was passing. Delicate from the first and with a pervading sense of sadness throughout, the reckless and fierce decisions and feelings of this novel are both familiar and wholly unknowable concurrently, making for pretty little wistful story.

It’s far from perfect but the irresistible charm of this novel had me convinced I’d rate this 5 stars, if not for the abrupt and frankly unsatisfying ending. (I know goodreads doesn’t have half star ratings so indulge me alright). In truth, I think this would have worked better had it been longer, but as it stands Summer Crossing was still well worth the trip back to a New York City ‘40s heatwave.

//Truman Capote’s style is a lyrical dream but wow am I unsure about that ending

“‘And on those mornings you would see a sad thing: sheets of feathers where the birds had fallen frozen: believe me. It was my fathers job to sweep them up, like old leaves; then they were put into a fire. But a few he would bring home. Mama, all of us, we nursed them until they were strong and could fly away. They would fly away just when we loved them most. Oh, like children! Do you see? Then when winter came again, and we saw the frozen birds, we always knew in our hearts that here and there was one we’d saved from some winter before.’ The last bright ash in her voice guttered and darkened; musing, withdrawn, she took a low, shuddering breath: ‘Just when we loved them most. How true.’”

Summer Crossing: Truman Capote's True First Novel


Summer Crossing appears to be Capote's true first novel which he abandoned. In fact, the manuscript was among papers left in an apartment in the care of a house sitter. Capote instructed the house sitter to put all papers on the street to be picked up as garbage. The anonymous house sitter recognized the value of what Capote considered trash, holding on to the caches of papers, including this novel for more than fifty years until his death.

A relative of the house sitter who also recognized the value of the lost Truman papers swiftly carted them off to Sotheby's. Through Capote's Literary Trust and some negotiation with Sotheby's, the Trust successfully protected the publication rights to all papers.

The sale would be limited to physical possession of the documents, but the purchaser could do nothing by way of publication of any of the documents. Ironically, not one person bid on the Truman papers, thanks to the legal maneuvering of the Truman Literary Trust. Today the papers are in their proper place with other known Capote papers at the New York Public Library. "Summer Crossing" was published in 2004 by Random House.

The big question is why didn't Capote want "Summer Crossing" published. Robert Linscott, Capote's editor at Random House told him it was too conventional, that it was good, but it did not reach the level of excellence Capote had achieved with his short fiction. In fact, Linscott told Capote that any writer could have written it.

Perhaps the deciding factor was Capote's lover's opinion. Jack Dunphy told him that the novel was "thin," a word that sends a chill up the spine of any writer. Capote told Linscott he had torn the novel up. The further I read in Clarke's biography, Capote, the more I become convinced that truth was a very relative word to Capote. At times, Capote seems to have invented his life story as he went along.

"Summer Crossing" refers to two distinct crossings during a long hot summer in New York. Lucy and Lamont McNeil are making an Atlantic crossing to see what the Germans have left of their European holdings.

n  n

Crossing on the Queen Mary

Oh, yes. They're quite wealthy. They have a penthouse apartment on 5th Avenue. While away, Lucy intends on the finest fashion designers to make their daughter Grady's Debutante dress.

The second crossing is Grady's from adolescent to woman. She is seventeen. Going to Paris is of no interest to her whatsoever. Mrs. McNeil thinks that young Peter Bell is the reason for Grady's reluctance to leave the city for the Summer. However, Grady only considers Peter her best friend.

Why, oh why, couldn't Grady be more like her older sister Apple, married, with child, nice house, go getter husband? Apple, which happened to be the only thing Lucy could eat during her pregnancy, leaves her supposedly older and wiser daughter to look after Grady. So it goes.

The Second World War is over. New York is an exciting place to be.

n  n

A girl has lots of opportunities.

Being the rebellious sort, Grady falls for Clyde Manzer, a parking lot attendant where she keeps her baby blue convertible Buick, a veteran who bulges with every muscle he built during the war, a full head of wavy black hair, and a way of showing his appreciation for a good looking girl. Taking a girl to the Central Park Zoo will do it every time.

Clyde invites Grady to meet his family to attend his nephew's bar mitzvah. Oh? I didn't tell you he was Jewish? And you were wondering where the conflict was coming in. Let's call it cultural.

Clyde's family can't figure out why he's bringing a shiksa blonde home with him. Conflict ensues when Clyde's sister Ida invites Clyde's nice Jewish fiancee, Rebecca, over to join the party. There, that should liven things up. Yes, it sure does.

Clyde moves into Grady's parents penthouse apartment. Hormones and pheromones are erupting left and right. Bodily fluids are exchanged on a regular basis. In that maddening state of love, what's a star-crossed couple to do but go over to Jersey and get married at 2a.m.?

Then, what should Grady discover but she is PREGNANT! Mother and Father are due back in less than a month!

Apple suggests they call a doctor to fix things. However, Grady reminds her of a friend they lost who bled to death on a public toilet.

