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Summary: "Midnight in the Garden.." Rings Truth
Review: A non-fiction dissection of a small, southern city, "Midnight.." reveals the crudest facts behind the average everyman in the pseudo-modern South. The author's approach is brilliant. He covers a high-profile murder case, while still managing to broach the subjects of homosexuality, transexuality, witchcraft, and racism (to name a few). This story can only stem from reality, which adds to its brilliance.
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Summary: Densely packed for 388 pages.
Review: Aside from the fantastic title, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is an enjoyable, if somewhat bizarre trip to the self-isolated enclave known as Savannah, Georgia.The author managed to discover a technique my 8th grade English teacher was fond of, that being "Don't tell me, show me!" Berendt does not overtly make judgements about any of the characters. He simply introduces you to them, coaxes you down the path of his own opinions, but still allows readers to make their own judgements. It is not entirely unlike encountering people in a social setting. It occurred to me that out of the first 6-7 characters Berendt introduced, the person living the thing closest to a normal life was a transvestite. For instance, the self-serving, law-bending, amoral Joe Odom was, nonetheless, an irrepressibly likable character with an infectiously impish charm, a piano he plays every hour of the day and a knack for living in nice homes without the owner's knowledge. The book's nominal story was a killing, though I found the ensuing courtroom drama somewhat long and redundant. A true slice of life, but not a very compelling one. The dialogue was sometimes forced, but was useful in explaining the interplay between various characters. I greatly enjoyed the political wrestling and influence/prestige shoving matches going on in Savannah. Those expecting typical legal thriller fare will be disappointed. Those expecting one-dimensional, read-'em-at-face-value characters will also be disappointed. Those who become instantly offended by the mere thought of voodoo, evil spirits or telekinesis will also find this the wrong book to read. Anyone who enjoys character-driven narrative and a few scenic, possibly important side roads along the plotline will like this selection.
Rating: 
Summary: Gets better halfway through
Review: Nonfiction account of New York journalist who becomes part-time resident of Savannah's historic district to gather material for book. When one of the profiled eccentrics kills one of the others, the author becomes the historian for an interesting series of murder trials. It takes some discipline to get through the first half of the book, as the chapters are disjointed and there is no plot. Once the murder occurs and becomes the central theme, the book becomes much more interesting. Ultimately, the book works well on many different levels, as a crime story, and as a commentary on our legal system, class differences, race, money, society, and even the spirit world.
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Summary: Why is this book so popular?
Review: This book is not well written. One winces at the long, laughably unconvincing dialogue passages that are simply exposition...e.g at a cocktail party where each guest chimes in with another chunk of Savannah history...the only colorful character is the black transvestite Chablis... at least she doesn't talk second rate jounalism, but talks instead about herself. Most of the anecdotes about colorful types in Savannah are trite, overdrawn, unconvincing. Very slow for first hundred pages. I'm astonished the reading public has the patience to slog through this book.
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Summary: A truly suspensing novel
Review: The book truly deserves more than 5 stars if you ask me. It leaves you in suspense up to the last minute. I would Recommend it to anyone
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Summary: A cast of memorable characters make this story work well.
Review: What I found amazing about this book is that the events and people were all from the author's true experience! Savannah comes to life through the unforgettable characters...the denizens of the city, who seem to transcend both time and reason. It's truly a gothic Southern tale. Relax and enjoy.
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Summary: JUNK!
Review: And here we have yet another example of the power of the herd mentality on the reading public, including, I am sorry to admit, me. Why this obnoxious, distasteful, poorly-written piece of pulp ever made it to the best-seller lists, let alone STAYED on the lists for such an unbelievable amount of time, is beyond me. Unfortunately, I only made it to page 186 before giving up entirely and throwing the book away, so my review is somewhat incomplete. I knew it was getting bad when I had to force myself to pick it up and read it when I had a spare moment, as opposed to taking a walk or simply going to sleep. I truly enjoyed the descriptions, brief as they were, of the architecture and natural beauty of Savannah. What a lovely city it must be. But the lousy, disinterested style of writing, coupled with an amazing preoccupation with what seemed to be the absolute dregs of southern society (with one or two exceptions), made it an utter chore to read. If you want tawdry details of the personal lives of detached, isolated losers, a sort of written version of the Jerry Springer show, well, plunk down your money. Otherwise, please do not waste your time. Read something else. ANYTHING else. As a minor side note, thank you, Amazon, for selling this book at a 50% discount. Paying the full price for this book would be a crime.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding -- makes you drive slower!
Review: I listened to the 10-tape unabridged audiobook. I was captivated from tape 1. I am scared to see the movie -- it may ruin the book for me. Reader Jeff Woodman is an excellent narrator.
Rating: 
Summary: I must have missed something!
Review: I cannot for the life of me understand all the five-star and four-star ratings! I forced myself to finish it hoping that it would get better, but it didn't--at least not to me.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, It's all true - and very well told !
Review: My wife and i just returned from a vacation in Hilton Head, SC and Savannah, GA. Savannah stores and tour guides always talk about "THE BOOK" and "THE MOVIE". We had no idea what or who the book was about until we listened to the tapes on the drive home from Georgia. What a great narrative and description of the city! Now that we've listened to the book AND rented "the movie" (which doesn't do the book justice) - we are planning another trip to Savannah just to relive the book all over again. Highly recommended!!
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