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Summary: I was immersed in Savannah and the people who live there.
Review: I read a lot and I found Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil a wonderful book. I was immersed in the characters and the city of Savannah. I could vividly see the surroundings and the people. Reading this book made me want to visit Savannah and learn more about it and the local customs and culture.
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Summary: The old south is captured with all it's eccentricities!
Review: I thought the book was well researched and I loved the way the author just "hung out" with all the characters, with no class distinction. This is the way to find the most amazing characters, especially in the old south, and believe me, being a southerner myself, he left no stone unturned!
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Summary: Magic Carpet Ride To The City Of Self Absorption!
Review: I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the author's voice, but found most of the characters to be unattractive. Berendt's characters are eccentric, head strong and wildy outrageous, but for me, they lacked the substance to make them interesting. Whether rich or poor, all the characters are truly self absorbed and therefore boring. Emma, the road singer was the exception. She's an amazing soul who shares her gift of song tirelessly. The murder thread didn't make this book more compelling. I found myself losing interest. Somehow Savannah in all its self absorbtion was both forgettable and unforgettable, and therein lies the ambiguity. The book is provocative enough to warrant a look, so that you can decide for yourself.
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Summary: Captures the South I grew up in
Review: I grew up in another Southern backwater coastal town (Pensacola, Florida) and its just the same! All sorts of characters living out their lives with surprising variety and creating good gossiping material in the process. How about the time the sheriff was shot by his deputy in the deputy's bed with the deputy's wife. The newspaper first reported it as a "heart attack." One just has to be open to the flow of everyday life. Vaguely reminds me of "A Confederacy of Dunces" set in New Orleans. Just a reminder - real life doesn't always provide a tight plot.
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Summary: Wonderful characters! So-so "story."
Review: John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil has been on the NY Times hardcover bestseller list for almost four years. While I do not for a moment classify it as a "great" book, I see readily its popularity. Berendt writes in essence two books, both set in Savannah, Georgia. Part One of this non-fiction work consists of a series of profiles and vignettes of a series of remarkable Savannah characters. Each of these characters is memorable, and several are hard to believe. Part Two basically takes one of the characters introduced earlier, a wealthy, single (and gay) antiques dealer, Jim Harrison, who is accused of murdering a young male employee at his Savannah mansion. The trial descriptions go on far too long (in part, this is not Berendt's fault, as Harrison goes to three trial, the first two resulting convictions reversed on appeal before a final acquittal). We discussed this book recently in our AAUW book group (which includes men). All of us (save one) enjoyed the book, and all agreed that the first part of the book was far superior. I will be curious to see the movie.
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Summary: A book more about Savannah than a murder case. Captivating!
Review: Not being an avid book reader, I read this book while on vacation in Costa Rica. I had no expectations on the book either way because I had not heard of it before. Once starting the book, I could not put it down. It thoroughly held me captive. The story is much more about Savannah, its history, culture, and attitude than it is about a murder case. The author seemed more like a conduit than an author while the subjects in the book revolved and evolved through him rather than from him. Having been in Savannah several times I think the author was dead solid perfect in his narrative of the people, times, and culture of old Savannah. The charachter Chablis had me in tears most of the time while she was center stage. Oh, and by the way, the book also contains the narrative of a murder in Savannah. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who has no preconceived notions about what to expect.
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Summary: I think the book was a delight.
Review: I kept wondering when the murder was going to take place.... The characters were diverse and fascinating. There were a good many laughs too. I was intrigued by the way the author got involved on a deep level with the characters.Read it and have fun.
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Summary: Absolutely Wonderful
Review: I listened to this book on a road trip from Minneapolis to West Virginia, it made the 13 hour drive a real treat. If I hadn't known that this was a true story I would have thought it was too far fetched, but the story and the people are all real. The narrator, Jeff Woodman, is delightful.
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Summary: Cotton Candy pulp fiction!
Review: I listened to the hype, read this book and was thoroughly disappointed. What was the American public thinking when they made this trash a best seller? The plot was simplistic and the characterization superficial. I hope there exists somewhere in print a better description of Savannah, its Southern charm and respectible people.
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Summary: Descriptive, entertaining...a good read for non-fiction
Review: I loved the book. I found the history and descriptions about Savannah more interesting than the "murder story" itself. Planning to visit Savannah for the first time in December and really looking forward to it. Will do "The Book" walking tour to try to bring the story to life. Anxious to meet the "natives" after reading about their personalities. I have recommended the book to numerous people, but I am careful to point out that it is non fiction and if they're looking for a great murder mystery, this one isn't it. If you want an enjoyable, descriptive book that will lend a "real feel" to the south and the Savannah personalities, this is the one to read.
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