What to do, what to do?

n  n

Ladies Home Journal, January, 1946

Yes! Never underestimate the power of a woman! But can this marriage be saved? I'm not going to tell you. You'll just have to read it yourself.

Just know that Grady has many rivers to cross.

n  n

The Queensborough Bridge

You may consider my review a bit flippant. I suppose it is. Grady's naivete can be grating. But this book is worth the read. Hmmm, this might be considered the first Truman Capote Summer Beach Read!

Here are the halting beginnings of a master observer of human behavior. Capote was only nineteen when he submitted the draft to Random House. I understand Capote keeping it under wraps. He knew he could do better. But, I daresay, if not for the booze and the drugs, Capote would have returned to this one, one day. It would have been a helluva book, too. Yet, even in her naivete, I can see the character of Holly Golightly taking shape that would explode from the pages of Breakfast at Tiffany's.

In a way it is fitting that "Summer Crossing," a novel Capote did not want published, and Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel serve as odd bookends to a remarkable literary life.

This one draws a 3.5 rating.

*did not finish

idk something about using the n word multiple times in a paragraph doesn't do it for me.

30 pages in and i could care less about the protagonist and whatever continues to happen in this novel.

no thanks

Operele cu acțiunea in New York parcă sunt altceva. Mi-a plăcut mult cum scrie Capote, știam câteva detalii despre viața și opera lui din ‘Lebedele de pe Fifth Avenue’, dar încă nu făcusem cunoștință cu lucrările lui. Scurt și complex mi s-a părut acest roman, ușor de citit, cu focus pe descrierile spațiilor, redarea trăsăturilor morale ale personajelor și defectelor naturii umane. Autorul pare că scrie dintr-o revoltă față de înalta societate newyorkeză și face imprevizibilul previzibil.

This book is interesting because while it was Capote’s first ever novel, it wasn’t actually published until after his death when the manuscript was discovered and sent to auction. It’s described as “the lost novel that inspired Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and that’s a pretty accurate description. There are a lot of similarities between the main character here and Holly Golightly, but Grady McNeil also stands herself as a great invention.

The plot here isn’t really important, because it’s more of a character study and an investigation of what it meant to make your “debut” in society as a young woman. The best part of it is really the dialogue, and that’s just because Capote was always so good at writing it. I enjoyed this one quite a lot for what it was – it’s pretty good!

without a doubt, this is the most beautiful thing found in a trash can. expressed in a highly lyrical prose, Capote's writing style deserves a chef's kiss!

I am in awe of Truman Capote's first output. His dynamic prose in its infancy, already carving a groove into the public consciousness. The honing of a voice on paper, as distinct as its audible counterpart. Nevertheless, a glimpse into a mind that will eventually put Audrey Hepburn on a fire escape, singing to herself and millions. Even the viciousness of In Cold Blood makes an appearance, almost word for word: "Toward midafternoon, as the heat closed in like hand over a murder victim's mouth.". A vivid simile that Capote will reuse to describe the fragility of Bonnie Clutter's mental state: "When she opened it, the heat gathered inside the room was like a sudden, awful hand over her mouth" -In Cold Blood. This is simply the portal to his world. The world of one of the most compelling figures of the 20th century.

And he takes you there, through the lives of two wayward trainwrecks: one a darling socialite and the other, a street-savvy parking lot attendant from Brooklyn. The nested stories that fall out of these characters are engrossing and morally provocative. Settings are literally bursting with detail, scantily dressed with metaphors for optimum attention. This is New York City hot off WWII, pumped with hope and matrimonial vigor. Characters are fleshed out and prodded, made to make readers hate and love. I couldn't help thinking about Steinbeck's defense of the margins of society. People with limited education, showing empathy in ways you couldn't teach. Please, do yourself a favor and read a posthumous offering, from a true maverick.

This novel, found by chance and published posthumously, is chronologically the first novel by Truman Capote.
Why did young Truman not want to publish this initiatory tale written in his youth?
The writing style is already daring and poetic. The author combines the initiatory quest, social tragedy, and intimate drama. In addition, he shows great finesse in the psychological analysis of the characters.
This novel exudes a skin-deep sensitivity that moves. However, it lacks a bit of depth and intensity to convince.

Mr. Truman will probably throw a fit in his grave if I tell him that his first novel wasn't nearly as entertaining as Ms. Novik's. So he is a great writer, I don't doubt that. And for a first novel, Summer Crossing is probably better than most.

Doesn't mean I have to like it, and I didn't. It didn't make sense to me, which is probably more a question of age than of writing. But the book did nothing to me: I wasn't particularly interested in what was happening, I didn't seem to like the characters or understand their motives, I wasn't shocked, provoked, intrigued, sad or anything. I would probably have put the book away if it had been any longer. Well, at least now I can say I have read it, and isn't that what reading the classics is all about anyway? *g*