Literature of the Americas Literature of the Americas 2541-7894 2542-243X IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-7894-2024-17-233-259 Research Article Articles The Unknown Anecdotes of Truman Capote 2024 Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 From November 1944 to September 1945, twenty-year-old Truman Capote contributed a satire and humor column to Reader's Scope, — a magazine founded by American communist Leverett Gleason (1898–1971). Capote never mentioned the title of the magazine, preferring to hide this experience behind general statements about working for a digest magazine. Why did he do so, and what circumstances compelled the aspiring novelist to take up literary hackwork at a digest magazine with a doubtful reputation? The article explores the little-known episode in Truman Capote’s biography. Previously unknown pieces by Capote add new satirical works to the writer's bibliography. The article for the first time presents in Russian short humoresques and anecdotes written by Truman Capote exclusively for Reader's Scope. The article analyzes their style and genre characteristics, and also gives as an example one of the feuilletons, which became a version of Capote’s famous short story “My Side of the Matter.” The article contains information about Leverett Gleason's magazine and biographical information on its founder, taken from the FBI case. Acknowledgments: The author is grateful to the bookshop Between the Covers Rare Books Inc (Gloucester City, NJ) and personally to Kellie Paullin for the scanned copies of the two issues of the Reader’s Scope and to Brett Dakin, Lev Gleason’s grandnephew for the information about his relative. 1. 2. Hadju 2009 — Hadju David. The Ten-Cent Plague: the Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America. New York: Picador, 2009. 3. Hirsch 2021 — Hirsch, Paul S. Pulp Empire: the Secret History of Comic Book Imperialism. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2021. 4. Letters 2000 — Letters from the Editor: The New Yorker’ Harold Ross. Edited by Thomas Kunkel. New York: The Modern Library, 2000. 5. Plimpton 1997 — Plimpton, George. Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career. New York: Doubleday, 1997. 6. Saroyan 1998 — Lee, Lawrence. Saroyan: A Biography. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1998. 7. Too Brief 2004 — Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote. Edited by G. Clarke. New York: Random House, 2004. 8. TCC 1987 — Truman Capote: Conversations. Edited by M. Thomas Inge. Jackson and London: University Press of Mississippi. 1987. 9. Worcester 2020 — Worcester, Kent. “ American Daredevil: Comics, Communism and The Battles of Lev Gleason.” The Comics Journal (July 15, 2020). https://www.tcj.com/reviews/american-daredevil-comics-communism-and-the-battles-of-lev-gleason/