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"Dear Genius...": A Memoir of My Life with Truman Capote
This biography by Truman Capote's companion of thirty-five years offers a portrait of the writers and a memoir of their tempestuous relationship.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
275 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1987
About the author
Jack Dunphy
13 books8 followersHis career began in dance and show business but soon turned to writing short stories and novels, and plays that were produced Off Broadway.
Trained in ballet under Catherine Littlefield, Mr. Dunphy toured with the Balanchine company in South America and danced at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. He married another dancer from Philadelphia, Joan McCracken, and together they played in the original "Oklahoma!" on Broadway. Praise for First Novel
His first novel, "John Fury" (Harper, 1946), won praise, particularly for its compassion and restraint. His compassion was also cited in reviews of his other novels, which frequently dealt with troubled families and the despair and loneliness of everyday people. Many of his characters were Irish-Americans, and he often set his stories in Philadelphia.
His plays met with less success, but critics called his books sensitive and carefully written with lyrical passages.
At a cocktail party in 1948 he met another rising author, Mr. Capote, and they fell in love. Mr. Dunphy had separated from his wife, and later they divorced.
Mr. Capote once said Mr. Dunphy "is my family" and the only man he ever loved. They frequently traveled to places like Greece, Italy and Switzerland. But Mr. Dunphy, a private man, shied away from Mr. Capote's fascination with high society. They lived together off and on. For some years their relationship was platonic, but they remained best friends.
When Mr. Capote died in 1984, his will named Mr. Dunphy as the chief beneficiary. He wrote of their times together in "Dear Genius: A Memoir of My Life With Truman Capote" (McGraw-Hill, 1987).
John Paul Dunphy was born in Atlantic City and grew up in Philadelphia. In his youth he worked odd jobs, as a printer's devil for a book publisher and an apple picker in Bucks County in Pennsylvania.
While serving in the United States Army in Germany in World War II, he published his first work, "The Life of a Carrot," in Short Story magazine. More stories followed in Harper's Bazaar and other magazines.
Trained in ballet under Catherine Littlefield, Mr. Dunphy toured with the Balanchine company in South America and danced at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. He married another dancer from Philadelphia, Joan McCracken, and together they played in the original "Oklahoma!" on Broadway. Praise for First Novel
His first novel, "John Fury" (Harper, 1946), won praise, particularly for its compassion and restraint. His compassion was also cited in reviews of his other novels, which frequently dealt with troubled families and the despair and loneliness of everyday people. Many of his characters were Irish-Americans, and he often set his stories in Philadelphia.
His plays met with less success, but critics called his books sensitive and carefully written with lyrical passages.
At a cocktail party in 1948 he met another rising author, Mr. Capote, and they fell in love. Mr. Dunphy had separated from his wife, and later they divorced.
Mr. Capote once said Mr. Dunphy "is my family" and the only man he ever loved. They frequently traveled to places like Greece, Italy and Switzerland. But Mr. Dunphy, a private man, shied away from Mr. Capote's fascination with high society. They lived together off and on. For some years their relationship was platonic, but they remained best friends.
When Mr. Capote died in 1984, his will named Mr. Dunphy as the chief beneficiary. He wrote of their times together in "Dear Genius: A Memoir of My Life With Truman Capote" (McGraw-Hill, 1987).
John Paul Dunphy was born in Atlantic City and grew up in Philadelphia. In his youth he worked odd jobs, as a printer's devil for a book publisher and an apple picker in Bucks County in Pennsylvania.
While serving in the United States Army in Germany in World War II, he published his first work, "The Life of a Carrot," in Short Story magazine. More stories followed in Harper's Bazaar and other magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 4, 2019
Nothing good to say about this travesty of a bio.
August 17, 2020
I love memoirs, and I particularly love Truman Capote. Having read all his writings, and most of the writings of others about him, I was delighted to find a book I’d never read by his partner of 35 years, Jack Dunphy, about their life together. Or, that’s how it’s billed. It’s actually a very strange hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, with Dunphy appearing as himself and as a priest. I’m sure there’s a ton of deep meaning here that went right over my head, but the fictional priest sections began to tire me about half way through, and I began skimming them. Unfortunately, the memoir part of their life together was during the final years of Capote’s life, and were terribly sad.
