I cannot and probably should not judge this according to the time it was written. To do so may or may not deepen the impact of it. If I wanted a slightly lighter tone, I could always watch the old movie.

As it is here and now, I feel like I should only judge it by my own sensibilities of this day and time.

The novella is breathless and anxiety-ridden, full of self-aware sexuality and hypocrisy, and it's also a purely whimsical fantasy. That is to say, I fell in love with these flawed characters and my heart broke for them.

Everyone loves Holly. She gives of herself so freely. She's so energetic and playful and outgoing.

And that is her tragedy. She gives away everything. Even her cat. And yet, according to one postcard, she will always be okay. It's really fascinating and heartbreaking because she will never have anything of her own. She lives on the largess of everyone around her and they all love her to death.

I can't give a crap about the fact she sleeps around. She is what she is, and that's what we're meant to see clearly. I love it.

She's very bright. Even her gift of a birdcage to the writer-narrator is astute as hell. She could be talking entirely about him or about his love for her. The point is... there is no bird.

So pretty. So understated. So heartbreaking.

How does one review something so good? Are there even words to do it? Here's my attempt:

Holly Golightly is an interesting enough character to fill ten libraries. She crept into my thoughts regularly for months after reading the book, and I still think about her quite often to this day, like a long-lost lover, but more fondly.

I've never quite enjoyed prose like this either. I mean, every single sentence I liked. There wasn't one in the whole book where I thought, "you know, this one's the bad one." It's no wonder that I didn't put the book down until I finished it.

Structurally, it's a masterpiece. The pacing is perfect.

It's one of those books that you read, and when you finish it, you're a little sad, because you know you found THAT book, and you know you'll probably never find a book you like this much again.

I want to say something bad about it, but I just can't think of anything.

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote is an American Classic!

Did you know that Capote's 'Holiday Golightly' is somewhat different from Hollywood's 'Holly Golightly'? In fact, everything about Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's is truer, more realistic, and life-like than the elegant, gentile, and filtered version depicted on the Silver Screen.

What stands out to me the most in this novella is the author's writing style. Truman Capote can write.

Capote held my attention with enlightening spurts of dialogue and the wandering, yet contemplative thoughts of the nameless narrator. In case you don't already know, this story is about the relationship between Holly and her neighbor, who is our nameless narrator.

Told from the narrator's perspective, it's quite an adventure he takes on as he enters into the 'whirlwind of excitement" in the form of nineteen-year-old Holly. This young woman is fiercely social and although she has at least one female friends we know about, it's men Holly chooses to be surrounded by. Lots and lots of wealthy men who provide her with gifts and such...

Listening to the '2 hour 50 minute' audiobook narrated by Michael C. Hall isn't a half-bad way to spend an afternoon. His gender voicing, especially for Holly, is particularly entertaining. I'm usually a little put-off when a male narrator does female voicing but this is "Dexter", after all, and somehow it works. The voice he uses for the nameless narrator sounds unbelievably similar to George Peppard's voice, who plays this character in the movie, and I enjoyed that special nod to the past.

There's a lot to love here. When someone speaks of Breakfast at Tiffany's it seems to strike a pleasant memory and feeling by the look on their face and the smile in their eyes. It's the movie, I think, but the true credit of this common reaction needs to go where it all began, with Capote.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is an American Classic that was first published in the November 1958 issue of Esquire Magazine, almost 65 years ago. This is Truman Capote's story, his characters, it all began with him and I highly recommend this novella!

5⭐

Armed with dark glasses and a Picayune cigarette, here comes the enigmatic Holly Golightly. She is an irresistible bundle of contradictions -- a shrewd operator and a naïve star gazer, a lopsided romantic and an intermittent pragmatist, and a wild soul who really wants to play house someday. She hides behind a layer of whimsy,  a true work of art, which functions both as her star attraction and her defense mechanism of choice. With those charming ways, sassy talkbacks, and quirky imperfections, this girl aims right for the heart. To quote Ricky Martin, "she's livin la vida loca".  While in her company, I wondered if these youthful capers of hers will mellow down with age but a whiff of her ongoings almost ten years later suggests that time hasn't dampened her spirit. Anyhow, do people change that much or deviate from the behaviour that shapes their individuality? 

