Court reviewed Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Review of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
A slow start but worth it
386 pages
English language
Published Nov. 6, 1999 by Vintage Books.
4 stars
(47 reviews)
Read John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in Large Print. All Random House Large Print editions are published in a 16-point typefaceShots 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 β¦
Read John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in Large Print. All Random House Large Print editions are published in a 16-point typefaceShots 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: A Savannah Story is a sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city is certain to become a modern classic.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Review of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I first read this about 20 years ago and enjoyed it then. Re-reading this for a book club recently, I find that it still really holds up. It is a fantastically weird story that just keeps building and peeling back new layers of Savannah. It is all proper on the outside but then you get dirty dealings and scam artists, voodoo doctors, political infighting, and multiple bizarre murder trials, all in a city that seems determined to remain stuck deeply in the past.
I love the story of the wealthy woman who orders custom iron gates for her house, then refuses to buy them because she says they are ugly. When the manufacturer slashes the price to sell them off as scrap metal, she sends somebody over to buy them for her and puts them on her house. It is endless stories like that which make this book entertaining and β¦
I first read this about 20 years ago and enjoyed it then. Re-reading this for a book club recently, I find that it still really holds up. It is a fantastically weird story that just keeps building and peeling back new layers of Savannah. It is all proper on the outside but then you get dirty dealings and scam artists, voodoo doctors, political infighting, and multiple bizarre murder trials, all in a city that seems determined to remain stuck deeply in the past.
I love the story of the wealthy woman who orders custom iron gates for her house, then refuses to buy them because she says they are ugly. When the manufacturer slashes the price to sell them off as scrap metal, she sends somebody over to buy them for her and puts them on her house. It is endless stories like that which make this book entertaining and intriguing. Maybe all towns have characters like this, but Berendt really knows how to find them.
With the overarching arc of the book centering on whether Jim Williams gets away with murder (or was he really guilty? or was it probably impossible for him to get a fair trial in Savannah?), you find yourself cheering for him to get away with it. That's quite an odd position to find yourself.
I imagine lots of criticism of this book (and of new journalism in general) is that the author becomes too close to the subjects to really be objective about the story. Whether it is good journalism is an open question, but it certainly makes for a good read.
Review of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' on 'Goodreads'
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (1994)
Subjects
- Williams, Jim, -- d. 1990.
- Trials (Murder) -- Georgia -- Savannah.
- Savannah (Ga.) -- Social life and customs.
- Savannah (Ga.) -- History.