<P> An alternate explanation for Capote's interest holds that The New Yorker presented the Clutter story to him as one of two choices for a story, the other being to follow a Manhattan cleaning woman on her rounds . Capote supposedly chose the Clutter story, believing it would be the easier assignment . Capote later did write a piece about following a cleaning woman, which he entitled "A Day's Work" and included in his book Music for Chameleons . </P> <P> 50 years after the book was published, it is still of interest to readers . </P> <P> In Cold Blood brought Capote much praise from the literary community; despite the book's billing as a factual account, critics have questioned its veracity, arguing that Capote changed facts to suit the story, added scenes that had never taken place, and manufactured dialogue . Writing in Esquire in 1966, Phillip K. Tompkins noted factual discrepancies after he traveled to Kansas and talked to some of the same people interviewed by Capote . In a telephone interview with Tompkins, Mrs. Meier denied that she heard Perry cry and that she held his hand as described by Capote . In Cold Blood indicates that Meier and Perry became close, yet she told Tompkins she spent little time with Perry and did not talk much with him . Tompkins concluded: </P> <P> Capote has, in short, achieved a work of art . He has told exceedingly well a tale of high terror in his own way . But, despite the brilliance of his self - publicizing efforts, he has made both a tactical and a moral error that will hurt him in the short run . By insisting that' every word' of his book is true he has made himself vulnerable to those readers who are prepared to examine seriously such a sweeping claim . </P>

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