In Cold Blood.

Eviltoastman · Post by **Eviltoastman** » 17 Sep 2006, 04:09

Not seen the film, but bought it because of it. HMV had it on offer for £2.99 to promote the film. Read the book ignorant of the plot and the characters and found it an extremely good read. Fantastic detail (have since read that Capote often embellished and took many liberties with his accounts) but very well written and completely absorbing. Going to watch Capote later. Downloaded it a few days back, been itching to watch it, but wanted to finish the book first.

After reading reviews and the synopsis of Machete Season (viewtopic.php?t=39872) the accounts of the two protagnsist of 'In Cold Blood' mirrored what some of the killers in Rwanda's genocides felt about murder. That it was easy, that they were completely detatched etc. Going to get that next.

Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak (Paperback)
by Jean Hatzfeld.
ISBN: 0312425031
"This book features the testimony of 10 friends from the same village who spent day after day together, fulfilling orders to kill any Tutsi within their territory during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. While their anecdotes are shocking at first, they detail how an ordinary person with an everyday life in a farming village can be transformed into a killer. As one man explains, "if you must obey the orders of authorities, if you have been properly prepared, if you see yourself pushed and pulled, if you see the killing will be total and without disastrous consequences for yourself, you feel soothed and reassured." A reporter for Paris's Libération, Hatzfeld has a remarkable ability to pry into the killer's memory and conscience. One Hutu tells how "a pain pinched his heart" when confronted with an old Tutsi soccer teammate he was obligated to kill. Others describe the regrets or nightmares they have now that the genocide is over (and they are in prison). But for the most part, the interviews reveal the killers' naïve expectations for forgiveness and reconciliation once they are released. Hatzfeld offers an analysis of the psychology of the perpetrators and how the Rwandan genocide differs from other genocides in history. Steering clear of politics, this important book succeeds in offering the reader some grasp of how such unspeakable acts unfolded."

judasmuppet · Post by **judasmuppet** » 17 Sep 2006, 08:04

I've been tempted to get this out for the last few weeks. I read the book years ago now. I remember being confused as to why I was totally engrossed in that style of writing. Job well done.

Eviltoastman · Post by **Eviltoastman** » 17 Sep 2006, 09:31

Yeah. Very distinct voice. Excellent method. Allegedly he was a cunt.

ReverseEngineer · Post by **ReverseEngineer** » 17 Sep 2006, 20:38

he was certainly a cunt
but that doesn't change the fact that he pretty much invented his own form of nonfiction.