Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil
For a man who wasn't born in Savannah, John Berendt certainly has an unusually close bond with our city. Maybe that's because in writing his first novel, he put our city in the spotlight like never before, causing a sharp rise in tourism and enchanting readers with his tale of intrigue set in downtown Savannah.
The book he wrote was Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil and it stayed atop the New York Times Best Seller List for an incredible four years. Even to this day, that record is still intact.
More than 25 years after the novel was first published, Savannah continues to reap the rewards for Berendt's masterpiece that weaved a true crime drama with eccentric characters that made his book a fascinating read.
Early Life
John Berendt was born in Syracuse, NY in 1940 to Ralph and Carol Berendt. His parents were both writers and, perhaps, the art of crafting words is in his DNA. He was always a lover of words. He majored in English while attending Harvard and headed to New York City after graduation.
Career
For much of the 1960s (1961-1969) he was an associate editor at Esquire Magazine. Later he worked as a writer for the David Frost Show and the Dick Cavett Show. But Berendt loved seeing his words in print and that led him back to the magazine world. This time, as editor. From 1977 to 1979, he had one of the most cherished jobs in the literary world as editor of the prestigious New York Magazine.
After the 70s transitioned into the 80s, John Berendt found himself working for most of the decade as a columnist back at Esquire. His monthly columns afforded him the ability to travel and by 1983 he came to Savannah.
The Savannah Story
Berendt arrived a couple of years after the infamous murder of Danny Hanford by the eccentric antiques dealer Jim Williams. He became fascinated with the story and intrigued by the bizarre people he met. The events surrounding the 1981 murder at Mercer House on Monterey Square would be the foundation he used to craft an intriguing true-crime drama in the heart of the south. Readers were captivated with the peculiar characters that Berendt revealed.
Literary Impact
After Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil, Berendt waited a decade to publish his follow-up novel, The City of Fallen Angels, which was released in 2005 by Penguin Press. That story focused on the eccentric characters he met in Venice in the days after the catastrophic fire that destroyed the historic La Fenice opera house in 1996.
More than a quarter century has passed since the publication of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and it's been more than fifteen years since The City of Fallen Angels was released. Now more than 80 years old, Berendt will most likely never release another novel. For Savannah, he will never be forgotten.
Writer for David Frost Show and Dick Cavett Show
Editor of New York Magazine (1977-1979)
Columnist at Esquire throughout the 1980s
Author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil" (1994)
Author of "The City of Fallen Angels" (2005)
Legacy in Savannah
John Berendt's impact on Savannah cannot be overstated. His masterful storytelling introduced millions of readers to the charm, mystery, and eccentric characters of our historic city. The book's unprecedented success on the bestseller list brought international attention to Savannah, transforming it into a must-visit destination for literary tourists and mystery enthusiasts alike.
Today, visitors to Savannah can still experience many of the locations featured in Berendt's novel, from the squares where his characters walked to Bonaventure Cemetery where the famous Bird Girl statue once stood. His work remains a testament to the power of storytelling to capture the essence of a place and its people.
Related Locations
Explore the Savannah locations featured in Berendt's famous novel and discover the real places behind the story.
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