My sister went to school at the Savannah College of Art and Design and the first time I visited her every tour guide, store owner and waitress would point out, "that's where they filmed one of the scenes from 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.' You know, the one with John Cusack?" Well, I didn't know, but over the course of that weekend I learned that not only was the movie filmed there, but the movie is based on a book by the same title.
At some point, I came to have a copy of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" in my possession. Perhaps as a result of my mother's book shelf purge before moving to Miami. I never read it, but when choosing books to take on my Cape Cod vacation I thought, now seems like a good time to see what all this fuss is about.
Let me begin by saying I had no idea this book was nonfiction! I just assumed it was a fictional story set in the south. It turns out, the author, John Berendt, was the editor of New York magazine and a columnist for Esquire magazine. When he grew tired of New York, he began traveling. After his first trip to Savannah, he was captivated by the city and found himself returning more and more frequently until he eventually decided to just rent an apartment there.
For the first several chapters, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" introduces you to the charm and mystery of Savannah and to several locals who Berendt became close with. There is the wealthy, antiques dealer, Jim Williams. The transvestite, drag queen, Lady Chablis. The piano bar owner and infamous hustler, Joe Odom. The voo doo witch doctor, Minerva. The list goes on.
Berendt is such an incredible storyteller I kept thinking - these people cannot be real! This is so creative and eccentric.
In the second half of the book, the focus is less on observation and more on a news story that has the whole town stirring. Society staple, Jim Williams, has been accused of murdering one of his employees. Berendt spends the rest of the book following the investigation, trial and aftermath of these events. It's during these chapters that Berendt's past as a reporter shines.
I literally devoured all 386 pages of this book. I couldn't put it down. I loved remembering idyllic Savannah, which Berendt breathes life into with color and sincerity. His ability to define and describe each cast member is nothing short of brilliant. This book will leave you excited (and a little afraid) to experience Savannah for yourself.
