Truman Streckfus Persons, or also known as Truman Capote, was a quite controversial American journalist and writer with a special character, known mainly for the novel Breakfast at Tiffany's and his document novel In Cold Blood. It is that novel with which would coin the term non-fiction-novel, so I create a benchmark for what would be the new American journalism.
Such is the interest in this American journalist and writer, that, according to The Guardian reports, his mortal remains were sold at auction this week. So the ashes of Truman Capote, author of Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood, were sold in Los Angeles for $ 43.750.
Stored in a japanese wooden box, the ashes belonged to Joanne Carson, wife of Johny Carson, the host of the popular television program Tonight Show. According to Julien's Auctions, Carson, who died last year, said having the ashes always brought her great comfort. She and Capote were very good friends and the celebrated writer died in her Bel-Air mansion in 1984, at the age of 59.
Not only were his ashes sold, but the clothes Capote was wearing on the day of his death were bought for $ 6.400 and two prescription pill bottles for $ 9.280. With this we can never get to think about the real interest in these very particular belongings. The eccentric sells as we can see and the ashes of a person, and more those of such a controversial and special character, writer and journalist.
Already in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space, in an episode where an alien species was represented, the Ferengi, ultra-capitalists with a most ridiculous funeral, sold the remains to collectors who bought them. Something similar to what happens today that anything, as long as there is belonged to a famous person, has its great value.