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Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty,early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman's Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the "soul of pampered self-absorption"; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young blacks dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this true-crime book has become a modern classic.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 22, 2005 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780307933393
- File size: 437401 KB
- Duration: 15:11:15
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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January 10, 1994
After discovering in the early 1980s that a super-saver fare to Savannah, Ga., cost the same as an entree in a nouvelle Manhattan restaurant, Esquire columnist Berendt spent the next eight years flitting between Savannah and New York City. The result is this collection of smart, sympathetic observations about his colorful Southern neighbors, including a jazz-playing real estate shark; a sexually adventurous art student; the Lady Chablis (` ``What was your name before that?'' I asked. ``Frank,'' she said.' ''); the gossipy Married Woman's Card Club; and an assortment of aging Southern belles. The book is also about the wealthy international antiques dealer Jim Williams, who played an active role in the historic city's restoration--and would also be tried four times for the 1981 shooting death of 21-year-old Danny Handsford, his high-energy, self-destructive house helper. The Williams trials--he died in 1990 of a heart attack at age 59--are lively matches between dueling attorneys fought with shifting evidence, and they serve as both theme and anchor to Berendt's illuminating and captivating travelogue. -
The South is mysterious, with mores and conventions foreign to the hustle and transience of the North. In Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil a Northern writer who lives half the time in Savannah provides a firsthand look at these mysteries, at the charisma behind the South's particular brand of good and evil. At the heart of the book is the story of Savannah's most celebrated murder, in which an eccentric antique dealer is accused of having killed his male companion. Anthony Heald performs admirably, reading this mysterious tale in a variety of soft Southern tones. Each character's individual cadence and personality are brought to life through his skillful voice. M.B.K. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine -
This witty, suspenseful narrative creates tension, in part, by contrasting its eccentric characters with the genteel setting of Savannah, Georgia. Jeff Woodman excels at vocal color, quirky phrasing, and other dramatic techniques. In particular, he shows he is a master of accents and cross-gender depiction by bringing alive the character of Chablis, the man who thinks he's a woman, as "she" prances and fumes through life. Did Jim Williams, the wealthy antiques dealer, kill Danny Hansford, the crazy mixed-up kid, in cold blood? This true-crime story is bizarre, entertaining, and very novel-like, and Woodman should be added to every audiobook addict's list of favorite narrators. S.C.A. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine
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Antiques dealer Jim Williams stands trial for the 1981 murder of 21-year-old hustler Danny Hansford in the historic city of Savannah--but did he do it? This strange true story of an eccentric Southern gentleman reads like a locked-room mystery, complete with conflicting evidence and colorful characters who are either proud or deluded, or both. What the story gains in this full-cast medium cannot be overstated. The atmospheric extras--including an e-book version, interactive visuals, interviews, and more--all point fingers of intrigue toward the core of the production: the superb performances by Jonathan Davis, Robin Miles, Laverne Cox, and others. Davis plays straight man to a party of offbeat character interpretations, seamlessly weaving in and out of the story. Tone is a weapon all the narrators use for the purpose of delivering a unique, all-encompassing experience. J.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
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