It's been awhile since I read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but there are some books that you don't just read, you breathe in, they become part of your bones, part of your blood, part of your spirit. That is what this book did to me. I read it, and I was changed forever.
The first thing you notice about this book is how thoroughly John Berendt describes Savannah, Georgia. You can see the trees, smell the flowers, feel the Southern sunshine on your face. You get to meet so many crazy Southern people that would seem so unbelievable anywhere else in the country, but here they fit right in. There's the lawyer who is also the owner of Uga, the bulldog that is the mascot for the University of Georgia. There are the ladies who get together to play cards--married women only, though. And my favorite, the unhappy loner who carries around enough poison to take down the whole town and--the best part--a pet fly (yes, I said "fly') on a string.
This is a carefully crafted love letter to Savannah, to all that's strongest about the American South, to all that's the best about humanity. It's a celebration of life and light.
Oh, and did I mention the murder? As if all the beautiful writing wasn't enough, there is also a true crime murder and trial, a walk on the dangerous side of town, and of course, a hint of voodoo. This trip truly has everything!
This is one of those books that you don't rush. You sit down, get comfortable, and savor each and every sentence of this glorious journey. It's a trip that will change your whole world.