From Amazon:
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 enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city has become a modern classic.

Kuju gave this to me at last night's games evening. *yay* a new book and a night of playing board games! Who could ask for more *g*.

wow, what a fantastic novel! what a journey! When I picked this up I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much.

Although this is essentially a murder mystery, the murder does not happen until half way through the book. Midnight's real appeal is its host of eccentric and colourful characters: Luther Driggers, a bizarre recluse who experiments on animals, Chablis, a brazen black drag queen, Joe Odom, a piano-playing, con artist, Minerva, a voodoo priestess who uses graveyard dirt to work her magic, and Jim Williams, an arrogant, haughty antiques dealer who kills his gay lover in "self defense".

And then I was amazed to discover this story and the people in it are based on reality! Ultimately this novel shows that truth is stranger than fiction.

This will be another downunder ray. Participants involved so far:

FuShMuSh - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Meganh - Bendigo, VIC, Aus
Mundoo - Hindmarsh Island, SA, Aus
Scism - Adelaide, SA, Aus
Newk - Adelaide, SA, Aus
MsMello - Perth, WA, Aus
Gypsyrose02 - Seville Grove, WA, Aus
Twinmaker - Winthrop, WA, Aus
Crimson-tide - Balingup, WA, Aus
murmurrr - Bickley, WA, Aus
Luckaye - Logan city, QLD, Aus
Noodlebowl - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Bookfrog - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Littlemave - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Funkybamboozle - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Futurecat - Christchurch, NZ - Posted 19/01/2006
Loopylou127 - Hassall Grove, NSW, Aus
Charmedwitch23 - Sydney, NSW, Aus
Bookray, RABCK or wild-release... you choose

Instructions:
1. Sign up for this BookRay by sending me a Private Message. New members will be added to the end of the list.
2. When the person above you on the list finishes the book, they will send you a Private Message to ask for your mailing address. If you are too busy to read the book in the next few weeks, let me know and I will move you down the list.
3. Make a journal entry when you receive the book to let us know you got it.
4. When you finish the book, make another journal entry telling us what you thought.
5. Send a Private Message to the person after you on the bookray list and request their mailing address. If the person doesn't answer within 7 days, please PM the one after, and then me.
6. Send the book on its way.

Received today. Thanks for starting this downunder ray fushmush.

I read this book in 4 days (after an abortive loan to my daughter who didn't end up reading it!)
I thought the characters were just that - characters! They seemed unbelievable as real people and the story the same. It was all quite bizarre - hard to put down but also difficult to believe. I found the court cases for the murder trial frustrating. I'm sure in Australia the defense lawyer gets to have the last word - perhaps in the US they do not have the presumption "innocent until proved guilty". Also bizarre that the jury were allowed to go home in the midst of considering their verdict. It certainly showed Savannah as a city that stands alone - and I would love to visit there to see all the beautiful squares, homes and the cemetery.
I had forgotten this was based on fact and was quite shocked to discover this at the end.
Thanks for sharing this fushmush, off to Mundoo next.

Got the book in the mail today.

What an interesting story and colourful characters. An easy read and the town, houses, people and costumes were described well and I often felt I was part of the scene. The main character (the writer) was good as an outsider looking in. I did find it slightly hard to believe that he was the only white person at the black deb ball. All the more credible that the story was true and based on real events and people. A good book.

Sending on to Scism

Received in the mail today (May 4th) - thanks Mundoo. I plan to read it and send it on to the next person by the end of May.

I'm sad to report that I wasn't able to read this book within the month that I had planned. Non-Bookcrossing committments got the better of me, and I haven't had any time to read (shock-horror!). So, in the interests of preventing a stall in the bookring, I'm mailing this off to newk today.

and now I have it. I shall keep in touch. Thanks to all before me in the ring. And scism...the stamps didn't get cancelled. You bewdy

This book got me in straight away. I had just cleared the house of ring books so i started on it immediately. Three hours later it was a late night in the newk household.
A delightful book. I should have it on its way in another week or so. I shall keep in touch of course.
And hi to meganh. I have not forgotten "portrait in sepia". Funnily enough I had just got out to read when this book arrived. But it has found its way to the top.
And hello to fushmush who has a fab bookshelf. And I shall stop the hellos with mundoo who should be getting the bogan book box soon IF I can nag quizzical into parting with it.
Bye for now

an update: I am enjoying this book greatly. Sorry to be a bit slower than I would have liked. Will maybe another week to ten days. I have been very busy outside of BXing

A clever and beautiful book. The author can really write. My favourite line, from page 62: "the voice came over my shoulder like a murmuring breeze."
Savannah as described is a delightful city. Certain of its attributes, for example its social hierarchy, beauty, city squares, civic pride, size and inward looking nature could also be used to describe Adelaide. Also the "everyone knows everyone else" air is similar.
The murder and subsequent trials are all very well and interesting but really an aside to a well crafted and enjoyable insight into an old southern USA city.
I would recommend this book to any intelligent reader.
With great thanks to all who have been before and I hope scism is less busy one day and can finally enjoy this book.
I have the address of the next reader and the book will be mailed in the next coupla days. I will make a journal entry to confirm.

added a few hours later: For those interested search the web and you will find photographs of the people and places involved. Start at savannahnow.com
I must go and hire out the movie

http://www.savannahnow.com/goodandevil/slideshow/index.html

posted this morning in a red parcel satchel in the letter box just down the road

I received this today. Unfortunately, I have so many other things going on that I'm not going to get to it. I'll send it straight on to gypsyrose asap.