Throughout the 80-odd pages, the spotlight shines bright on the sprightly Miss Golightly but the story is as much about the inwardly wrapped-up narrator who strikes up a friendship with her as much as The Great Gatsby is an examination of Nick Carraway's thoughts, prejudices and a gradual shift in perception after increased intimacy with the protagonist.  There's always an element of intrigue when the narrator is deliberately unnamed and played down and more so in this case because he competes with the enchanting Holly to get the attention of the reader. This intentional modesty reveals a lonely young man looking for his place in an unkind world where anyone who is different is a misfit. He is similar to Holly in his independence of spirit which rejects any sort of imposed regimentation, his hidden yet strong yearning for a genuine connection, and also in his easily wounded pride. In the character of this anonymous narrator, there is a lingering hint of Mr. Capote himself, right from an aspiring young writer who shares his birthday with the author (30th September) to the multiple references to homosexuality.

It's a deceptively smooth ride through this perfect piece of prose which is fluid, stylish, and utterly delightful, but at the same time constructed with a rigorous precision that makes you sit up and admire Capote's efforts. The writing is as much of a presence as Holly is. In spite of the deeper undercurrents of loneliness, loss, and melancholy, there's never a dull moment. And this must be one of the most captivating endorsements of the charm that NYC holds. 

It's been ages I watched the Hollywood adaptation so no point in comparing it with the book. I enjoyed the Audible version wonderfully narrated by Michael C. Hall and then read the book to savour the perfection one more time. 

There is an abundance of compelling reasons to go back to Capote but I would run to him again even if his only excuse was this glorious writing style.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, the movie, is a favorite of mine. I've seen it several times over the years and now, for the first time have read the novella on which it is based. I was very surprised by how different the novella is from the movie. The two have very little in common. The movie and the novella depict two very different sides of one girl; the hopefulness of possibility vs. the cruel hardship of reality.

The movie is set in New York City. It is light, fun and full of glamour. It casts Holly Golightly in a positive and likable light. Beneath the frivolousness, naïveté and false bravado there is a sweet vulnerability to her character.

The novella is stripped of all that sweetness, lightness and glamour. It is a sad and poignant version of the story. It is written in a spare dark tone. Gone are most of the whimsical mannerisms of the movie and in their place we meet a much different character - a harder edged Holly whose behavior and words often have a lot of bite. She is no longer naive, though she would like us to think she is and the false bravado now comes off as desperation.

Both the movie and the novella are very good. The novella is very well-written and an excellent character study but I have a long-standing place in my heart for the movie and Holly as played by Audrey Hepburn.

O rochie neagra, manusi lungi asortate si o fermecatoare Audrey Hepburn - asta e tot ce ai nevoie pentru succes.
Un mini-roman fermecator, scris intr-un stil minimalist care a ramas in istoria literaturii in mare parte datorita filmului.
In ceea ce priveste actiunea avem in prim plan un scriitor aspirant care isi aduce aminte de vremurile in care in acelasi bloc unde el locuise a intalnit o vecina neobisnuita, pe Holly Golightly, care se recomanda simplu, Calatoarea. "Avea ochi mari, un pic albastrii, un pic verzi si presarati cu pete marunte cafenii, ochi multicolori, ca si parul ei; si, ca si parul ei, radiau o lumina calda, vie."
Holly este de-a dreptul fermecatoare, fiind excentrica, eleganta, rebela, nepasatoare, copilaroasa, mereu pusa pe sotii si o mica si adorabila mincinoasa. In jurul ei roiesc barbatii si ea pare sa stie sa spuna tuturor ce vor sa auda, avand o abilitate iesita din comun de a iesi nevatamata din orice situatie oricat de dificila ar fi. Stie sa cante la chitara si are o pisica roscata care seamana cu un pirat siret. Aceasta pare sa fie si singura ei posesiune.
De ce acest titlu? Pentru ca Holly are obiceiul sa se duca la Tiffany atunci cand ceva o nelinisteste. Considera ca splendoarea si tihna de acolo ii ofera siguranta de sine si o fac sa se simta bine. Spune despre Tiffany ca e "un loc unde nimic rau nu se poate intampla."
Mi-a placut mult felul in care vede ea ce inseamna cu adevarat a fi scriitor: "cu alte cuvinte, scumpule, cumpara cineva ce scrii?" De asemenea ea insista ca protagonistul sa nu-si publice povestirile gratis ci sa astepte pana obtine si un beneficiu financiar pentru ele.
Mi s-a parut putin inestetic fontul mare pe care editura a alea sa-l foloseasca, probabil din considerente de a face cartea sa para mai groasa.
Am selectat o sumedenie de citate care in mare parte dezvaluie personalitatea extraordinara a fetei-minune Holly:
"N-o sa ma obisnuiesc niciodata cu nimic. Cine se obisnuieste e ca si mort."
"Pur si simplu m-am educat singura sa-mi placa barbatii mai in varsta si asta a fost cel mai inteligent lucru pe care l-am facut vreodata."
"Fireste, lumea nu se putea sa nu-si inchipuie ca trebuie sa fi fost si eu cam lesbiana. Si fireste ca sunt. Toata lumea e nitel."
"Sunt tare putine lucruri despre care poti discuta cu barbatii. Daca unui barbat nu-i place baseballul, atunci trebuie sa-i placa mult caii, iar daca nu-i plac nici una, nici alta, oricum s-a terminat, inseamna ca nu-i plac nici fetele."
"... se spune ca nu poti sa fii vedeta de cinema daca n-ai o personalitate foarte puternica; dar, de fapt, trebuie sa nu ai personalitate deloc."
"As dori sa raman aceeasi cand o sa ma trezesc intr-o frumoasa dimineata si o sa-mi iau micul dejun la Tiffany."
"Mag reprezinta triumful asupra urateniei, deseori mult mai atragator decat adevarata frumusete, mai ales pentru ca se bazeaza pe un paradox."
"In regula, sa spunem ca ai o inima calda. Dar daca as fi un barbat pe cale sa se culce cu tine, as lua cu mine o sticla cu apa fierbinte. E mai sigur."
"Vreau sa spun ca nu poti sa faci amor cu un tip si sa-i iei banii fara macar sa te prefaci ca il iubesti."

