Truman Capote was short — 5 foot, 3 inches — and spoke in a strange, high-pitched Southern accent. He was a wildly camp gay who effortlessly held whole parties in thrall with his anecdotal brilliance and cool outrageousness. I have always remem- bered one story about him, which I hope is true. At the height of his fame, a lady spotted him in a restaurant, rushed over and asked him to autograph her breast. Capote did so. Her husband, incensed, strode over, took out his penis and suggested Capote might like to autograph that too. “Well,” responded Capote, “perhaps I could initial it.” — Brian Appleyard writing in the London Times about the mythology surrounding the famed nonfiction novelist.