In Cold Blood. by Capote, Truman [Harper Lee] - 1965

New York: Random House, 1965. First edition of Capote's landmark true-crime novel. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by both Truman Capote and Harper Lee on the half-title page. Truman Capote's friendship with Harper Lee began in the summer of 1929 when the two became next door neighbors in Monroeville, Alabama; both were the age of five. They shared a love of reading and began collaborating when Lee was gifted a typewriter by her father as a child. Lee drew on their friendship as inspiration for the characters Lee and Scout in her masterpiece To Kill A Mockingbird; Capote based his tomboy character Idabel Thompkins in his first novel Other Voices, Other Rooms on Lee. They worked together on Capote's true crime novel, In Cold Blood; Lee acted as his 'assistant researchist' and edited the final draft of the book. Upon its publication in 1965, Capote failed to acknowledge Lee's contributions to the book, after which their relationship was never the same. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. Jacket design by S. Neil Fujita. An exceptional association copy.