Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty,early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt’s sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a … a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young blacks dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city has become a modern classic.
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A whimsical true story, not funny, just a fun read! I enjoyed it, and having been in Savannah a few years ago, it was nice reminiscing about the experience there.
Very thought provoking, and demonstrative with the images it creates for us!
While not exactly the same as the movie, which I love to watch over and over on rainy days….it is still interesting real-life story with intriguing characters.
I am probably the last person to read this book, and I couldn’t put it down. Even though I loved the rich, almost Gothic description of Savannah, it was the zany characters that made the book. I was surprised to find out that this was his own take on a true story.
This book is a great read and is based on true events. The movie based on the book is good, but the movie never matches the book in being able to reveal the inner voice of the characters.
I loved this book. I had visited Savannah a few years ago and was on a tour that included this house. I guess there is a movie, but I have never seen it. This book is fantastic. Rich in history, a wonderfully unique and authentic voice…. A terrific read with well-deserved accolades.
One of my favorites ever. A fascinating look at Savannah life…reads like a novel. Engrossing, witty, surprising account of a young man’s awakening to the good, bad and very ugly of society. As is often the case…better than the movie (which was still very good!)
I recently took a trip to Savannah for a long weekend. I visited the Mercer-Williams house and witnessed many of the details of the book. Berendt nailed the mystique of the city and it’s many interesting inhabitants. The story was enthralling.
I absolutely loved this book. Great narrative for each of the characters. The plot was interesting and made me want to visit Savannah. I highly recommend the book over the movie.
A long time ago, in a land not too far away, John Berendt wrote one of the best books I’d ever read. I couldn’t put the book down. It wasn’t just the murder mystery, it wasn’t the amazing backdrop of Savanah Georgia… it was the loony, flawed and fabulous cast of characters that populated this grand adventure. And then I realized, this all …
This will keep you glued to the pages of a true crime (murder) that happened in Savannah. This book has original characters that you couldn’t make up even if you wanted to. You can go through the house in Savannah.
The murder takes place after a Christmas Party at Jim William’s if you ever go to Savannah
I think Jim murdered Danny and then …
I read this book several years ago and it has haunted me ever since. The characters and plot read like fiction. The author saw a side of Savannah, Georgia, most people never see. It is one of the books I hold on to.
Fascinating telling of a true murder case. You won’t be able to believe it and you won’t be able to put it down.
The writer immersed himself in the city of Savanna and wrote a fascinating book about a local murder. It’s nonfiction that reads like a novel.
If you saw the movie, you should really read the book. The movie was a highly condensed version of the book, which provides a diverse and fascinating look at the culture of Savannah, Georgia. Most of the book has nothing to do with the murder that is the subject of the book. The movie was very good, but the book is excellent.
There is absolutely no better way to get to know Savannah, Georgia unless you pack up and go live there. But you still won’t get invited to the very important parties, or get to see what goes on behind closed doors…but this book can let you in on all of that. This book is full of Southern charm and so very much more.
Great characters and wonderful descriptions of Savannah.
Loved the atmosphere of this book. Savannah is a beautiful town.
I have to state that I read this book only after watching the movie of the same name starring Kevin Spacey which was released three years after this non-fiction work. The story is so interesting in large part because of its location in Savannah Georgia. The story is ostensibly about a murder trial, but the real story is about the quirky group of …
I was excited to read this one because it’s in the true crime genre and is about a murder in Georgia. I was definitely in the mood for this type of book. And then I opened, began to read, and was left utterly disappointed…
This is supposed to be about a murder, but that was merely a backdrop. The book was filled with a guided tour (so-to-speak) …
“I simply loved this book,” she says with a syrupy Georgia accent.
Such fun, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Filled with extraordinary visual pictures about a time and people where appearances mattered more than even money. Set in Savannah, a reporter follows the life of the social elite, antique dealer, Jim Williams for the shooting …