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5+ Works 19,151 Membros 391 Críticas 12 Favorited

About the Author

John Berendt (born December 5, 1939) is an American author, known for writing the bestselling nonfiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction. He grew up in Syracuse, New York and majored in English at Harvard mostrar mais University. Berendt was once the editor of New York Magazine, and he also made a living by writing and editing for several magazines, with a regular column in Esquire. Berendt began traveling frequently experiencing his first trip to Savannah in 1982. After several return trips, he made Savannah his primary home. The best selling novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is Berendt's account of living in Savannah with the mix of people ranging from well-bred socialites to outrageous black drag queens. One morning, Berendt was informed that Jim Williams, an antique dealer and owner of the Mercer House, had shot his housemate Danny Hansford. The story centers around the murder and the bizarre events following the shooting that led to Williams' four murder trials, a Georgia record. Berendt is also the author of The City of Fallen Angels, which is set in Venice. (Bowker Author Biography) mostrar menos
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Obras por John Berendt

Associated Works

Other Voices, Other Rooms (1948) — Introdução, algumas edições2,536 exemplares
The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook (1998) — Introdução — 603 exemplares
Hiding My Candy: The Autobiography of the Grand Empress of Savannah (1996) — Introdução, algumas edições255 exemplares
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil [1997 film] (1998) — Original book — 187 exemplares
An Innocent Abroad: Life-Changing Trips from 35 Great Writers (2014) — Contribuidor — 71 exemplares
Carmina Burana (vocal score) (1991) — Prefácio, algumas edições59 exemplares
Literary Savannah (1998) — Contribuidor — 39 exemplares
The New Great American Writers' Cookbook (2003) — Contribuidor — 21 exemplares
Angelo Musco: Operaprena (2003) — Contribuidor — 2 exemplares

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Conhecimento Comum

Membros

Críticas

loved it. The city, the people the "mystery" was a minor player but it all added up to a good read
 
Assinalado
cspiwak | 287 outras críticas | Mar 6, 2024 |
I ran across a news article about 2024 being the 30th anniversary of this book and giving some detail about it. Shortly after that a copy appeared in our Little Free Library, and some friends highly recommended it as well. Of course I had heard of the hype over it some years back, but had never gotten around to reading it. So I decided it was finally time to do that. It did not meet my expectations, which admittedly, were probably a bit higher than they should have been.

The book was alright and while I didn't find it riveting, it was somewhat entertaining, or informative at least. As all sources had indicated, it was truly more of a memoir of a particular period in Savannah society and a few of the upper crust and those who were involved with them. In covering the murder case of a troubled young man and his accused murderer, a high end antiques dealer; it managed to paint a portrait for us of Savannah in the 1970's and 80's.

The writing style was adequate and straightforward, with no frills. As the author had written magazine articles for many years, this makes perfectly good sense. That style is just what we find in the book, as well.

Events, details and descriptions were laid out matter of factly, with no pretense at suspense or complex story lines.

And so the story of Jim Williams, Danny Hansford and 8 years of jury trials, with descriptions of Savannah, and some if its inhabitants woven in, unfolds for us to its denouement.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
shirfire218 | 287 outras críticas | Mar 4, 2024 |
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. Interesting, funny, readable, but not amazing or life-changing. Failed to make me think.
 
Assinalado
caedocyon | 287 outras críticas | Feb 23, 2024 |
Nonfiction books, even those covering a specific event in a specific setting, tend to be a little dull in their dry factualness. Nonfiction true crime has a tendency toward moralizing. Berendt’s story of a young man killed by his lover/employer in an isolated Georgia town avoids both. He carries the reader along with charming descriptions of the people of Savannah, who seem just like crazy characters in a Southern Gothic lit novel. But these are real people, and supposedly the stories he tells about them are real, as well, and I would get a sudden jolt when he’d slip a chilling fact in amongst the tale of some cheerful eccentricity, such as the town’s complacent acceptance of a jury letting a group of men go free because the victim they stomped to death was “just” a homosexual, or of Savannah’s extraordinarily high murder rate because the victims are mostly black, so it’s “a black problem”.

His storytelling is calculated to entertain, and he treats the town and its people with affection, but he does not refrain from telling the whole story and leaving the judgement up to the reader.

I read this book for the Twelve Tasks of the Festive Season challenge. This book was for Task the Third: The Holiday Party (Read a book where a celebration is a big part of the action), because the action in the book revolves around a series of parties and ceremonies, from the annual Christmas party given by the killer, to the never-ending house party given by the lawyer/conman, to the society ladies’ exclusive tea parties, to the midnight graveyard ceremonies conducted by the voodoo woman.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
Doodlebug34 | 287 outras críticas | Jan 1, 2024 |

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Estatísticas

Obras
5
Also by
10
Membros
19,151
Popularidade
#1,138
Avaliação
3.8
Críticas
391
ISBN
125
Línguas
16
Marcado como favorito
12

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