Sunday, July 14, 2013

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt


"For me, Savannah's resistance to change was its saving grace. The city looked inward, sealed off from the noises and distractions of the world at large. It grew inward, too, like hothouse plants tended to by an indulgent gardener. The ordinary became extraordinary. Eccentrics thrived. Every nuance and quirk of personality achieved greater brilliance in that lush enclosure than would have been possible anywhere else in the world."

"The characters in this book are real." This is the first sentence in this book after you finish it. I found myself saying it over and over actually...the entire time I was reading this non-fiction story about Savannah, it's eccentric personalities and the famous murder trial that occurred there throughout the 80s. The title is derived from the voodoo theme that makes its way into the story as the trial progresses. I won't ruin it for you, but if you are ever in a cemetery near midnight, just know that the half hour before midnight is for doing good, and the half hour after is for evil. Well written, amazingly true and I'm headed to track down the movie based on this book for sure.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Great movie as we'll. Loved Spacey in it.

Unknown said...

I had Spacey on my mind when I read this....and I have to say that it added to the enjoyment of reading the book. Looking forward to seeing him bring Jim Williams to life for sure.

Unknown said...

I enjoyed the movie. I have not read the book. Susan's parents live very close to Savannah and we have visited it several times and seen the house from the street. Savannah is a great city. I really enjoy visiting.

Unknown said...

After reading this, Savannah is definitely on my list to travel to for sure. The book is excellent...haven't been to the city, but I "feel" like I have.