It's strange how much I like the film Breakfast at Tiffany's, even though it's really not a very good one, and it's even offensive in some parts. Something about the wistful mood it sets, the effervescence of Audrey Hepburn and her gorgeous Givenchy clothes and hats, that lovely soundtrack, and the indelible characters till makes for a wonderful film-watching experience despite its flaws.

Reading the book was an unusual experience because so much of the dialogue was so familiar, and the story isn't very different for at least the first two thirds of the book, though Holly Golightly is a much bolder and bawdier and than she is in the film. But as I was drawn further into this story of a man who is platonically but irresistibly fascinated by this marvelous woman, I was intrigued by not only this notion of being absorbed in another person nearly to the exclusion of all else, but by this portrait of one of the strongest and most positive relationships that can exist: that between a woman and a gay man.

I was surprised to find how quietly complex and poignant this story was, and how skillful the writing, especially in regards to the unnamed narrator and the careful masking of his sexuality. (The clues are so subtle, but they're there.) While the film always gets me teary against my will with the cheap shot of the cat being thrown out in the rain and the swelling Mancini when he comes back, the very different ending of this book left me with a subtle but lingering sadness. Losing friends can be an intense and life-changing experience, too; it's a shame that we haven't yet seen the film that shows the love story Capote meant to tell.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella by Truman Capote published in 1958. In it, a contemporary writer recalls his early days in New York City, when he makes the acquaintance of his remarkable neighbor, Holly Golightly, who is one of Capote's best-known creations.

Towards the end of World War II, a young, happy, and free girl named Holly Golightly moves to an apartment in New York. Holly easily communicates with various people, including neighbors and tenants, but does not want anyone to know the secrets of her life. But very soon some of the residents of this building complain about the noisy traffic to Holly's apartment.

One of Holly's neighbors, who tells the story, confronts him after a while and becomes interested in Holly and his behavior. But Holly is a strange girl and she does not like anyone to be curious in her life, she makes many surprises until the end of the story.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: سال2012میلادی

عنوان: صبحانه در تیفانی؛ نویسنده: ترومن کاپوتی؛ مترجم: ایرج غریب؛ اصفهان، فردا، سال1390؛ در156ص؛ شابک9789648757002؛ موضوع داستانهای کوتاه از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م

عنوان: صبحانه در تیفانی؛ نویسنده: ترومن کاپوتی؛ مترجم: رامین آذربهرام؛ تهران، مروارید؛ سال1395؛ در116ص؛ شابک9789641914594؛