I don’t know if I’d recommend this to anyone. Perhaps, if you’re a hard core Capote fan, as I am, it might be interesting. But, reading this during anxiety and grief ridden days (which the last few weeks have been for me) is perhaps a bad idea. Maybe I’ll pick it up later and like it more, but for now I’m giving it a very generous 3 stars.
I don’t know if I’d recommend this to anyone. Perhaps, if you’re a hard core Capote fan, as I am, it might be interesting. But, reading this during anxiety and grief ridden days (which the last few weeks have been for me) is perhaps a bad idea. Maybe I’ll pick it up later and like it more, but for now I’m giving it a very generous 3 stars.
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May 5, 2020I wanted to like this book because I’m fascinated by the relationship between Jack and Truman. I just could not keep reading. There are two Jacks in this book. The Jack who is in a relationship with Truman Capote and the priest who is a metaphor for Jack, the person Jack should have been or wanted to be or something. I would have kept going if the writing were more to my liking, honestly, but even Jack’s writing was underwhelming. Just not good. Sad.
February 14, 2024
The worst - LOUSY
October 7, 2014
I first read this book in 1990...and it still draws me in with the multi layered struggles of the personal complexities of spiritual love, physical desires, solace, friendship, devotion, sacrifice, salvation, and pain. The fictionalized background story never bothered or confused me....with Father Synge, Robert Devereaux, the "passion" for the church was explored thru Synge, and more specifically in the brilliant counterpoint of Annie as Sister Secret, and the unresolved relationship between her and Malloy....I understood it even more as something Dunphy clearly wanted us to recognize about his personal relationship with Capote, but knew the words would most likely seem shallow coming from his own mouth. I appreciated it as another glimpse into the desires and disappointments of Dunphy and Capote's role-playing relationship all thru their years together. Many small lines call out to me and have remained thru the years: as Father Synge tells Dunphy after meeting Truman, "I believe more than I disbelieve......it's my miracle, let me keep it.". And that was Dunphy's own admission, he loved and needed Truman more than he doubted or could ever resist accepting and loving him.
November 26, 2013
I discovered Jack Dunphy, Truman Capote’s companion for over 30 years, after seeing the movie “Capote.” The guy intrigued me as I wanted to learn more about the man who put up with Capote for so many years. And then I discovered he was a good writer too, after reading his first novel, “John Fury.” This is Dunphy’s “memoir” of his time with Capote. Initially titled “My Tribute to Truman Capote,” his publisher, McGraw-Hill, decided to cash in on Capote’s death and change the title. So what’s really between the pages is the story of a priest, Fr. Synge, who is photographed helping an inebriated Capote up after he’d fallen in front of a gay bar. And then there is some of Dunphy’s reminiscing of his life with Capote. So the title is truly a set-up and at first I found the tale of the priest rather annoying. However, Dunphy is a great writer, and his story does come out. According to a couple of sites on the Internet, Fr. Synge is actually Dunphy had he become a priest. So I really enjoyed this book as I like Dunphy’s writing and find Capote so tragic. This book makes them both human.
March 21, 2012
I had a difficult time getting into the book at first. Part of what contributed to that was the character of the priest who is really Jack Dunphy, but Jack Dunphy is also a separate character. This created confusion, which I feel was totally unnecessary, and rather annoying. But the book left me with a real appreciation of the love that Dunphy had for Capote. Dunphy should have focused more on that aspect and less on the fictional sub-plots he felt he needed to add. He did provide some interesting insights, but I had to work at finding them. I kind of wish I had just read the second half of the book!
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November 10, 2008Just a bad book. The fictional part about the priest was horrible- I thought. Hard to follow- ridiculous dialog- absurd scenes- boring. The chapters where he talked about Truman were interesting though. It's the only thing that kept me going. Maybe one or two insightful messages or descriptive passages that I found memorable. Otherwise- a waste of time.
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December 28, 2014i just don't even know
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews