Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
THE LANDMARK NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, NOW A MAJOR MUSICAL COMING SOON TO BROADWAY • An enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city: “Elegant and wicked.... [This] might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime." —The New York Times Book Review • 30th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author.
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 true-crime book has become a modern classic.
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 true-crime book has become a modern classic.
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Readers say *Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil* is a captivating, true-crime tale deeply rooted in Savannah’s unique culture and eccentric chara...
Ok, I am torn between 3 and 4 stars. It's definitely NOT forgettable. It's not my first time trying to read this book; I got to the same point as last time and thought MEH. However, I then discovered this book is classified as nonfiction. I discovered this when some postcards fell out of this book - of the Mercer House, and of Jim Williams in his living room holding a cat. My Savannah mom loaned me the book a few years ago. It has a sticker inside that says "THE BOOK" GIFT SHOP 127 E Gordon St Savannah. Googled that and it looks like its had some SERIOUS issues and is currently a historic mansion with 1960-1922 described as a period of "Gradual Decline" and now there is a restoration underway. Which makes the sticker interesting. Because clearly that gift shop hasn't existed in decades. Apparently after this book was published, everyone in Savannah called it "THE BOOK". So some kind of book related-gift shop must have existed at this location. Anyway, SO. Jim Williams was a real person and without spoiling the story, the facts appear to be pretty real. The author says 99% real, but frankly I am gonna have to go with 80/20 after reading and just doing a little online surfing. However, the REAL aspect made it a LOT more interesting and I became so much less judgy and just enjoyed the story. It's an entertaining story. A little too much in the moment sex and everything else for this to be 99% nonfiction...there is no way you could describe the cemetery sex unless you interviewed the person. And THAT person was not referred to as a witness nor did I see a claim to have interviewed them. I might still look that up. The Lady Chablis descriptions - I understand they are firsthand - because the author met her, AND she was in the movie. But, they struck me as odd. What do I know though. Google tells me there is a RuPaul episode where someone did a Lady Chablis so I may have to check that out. Maybe it's just the 1994 approach to the drag/trans sphere being dated. It was not negative, just kinda weirdly presented. Maybe I should hold off my judginess until I see this Lady Chablis who apparently appeared IN THE MOVIE and was famous. That leads me to the fact that there is a movie. That CLINT EASTWOOD directed with KEVIN SPACEY, and a few people in the story WERE IN THE MOVIE. First off I am laughing my @$$ off that they went with Kevin Spacey. I mean, it was before we knew...BUT. And then, to hear the author say Kevin Spacey declined his offer of access to recordings of interviews with Jim Williams to get the voice right because he did not need them - he had already heard a tape. And after seeing the movie, the author figured out it was clearly the one tape from an event where Jim Williams had been giving testimony on a sedative. And, if you are connected to the state of GA, you may also be entertained by descriptions of one of the real life lawyers, who had a part in the movie, and is the custodian of all the UGA mascot bulldogs. Until I read this book I thought it was spelled UGGA. I may have to watch this movie, or at least fast forward through it. If you have any familiarity with Savannah, which I do, you will at least connect with the book for that reason. And if you do, and you know it is "nonfiction" it's a good ride. I enjoyed looking up facts about the story. The author is an engaging writer. Outside of that, I probably could not say READ THIS STAT. I can say it is unforgettable, a good story, and true-ish. So, hey - give it a shot. And, if you have not been to Bonaventure Cemetery you are missing out.
Jan- loved the book and it's characters.
Mel- found it ok; liked it better the first time she read it.
Michele- Read 9 chapters.
Connie- Didn't like the book as a whole but found the trial interesting and some of the history of the city of Savannah.
Lydia- loved the book so much she went to visit Savannah after she read it when it first came out.
Pat- didn't like the first of the book but enjoyed the trial and some of the philosophical references.
Erica- loved the book and recommended it.
Lynne-Loved the book.
Lynne-didn't finish the book but she had read it year ago.
Doris-Visited Savannah, loved the squares. She did see the movie.
I enjoyed this book. I loved the old south feel and the eccentric characters. The retelling of the murder was well done, it left me with questions
Great characters and vivid descriptions of Savannah in its glory. it has a slow Savannahian way of leaking out the story to the reader to keep the pages turning. The end was a surpirse
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