عنوان: صبحانه در تیفانی؛ نویسنده: ترومن کاپوتی؛ مترجم: بهمن دارالشفائی؛ تهران، ماهی؛ سال1395؛ در142ص؛ شابک9789642092758؛ چاپ دوم سال1396؛

صبحانه در تیفانی، ماجرای دختر جوانی، در «نیویورک» است، که زندگی‌اش را، در کافه‌ ها و بارها و رستوران‌ها، و با مردها می‌گذراند، و به نظر می‌رسد: نه شغلی دارد، و نه خانواده‌ ای؛ «ترومن کاپوتی» رمان کوتاه «صبحانه در تیفانی» را، در سال1958میلادی منتشر کردند؛ «هالی گولایتلی»، شخصیت اصلی رمان، مشهورترین شخصیتی شد، که «کاپوتی» آفریده، و همچنین هنوز هم یکی از مشهورترین شخصیت‌های تاریخ ادبیات «امریکا» نیز هست؛ نثر «کاپوتی» در این رمان را هم، می‌توان اوج پختگی نثر ایشان دانست، تا جاییکه، همین کتاب باعث شد «نورمن میلر»، نویسنده‌ ی هم‌دوره‌ ی «کاپوتی»، ایشان را «کامل‌ترین نویسنده‌ ی نسل من» بنامند؛ «بلیک ادواردز»، کارگردان «امریکایی»، فیلمی از روی این رمان ساختند، که با آن‌که مثل یبش‌تر اقتباس‌های سینمایی، از رمان ضعیف‌تر است، باعث شهرت بیش از پیش رمان شد؛ نقش هالی «گولایتلی» در این فیلم را «ادری هپبورن»، بازی کرده که آن شخصیت هم یکی از بیاد ماندنی‌ترین شخصیت‌های سینمایی تاریخ است

نقل از متن: (من همیشه کشش عجیبی به خانه ها و محله هایی دارم، که قبلا در آنها زندگی کرده ام؛ مثلا ساختمانی سنگی در خیابان هفتاد و چندم شرقی هست، که در سالهای اول جنگ جهانی دوم، اولین آپارتمانم در «نیویورک» را آنجا گرفتم؛ کلا یک اتاق بود پر از اسباب و اثاثه ی معمول اتاقهای زیر شیروانی، یک کاناپه، و صندلی های پت و پهنی که روکش مخمل زبری، به رنگ قرمز تند داشتند، و آدم را یاد روزهای داغ، در تراموا میانداختند؛ دیوارها گچی بودند، و به رنگی شبیه تفاله ی توتون؛ همه ی دیوارهای خانه، حتی دیوار دستشویی، پر بود از عکسهای ویرانه های «روم باستان» که گذر زمان بر گوشه گوشه شان، لکه های قهوه ای، به جا گذاشته بود؛ تنها پنجره ی خانه به راه پله ی اضطراری باز میشد

با اینهمه، هر وقت کلید این آپارتمان را، در جیبم لمس میکردم، حس خوبی بهم دست میداد؛ با وجود تاریکی و ملالش، مکانی بود از آن خودم، اولین مکان از آن خودم؛ کتابهایم هم آنجا بودند، و شیشه هایی پر از مداد، در انتظار تراشیده شدن؛ خلاصه آنجا همه چیز فراهم بود، هرچه آن زمان به خیالم لازم داشتم تا نویسنده ای شوم که دلم میخواست

آن روزها هیچ به ذهنم نرسیده بود، که درباره ی «هالی گولایتلی» بنویسم؛ شاید اگر آن گفتگو با «جو بل» پیش نمیآمد، و همه ی خاطره هایم از نو زنده نمیشد، حالا هم به صرافتش نمیافتادم

هالی گولایتلی، مستأجر یکی از واحدهای ساختمان سنگی قدیمی بود، درست زیر واحد من؛ «جو بل»، صاحب باری نبش خیابان «لکزینگتون» بود، و هنوز هم هست؛ هم من و هم «هالی» روزی شش هفت مرتبه میرفتیم آنجا؛ البته همیشه به قصد نوشیدن نمیرفتیم، بلکه گاهی میخواستیم تلفنی بزنیم؛ زمان جنگ، کمتر کسی تلفن خصوصی داشت؛ به علاوہ، «جو بل»، پیغامگیر خوبی بود، و این برای «هالی»، موهبت بزرگی به حساب میآمد، چون هر روز کلی پیغام داشت

