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A review by raulbime
A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote
4.0
This is a collection of three short stories. All of them about the holidays, they are all set in the South of the U.S. and they are all recollections of childhood. The first short story [b:A Christmas Memory|9919|A Christmas Memory|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320404365l/9919._SX50_.jpg|386792] has received a lot of positive reviews from friends these past few days, and it is an excellent story, perhaps the best from the collection and it revolves around the recollection at seven of the narrator's friendship with an older cousin who is in her sixties as well as their rat terrier companion (both feature in all the stories) and their preparations for Christmas.
The second story [b:One Christmas|911316|One Christmas|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475393867l/911316._SY75_.jpg|2944143] is set mostly in New Orleans, where the narrator leaves to spend Christmas with his father, away from his cousin Miss Sook whom he greatly loves and later experiences a harsh disillusionment as regards to Santa Claus. The third story [b:The Thanksgiving Visitor|911317|The Thanksgiving Visitor|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179401547l/911317._SX50_.jpg|1124202] is about the narrator and his bully Odd Henderson, a poor boy who picks on him because of his being a "sissy" and as a form of "straightening" him out. The narrator gets a chance at revenge when Odd is invited to his house for thanksgiving.
It is difficult to not give away too much plot of short stories when describing what they are about. These short stories are excellent, fine writing which I think captured the essence of holidays at the end of the year as one grows older, a lot of reminiscing and nostalgia. I loved the friendship in all the stories and the learning and growth of the protagonist and I certainly understood the Capote and [a:Carson McCullers|3506|Carson McCullers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1335451237p2/3506.jpg] comparisons after reading them. I highly recommend [b:The Member of the Wedding|330244|The Member of the Wedding|Carson McCullers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403187223l/330244._SY75_.jpg|604941] if you liked these short stories and recommend both if you haven't read them.
The second story [b:One Christmas|911316|One Christmas|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475393867l/911316._SY75_.jpg|2944143] is set mostly in New Orleans, where the narrator leaves to spend Christmas with his father, away from his cousin Miss Sook whom he greatly loves and later experiences a harsh disillusionment as regards to Santa Claus. The third story [b:The Thanksgiving Visitor|911317|The Thanksgiving Visitor|Truman Capote|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179401547l/911317._SX50_.jpg|1124202] is about the narrator and his bully Odd Henderson, a poor boy who picks on him because of his being a "sissy" and as a form of "straightening" him out. The narrator gets a chance at revenge when Odd is invited to his house for thanksgiving.
It is difficult to not give away too much plot of short stories when describing what they are about. These short stories are excellent, fine writing which I think captured the essence of holidays at the end of the year as one grows older, a lot of reminiscing and nostalgia. I loved the friendship in all the stories and the learning and growth of the protagonist and I certainly understood the Capote and [a:Carson McCullers|3506|Carson McCullers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1335451237p2/3506.jpg] comparisons after reading them. I highly recommend [b:The Member of the Wedding|330244|The Member of the Wedding|Carson McCullers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403187223l/330244._SY75_.jpg|604941] if you liked these short stories and recommend both if you haven't read them.