But if Miss Go lightly remained unconscious of my existence, except as a doorbell convenience, I became, through the summer, rather an authority on hers. I discovered, from observing the trash-basket outside her door, that her regular reading consisted of tabloids and travel folders and astrological charts; that she smoked an esoteric cigarette called Picayune's; survived on cottage cheese and Melba Toast; that her varicolored hair was somewhat self-induced. The same source made it evident that she received V-letters by the bale. They were torn into strips like bookmarks. I used occasionally to pluck myself a bookmark in passing. Remember and miss you and rain, and please write and damn and goddamn were the words that recurred most often on these slips; those, and lonesome and love.

— Truman Capote

But if you live your life without feeling and compassion for your fellowman—you are as an animal—'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' & happiness & peace of mind is not attained by living thus.

— Truman Capote

But I'm not a saint yet. I'm an alcoholic. I'm a drug addict. Furthermore, I'm homosexual. Furthermore, I'm a genius.

— Truman Capote

Don't want to sleep, don't want to die, just want to go traveling' through the pastures of the sky.

— Truman Capote

Duty asked Smith, 'Added up, how much money did you get from the Cutters?' 'Between forty and fifty dollars.

— Truman Capote

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.

— Truman Capote

Fame is only good for one thing - they will cash your check in a small town.

— Truman Capote

Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the backyard and shot it.

— Truman Capote

Fitzgerald has charm. It's a silly word, but it's an exact word for me. I like 'The Great Gatsby' and it's sad, gay nostalgia.

— Truman Capote

Friendship is a pretty full-time occupation if you really are friendly with somebody. You can't have too many friends because then you're just not really friends.

— Truman Capote