البته که همه ی اینها مال مدتها پیش است، و من تا همین هفته ی پیش، سالها میشد که «جو بل» را ندیده بودم)؛ پایان نقل

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 03/11/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 14/08/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

Die wenigstens, die für den Film “Frühstück bei Tiffany” schwärmen, werden die Romanvorlage von Truman Capote. Ich zähle auch dazu. Schon als Junge fand ich die selbstbewusste Art, wie die wunderschöne Audrey Hepburn die Holly Golightly spielt, einfach faszinierend. Kann man sich wirklich von einem so prägenden Film lösen, wenn man den Kurzroman (oder die lange Kurzgeschichte?) liest? Nein, es ging nicht. Ich hatte permanent Audrey Hepburn in meinem Kopfkino.

Das verklärt die Sichtweise auf das Buch. Wenn ich aber mal versuche, den Text losgelöst von den Bildern auf mich wirken zu lassen, dann wundert es mich, dass man aus seiner Vorlage ein solchen Film machen kann. In manchen Szene blitzt der Charme und die Eigensinnigkeit von Holly im Roman durch, aber die langen Monologe ihrer Verehrer, Nachbarn, Ex-Ehemänner nehmen ein viel größeren Raum im Buch ein, als mir das lieb war. Es war interessant, den Roman zu lesen. Er löste aber bei mir nicht das intensive Gefühl des Films aus. Das Buch wirkt etwas hektisch und geschwätzig, während der Film auch mal eine Szene in seiner Ruhe wirken lassen kann. Beispielsweise wie Holly in der Eingangsszene in den Morgenstunden in die Schaufenster von Tiffany’s schaut, einen Donut ist, noch im Abendkleid von der nächtlichen Party, den Kopf dabei hin und her dreht. Diese Sehnsucht nach dem Schönen und dem Kostbaren kommt da ganz ohne Worte aus. Das Buch ist lesenswert, der Film ist aber noch sehenswerter.

Some persons live their life as if they’re just playing a game. And such is Holly Golightly – she doesn’t live, she’s travelling light… Exactly like her name may suggest.

Her bedroom was consistent with her parlor: it perpetuated the same camping-out atmosphere; crates and suitcases, everything packed and ready to go, like the belongings of a criminal who feels the law not far behind.

She doesn’t want to exist in reality, she doesn’t want to grow up, and her life goes on as though she lives in a dollhouse.

“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. You can’t talk her out of it. I’ve tried with tears running down my cheeks.”

She dreams her great American dream and in this way Breakfast at Tiffany's echoes The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Holly Golightly believes that there is a crock of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow…

I don’t mean I’d mind being rich and famous. That’s very much on my schedule, and someday I’ll try to get around to it; but if it happens, I’d like to have my ego tagging along. I want to still be me when I wake up one fine morning and have breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Dreams of a beautiful life have been the ruins of many a poor girl… And the story keeps repeating.

I spent today in bed because I wasn't feeling well and spent part of that time just reading this from front to end and I have to say it was a nice set of short stories to read while feeling sick and sorry for myself. I feel like writing was comforting and all the stories had that undertone of loneliness or grief that tends to resonate with me. Of course I loved Holly Golightly, I tend to really like flawed/ridiculous/over the top characters. I really liked the last story as well, A Christmas Memory, or maybe it just made me cry so I'm feeling very tender about it. I didn't really like House of Flowers but I did like A Diamond Guitar as well. Overall a good read, hoping to read In Cold Blood sometime soon too since I really enjoyed Capote's writing style.

It never crossed my mind to read this book since I had not seen the movie, but after reading A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote I was smitten. For such short stories I treasured both of these books. Something about his writing puts you right there in the story, and I love how even though his writing is poetic and beautiful it’s so easily readable. Since I knew nothing about this, I went in only having an image of a beautiful and elegant looking Audrey Hepburn in my head playing the character of Holly Golightly, and my impression of her character could not have been more false. Nor could the story could have proceeded in a more different direction than I had expected, but I loved it nonetheless, for the insight into Holly’s character and her amusing life. She was an eccentric character who looked at life through rose colored glasses and had many unfavorable qualities, but despite these traits there was something so charming and lovable about her that I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her. I wanted so much more and was disappointed when the story ended, but given his style I think the ending had a purpose… I just felt sorry for her poor cat!