LEADER
Herb Shapiro received his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Rochester. His specialty is mid-20th-century American literature, culture and film. He has enjoyed working with adult readers in Rochester and at UCLA, Stanford, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and various SUNY campuses in New York State, where he has taught both undergraduate and graduate students. In 2024 he led a Classical Pursuits seminar on The Great Gatsby. He has never been to Kansas!
READINGS
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
(Knopf/Doubleday, 1994)
ISBN-13: 9780679745587
In Cold Blood directed by Richard Brooks
(Columbia Pictures, 1967)
Available on DVD; for streaming options in the US visit JustWatch and for streaming options in Canada visit JustWatch Canada
Selected essays to be provided via PDF
SEMINAR OVERVIEW
The creation of a new literary genre
When it was initially serialized in The New Yorker in 1965 and then published in book form the following year, this sensational retelling of the brutal 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Kansas was thought of as another version of the “true crime” genre that was popular in mid-century America. In Cold Blood became one of the best-selling novels of all time. Capote proudly declared that his novel represented a new and important postmodern genre which he called “the nonfiction novel,” a narrative form that used traditional aesthetic techniques associated with literature but is based very closely on a real-life journalistic event. The book was followed by Richard Brooks’ powerful 1967 film which itself blurs the line between genres.
In the seminar we will explore the book, the film, and their larger context. Areas of inquiry include Capote’s literary techniques, the various literary forms that inform his novel (the western, the true crime novel, hard-boiled detective fiction, etc.), its influences on later well-known writers, and the challenges and benefits of translating from one imaginative genre to another.
Toronto Pursuits pricing options
All seminars are $150 off through February 28. Sale prices are automatically applied.
Bring a friend and save even more! Take $100 off your registration for every new friend you bring to Toronto Pursuits. Your friend also saves $100 on their registration. Choose your discount from the dropdown menu based on the number of friends who also plan to register, and let us know your friend’s name in the order notes.
The fine print: To get the bring-a-friend discount, your friend must not have registered for any previous Toronto Pursuits seminar in any year. Your friend must register by July 1, 2025, or Classical Pursuits will apply the nondiscounted price to your final payment. Limit one $100 discount per participant for being referred as a new friend. For example, if person A brings new friend B, person C cannot also claim friend B for the bring-a-friend discount. If friend B brings new friend D, friend B qualifies for $100 discount for being a new referral, and an additional $100 for referring new friend D. Classical Pursuits reserves the right to make all decisions about discount eligibility.
Toronto Pursuits 2025
See the Toronto Pursuits 2025 page for full details on the program schedule, health and safety, booking your accommodations, terms and conditions, and more.
And a tough little man said, “I believe in capital punishment. It’s like the Bible says—an eye for an eye. And even so we’re two pair short!” (from Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood)
