Avg. Customer Rating:(based on 493 reviews) Sales Rank: 5649 Category: Book
Author:John Berendt Publisher:Vintage Studio:Vintage Manufacturer:Vintage Label:Vintage Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published) Media: Paperback Number Of Items: 1 Pages: 400 Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7 Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.9
Product Description 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 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.
Amazon.com Review John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil has been heralded as a "lyrical work of nonfiction," and the book's extremely graceful prose depictions of some of Savannah, Georgia's most colorful eccentrics--remarkable characters who could have once prospered in a William Faulkner novel or Eudora Welty short story--were certainly a critical factor in its tremendous success. (One resident into whose orbit Berendt fell, the Lady Chablis, went on to become a minor celebrity in her own right.) But equally important was Berendt's depiction of Savannah socialite Jim Williams as he stands trial for the murder of Danny Hansford, a moody, violence-prone hustler--and sometime companion to Williams--characterized by locals as a "walking streak of sex." So feel free to call it a "true crime classic" without a trace of shame.
A must read if you are going to Savannah! November 29, 2008 I did read this book a couple weeks before my husband and I went to Savannah and it really did add to the trip...we could really relate to what we were seeing and what I read about in the book. I highly recommend it!
Easily read page turner November 19, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I will admit, my reason for reading this book was based solely on the fact that I will be visiting Savannah in 2009 and judging by what I read online and was told by friends it seemed like a good idea if I had read the book before I went.
The book is well written and very easy to read, although with the numerous characters you do find yourself flicking back to remind yourself who is who.
You do get drawn very easily into the stories that unfold, and it's difficult to put the book down. I had many late nights reading this book!
John Beredent has done a wonderful job of capturing the story, the characters and their personalities. Definitely a great read!
Read it & visit Savannah November 2, 2008 I visited Savannah this summer & then read the book. I had seen the movie when it first came out & remembered that is was a good one, but I forgot so much of it. After touring the Mercer House & confusing several timelines, I borrowed my sister's book & could hardly put it down, and I am a seldom reader. I only read Non-fiction, but this book seems so full of interesting subjects, that it is more like reading fiction. If you like southern history or if you like The southern style that has all but disappeared, then this is a must read, especially if you were not very familiar with Savannah as I was.
Great October 9, 2008 This is a great book. It's a truly engaging story. For all those who enjoyed it, I just read another book that is similar in certain ways and also very evocative and compelling - Saving Savannah. What I found particularly interesting was reading both and then thinking about some of the parallels and divergances that emerge. Savannah during the Civil War never ceases to be a fascinating topic...!
Disappointed September 29, 2008 Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this book. I was really looking forward to reading it because of all the positive reviews I had read. The only reason I gave it two stars is for the authors descriptions of Savannah and its residents. The book was very slow moving and there were characters introduced that were extensively discussed in the beginning but never reappeared in the book near the end. I also purchased the City of Falling Angels for my husband and he said the same thing about it. Nice description of the city but definitely not worth recommending to someone.
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