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Welcome to the second Adam’s Book Club Newsletter.
September's choice is In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
In Cold Blood is considered by many to be the pioneering example of the nonfiction novel and the first modern true-crime story.
On November 15, 1959, a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children were murdered in their home. Capote saw a small report on the case in The New York Times and travelled to Kansas (with his friend and fellow author Harper Lee) to interview residents and investigators. The pair compiled 8,000 pages of notes. In Cold Blood is the result of that research.
It first appeared in September 1965 as a serial in The New Yorker. It was an immediate sensation and was published in book form five months later in 1966.
I’ve only read Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Capote—I haven’t read any of his other work. Nor have I ever read anything from the true crime genre before so I am very much looking forward to this one. Send me your thoughts and I will include a selection of them in our next Book Club newsletter on the 1st October.
‘‘It's a magnificent job—this American tragedy—with the incomparable Capote touches throughout. There may never have been a perfect crime, but if there ever has been a perfect reconstruction of one, surely this must be it.’’ ~ Kirkus, Oct. 10, 2011
'It is the American dream turning into the American nightmare ... By juxtaposing and dovetailing the lives and values of the Clutters and those of the killers, Capote produces a stark image of the deep doubleness of American life ... a remarkable book' ~The Spectator
Until then, happy reading.
Stephanie
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino.
Invisible Cities was an unusual read for me. It was certainly easy to imagine the weird and wonderful cities that Calvino describes and any attention given to cartography is a plus in my eyes;
"I think you recognize cities better on the atlas then when you visit them in person," the emperor says to Marco, snapping the volume shut.
And Polo answers, "Traveling, you realize that differences are lost: each city takes to resembling all cities…, Your atlas preserves the differences intact: that assortment of qualities which are like the letters in a name."
My interest dipped halfway through because of the repetitive structure and the lack of ‘traditional narrative’ but I persevered and I am very glad that I did. By the end I was completely enamoured by his beautiful writing style and found myself going back to particular passages that were simply just a joy to read. It is certainly unlike anything I have ever read before and I think if I were to recommend it to anyone, I would suggest that they remove any intention of finding ‘sense’ in Calvino’s storytelling and simply take enjoyment from the experience. Even in the text, Polo makes it clear that ‘the listener retains only the words he is expecting…, It is not the voice that commands the story: it is the ear."
Your thoughts:
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John ffrench was an instrumental figure in the design industry in Ireland and a distinguished pioneer of Irish studio pottery.
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"I should declare my hand. I have a weakness for pictures that punch above their physical weight, and for artists who have been quietly underrated for too long. This pair is both. They are intimate enough to live with at close quarters and serious enough to repay any amount of looking. If the market has lately shown signs of catching up with eighteenth-century Irish painting and I think it has, these two small panels feel, to me, like exactly the sort of thing that will look obvious in twenty years’ time."
Adam’s is honoured to present works from the collection of Lord Rossmore in the upcoming Country House Collections auction at Howth Castle on 28th April. It is seldom that an influential Irish family collection that has survived through the generations comes to the open market.
Works Sold at Adam’s Now in the Irish National Collection
A great opportunity to purchase both established and lesser-known artist’s work at an accessible price point, the Online Picture Auction is the first of many sales to be hosted at Adam’s in 2026. It is perfect for those looking to start a collection and the discerning collector alike.
Through this article, let our expert Adam Pearson guiding you to the (re)discovery of the once established Irish painter Richard O’Neill.
Buying at Auction and the Role of Antiques in a Modern Home
Important Irish Art Auction Highlights
Oliver Dowling Collection by Aidan Dunne
2024 is a year in which Adam’s wants to recognise the key role buying antique furniture and furnishings at auction contributes greatly to the sustainable initiative. In 2019 the Environmental Protection Agency reported stark figures that each year in Ireland 1.2 million reusable bulky items, primarily furniture goes into landfill. Similar to the problem of ‘fast fashion’, the constant production and consumption of new items is leading to rapidly growing waste problem. We want to acknowledge those who are already buying second hand or antique furniture at auction and to encourage new buyers by highlighting the benefits of acquiring affordable, well-made quality items that are built to last.
Irish author, recipe creator and lifestyle influencer, Indy Parsons, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
James Adam & Sons Ltd, Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers, 26 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
D02 X665, Ireland
