Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing Portrait of Savannah
Review: Non-fiction stories of a unique southern city are nicely interwoven by Esquire writer Berendt, who was lucky enough to live there.Basically, it is a true crime novel, but it is written with warmth, humor, and a remarkable eye for detail. Berendt takes the reader behind velvet curtains and antique walls into a society where pedigree is based as much on lineage, wealth, and power as on quirky southern traditions like knowing how to serve a fine platter of tomato sandwiches. Forget Eastwood's oddly disappointing film; this book is quite marvelous. True crime lover? You will enjoy the book's steamy setting and colorful characters, an almost poetic break from the repetitive and merely competant writings by the likes of Ann Rule. Aristocracy - watcher? You will savour the odd little schemes and intrigues exposed without any hint of malice. The tragic saga of one man's extraordinary ascent into high society is presented amidst many delicious (and often hilarious) vignettes of all levels of Savannah's class structure. The author beautifully describes Savannah's magic, mystery, and achingly sad decay. Really, it is a fine tribute to this historic city of likeable conmen, sexy ne'er-do-wells, conniving politicians, and obsessive hostesses. It's a real page-turner, a good companion if you are planning to visit Savannah.
Rating: 
Summary: Savannah Bound
Review: This book was so intriguing -- it's made me want to see Savannah, to see the mansions and terraces, to have lunch at Joe Odum's place... I'd even like to catch a revue featuring Lady Chablis. I feel like I know these people, and reading the book has even given me mental pictures that make me feel like I've already been there. Reading this book was like watching a movie in full color -- the descriptions and the characters are poignant. They are so interesting, it's hard to believe it's nonfiction.
Rating:
Summary: As a non-non-fiction reader I was pleasantly surprised.
Review: As the first 200 pages of Berendt's book read like a catalog listing of "Who's Who" in Savannah, GA, it took some time for me to get into this story. It is only once past these effusive descriptions of every person and place that the "true-crime" plot of the book takes place. However, once the crime was revealed I was hooked; where it took me 5 days to get through the first 200 pages, I finished the last 200 pages in 4 hours. When I was done, I had that same guilt pleasure feeling as if I had just read a great novel--not something I have ever experienced while reading a piece of non-fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Vastly entertaining if not entirely believable
Review: Berendt claims he made none of this up, and who's to say he's wrong? Still there are SO MANY eccentrics packed between these two covers, one espies a frustrated novelist lurking in Mr. Berendt. (And the book just reinforces the idea that all Southern towns, large and small, are crammed with crazies.) Fictitious or factual, the book is loaded with memorable characters and set pieces: Lady Chablis crashing the cotillion is especially hilarious, the midnight voodoo ritual, the saga of the fancy Georgia lawyer and his UGA mascot, on and on. The greatest service the book provides though is to bring fuller attention (whether the natives like it or not) to Savannah, Georgia, one of the most beautiful cities on the face of the earth. So enjoy MIDNIGHT but take it with the proverbial grain of salt.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Characters
Review: I just went on a trip to Savannah and I carried "THE BOOK" (that's how it's referred to in Savannah) with me. I read while I was there and even took the "Midnight" tour. I loved how Brerendt developed the characters and it was especially amazing being right there in historic Savannah. The book was an enjoyable read, although at times, I found it to drag a bit with details. Savannah was captured beautifully and Berendt gave us a wonderful peak at the secrets that Savannah holds that may not be apparent to those passing by. We actually benefit greatly from Berendt's 8 year on and off stay in this charming place filled with intriguing personalities. I highly recommend Midnight and I think you too may contemplate a visit to Savannah after you finish reading.
Rating:
Summary: A High School History Student
Review: In the view of aa high school student this in some sense was a boring book, the only historic revelance was that it was true story. It had its good points and bad points. The first portion of the book was interesting but boring because it skipped between characters all the time talking about all different things. The second part was worse because it was repetitive. After going through four trials you expect what the lawers were going to use as evidence.
Rating:
Summary: Naive and unsuspecting...
Review: I thought this book to be extremely entertaining...in fact, it was so entertaining, I couldn't believe when I got to the end that I found most of it to be true. Although I live in a small town, I don't think I would find people to be as interesting and full of information here as most Savannahians are. Being naive and extremely unsuspecting made the story all the more interesting for me. I found myself not really knowing what was going to happen next and thinking "that can't be right, they wouldn't really do that" many times throughout the story. Each character boasts a vivid description that allows you to either love or hate them, despite their small (or large) flaws. A very good book, definately worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: You'd SWEAR it was all fiction...
Review: I saw the movie first; probably not a bad idea, as the movie is NOWHERE NEAR WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, but is pretty good on it's own. This book, however, was so infintely incredible, that I still rant about it two years after having read it. Berendt does a fabulous job winding all the BIZARRENESS of Savannah together, but the story ultimately wrote itself. The 'characters' are so INSANE and jaw-dropping UNBELIEVABLE, that you'd swear it was all a work of fiction on Berendt's part; but it's not. And all the good folks os Savannah are so loveable that you fall in love with each and every one of them. (With the exception of Danny Hansford, but that's to be expected.) You simply MUST read this book! (And, you know, it might be a good idead to watch the movie as well...)
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful guilty pleasure
Review: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is just that. A snap shot into the lives of the wealthy and privileged of the South captured in the pages of this novel by the more than skilled and nimble fingers of John Berendet. I almost did not want to reach the end. I fell in love with Savanah, with the wild, wacky and wonderful people that fill this book to the brim with a richness that could only be true. There is a reason that Midnight was the longest running hardback on the New York Times Bestsellers list. It was only recently made into a paperback so that it could reach another audience. This is the story of wealthy and eccectric Jim Williams, who throws lavish parties, is the envy of all of Savannah and equally despised by the same people. During a wild party, one of many, the readers begin to glimpse the underbelly of Jim's world and then suddenly a shot rings out and a man is dead. Accident or murder? How does a transvestite, a vodoo priestess and UGA fit into the picture? You will have to read this fantastically crafted book to discover the truth. If you love the book as much as everyone else - you should rent the movie (which does not hold a candle to the book) just to see the REAL Lady Chablis as she plays herself in the movie. Enjoy this one - it is really worth the read!
Rating: 
Summary: I forced myself to finish it.
Review: This just was not an interesting book. None of the characters were very well developed, so I didn't really cared what happened to them. The first half described houses in Savannah and the second half was about a trial. The second half was a little better than the first, but I thought the book overall was a waste of time.
| 
