Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (unbridged)

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Summary: As funny as anything I've ever read ...
Review: I don't quite understand the reviewers' references to Grisham , whose writings I generally dislike, for I found this a book truly worth savoring. At times I laughed so hard people around me said, "Breathe! Breathe!" It was one of those rare books that I was sorry to see end. If you happen to have read (and enjoyed) Peter S. Beagle's "I See by my Outfit," you should enjoy this. I also believe that fans of John Mortimer's "Rumpole" stories will like this book. While it's salient plot device is a murder mystery, it's really a collection of wry observations about eccentric and fascinating characters.

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Summary: A character driven mini-epic of southern drama
Review: Mr.Berendt is an articulate wordsmith with a flair for character description. The story moves along, entertaining the reader without bogging down in over-telling. The visual scenery is easily imagined by the reader, bringing a historical Savannah to life. The end is the weakest point, perhaps slightly anti-climactic since it occurs after the final verdict.

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Summary: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Review: Having spent the last few years on Mars, or at least, in Canada, the entire Midnight rage escaped my attention. I finally tripped over it in an obscure literary magazine, and was immediately captivated by the title. Midnight comes across as a quick piece of fluff, best suited for a beach book, which was my intention. In fact, I skipped the jacket synopsis and headed straight for the story, so I didn't know it was a work of non-fiction until I devoured the text. This is a quick read, taking me a leisurely two days. From the first paragraph, I was reading it aloud to my boyfriend, and we each became transfixed with the descriptive style. Berendt writes like John Grisham wrote A Time to Kill. Remember the scene in Claude's BBQ joint, where Grisham described the clatter, the scents, the appearance, and the reader needed only to inhale in order to be part of the scene? That's Berendt at his best. I feel that I could navigate downtown Savannah with my eyes closed, and open them only to be greeted by familiar sights and characters. Characters may be Berendt's strongest area, or maybe his weakest, for the reader is so drawn in by personalities that it is hard to remember that a young man lay dead, and a town parties on. If this is a work of fanciful non-fiction, then I submit to its beguiling intoxication. If it is completely factual, then pack my bags, I'm moving to this delightful city where the sterility of progress has passed by. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is an easy book to read, but an impossible book to forget.

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Summary: Southern Support
Review: Although I read Berendt's book three years ago, I recently watched the movie and feel indebted to the book for my high acclaim of Eastwood's interpretation. Berendt gives a highly entertaining view on the murder trial of ole Danny and expresses his personal intrigue with the southern city of Savannah through various characters and delightful imagery. Berendt's portrayal of the South exposes societal wrongs by employing characters "southern enough" to tolerate them while he takes his typical humorous stance. However, Eastwood only opens that door to Savannah (by casting Lady Chablis herself) and I am thankful that I read the book before venturing to the theater, because that movie does not give Berendt's book its due inspiration.

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Summary: An Outsiders view, of an Insiders Secrets untastefully done.
Review: Although a masterfully skilled writer in his own right, Mr. Barendt has a style of prose that tends to border on the absurd when facts are involved. The subject matter is interesting to delve into, but, as with any material that is rooted in fact, the Author has no more insight into the facts of this story than do the millions who have read the book. And for that, the City of Savannah and it's many citizens are at odds with the book and it's celebrated author. The manner with which Mr. Barendt acquired his "Inside" information leaves the people in the know wondering why. Why didn't he tell all that he had learned and all that he had been made privy too? Why did he intentially leave out critical elements of the community and their reaction instead of just running rough shod over the facts in favor of highlighting only that which the community at large wanted to leave alone? And, most importantly, why did he intentually stir up the locals with his apparent leanings toward the Gay communities vo

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Summary: WHY AND WHO DECIDED TO MAKE THIS A MOVIE???
Review: YES, THIS MAKES YOU WANT TO VISIT SAVANNAH, BUT NOTHING ELSE. THE MOST COLORFUL AND FUNNY CHARACTER WAS CHABLIS. I AM SORRY I BROUGHT THE HARDCOVER WAS NOT WORTH THE PRICE.

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Summary: An detailed insight into a cross section of stale society
Review: Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil is compelling from the first page. Mr. Berendt's descriptions of the characters he has met brings them to life as though the reader is there with them. His role as observer has remained beautifully neutral while his characters passions have raged with living color. The murder and it's insuing trial aren't nearly as entertaining as the people of Savannah society with whom Mr. Berendt has associated and described with in the pages of the book. I read several books a week and I give this one a 9++ rating.

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Summary: VERY GOOD
Review: This book is a exciting book that i would suggest everyone read. I have visited Savanah,Georgia twice and this story is worth reading and i'm sure worth seeing

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Summary: Learned about the City I lived in......
Review: I learned more about the Savannah I lived in from this book than anywhere else. I moved to Savannah the year that Jim shot Danny, watched the Trial, was great to hear the inside story. John writes with so much passion, you can tell he enjoyed his stay in Savannah and the people. Savannah has Character, and now we know the Characters that made it.

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Summary: Simply Outstanding
Review: One of those rare instances where an author working in a two dimensional plane, the written page, adds the third dimension of depth thereby giving the characters life. True the characters are based on actual persons, but not many authors have the talent of bringing them to life as does Mr. Berendt. His accounts of Savannah and its citizens makes me want to make a return visit to that city, or perhaps even look around my own city of Charlotte to see what is lurking here just below the surface...