Thanks anyway!

received this yesterday as part of a bookring. ive been wanting to read this for so long!!thanks guys. will get it read and sent off asap.

this was a mixed bag of goodies for me. flew through the first half, but struggled with the second part. but carried on as i wanted to finish it. loved minerva and the voodoo. very cool. posting off to twinmaker tomorrow.

received in the post today, have one ahead of it and them I'm on it.

I really enjoyed this book. I especially liked the fact that the author wove so many of the characters into the story rather than just write specifically about Jim Williams murder trial. Great read. On to the next participant

Arrived in my PO Box a few days ago, but I was not here til today. Thanks to all thus far. It is second on the pile, and shall report back when read.

Great book and very well written. Can't add much more than has been said above. I did see the movie when it first came out & enjoyed it, but as is usually the case, the book is so much richer. Kevin Spacey was an inspired choice as Jim Williams. I also have the sound track which consists entirely of Johnny Mercer songs, and played it occasionally as I read the book. It set the mood and atmosphere and I could see again the wonderful architecture and the squares of Savannah and almost feel the eerieness of being in the Bonaventure Cemetery at night.

Will post off to murmurrr on Monday.

Has arrived safely and I am looking forward to reading it.

Released on Friday, December 03, 2004 at about 8:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Australia Post in Kalamunda, Western Australia Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

Has been mailed on - sorry for the delay :^)

Arrived today and has been placed next to my bed. I may take it into the hospital tomorrow to read whilst my 4yo daughter gets her tonsils out.

Well I have finally gotten around to reading this delightful book and I can't imagine why it took me so long to start! I really enjoyed the story and the descriptions.

RELEASE NOTES:

I found this in a box of stuff my sister tidied up - in an envelope and ready to go - I thought I had sent it already! So sorry for the delay!

Arrived safely in my postbox on Monday. Thanks! Wow, this book has certainally been around the traps.

OK! It might help to log on before making aforementioned journal entry!

Really enjoyed this book. It sort of reminded me of reading the character sheets at the start of those murder mystery games. It definitely captures the feel and atmosphere of Savannah in an intimate way only one who has lived there can deliver.

On to bookfrog tonight at the Sydney BC meetup.

I am a bad bad person or as fushmush said a slacker! Unfortunately after I received the book, I packed up my place, moved, went on holidays, came home and went straight back to work and entertained guests so the unpacking is going slowly and I only just rediscovered that I had this and I hadn't journalled it and Mt TBR is toppling over with all the books I need to read that are on rings.

After being told to get my act together and read the book I wondered why I had put it off too long... not just the time for journalling but I have been meaning to read this book for years. It's one of my friend's favourite books and she has always raved about it - dragged me to see the film - which I did enjoy.

I could see Keven Spacey in the role of Jim in my mind's eye as I read - either perfect casting or it just stayed with me all this time. I think I need to see the film again.

The characterisations in the book are marvellous - so many different people, different personalities, different driving forces.

Definetly a good read!

Onto littlemave soon as I walk around the corner and drop it in the mailbox ;)

Bookfrog gave this to me a couple of weeks ago, but I have not had the chance to make a j/e until now. (sorry fushmush)
Will get to this ASAP.

Thank you so much fushmush for organising the ray, and kuju too.
I've just closed the book after the last page and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Sorry it took a while...) Normally in stories with so many characters there is an introduction to each one, then later when you come across them again, you have forgotten who they were or what their relevance was - well, not with this book. Maybe because it is written in the first person you get a better picture of the characters, with the interaction of the narrator, personal observations etc. I like the the book being interwoven with history, demographics and various statistics of the area, it really set the scene.
A society so insular that it rejects outside influence, and a town that has the ambition of having no ambition is pretty rare! There is progress, but no advancement?
I liked the way Luther stuck cotton onto the flies so they hovered above his head and he held doors open for them, I loved the sound of Joe Odom, the attorney with a gregarious lifestyle and generous hospitality, and I laughed at the Womens Card Club. And Lady Chablis, well wasnt she a scream!

Thanks newk for the slide show link, and also on the SavannahNOW.com website are some other bits of trivia, ie where the people are now, and so on.

Will contact the next in line now.

Funkybamboozle has a note on her profile not to send any books at the moment, so I have put this into the mail [read: abandoned to the international postal system...] for futurecat today.

Arrived safely in New Zealand today, along with a couple of fun bookmarks.

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An enjoyable glimpse into the hidden side of society. Like others have mentioned, some of the characters seemed just a little bit larger than life, but even as caricatures they are wonderfully written, and you can't help liking them (even if you'd hate to have them as neighbours!). I did wonder a bit too at the narrator being allowed so easily into their intimate lives, given that he was an outsider. But a fascinating story nonetheless.

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Loopylou127 hasn't replied to my PM asking for their address, so I've PMed Charmedwitch23, who's next on the list.

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Just remembered I never updated this to say the book was posted airmail to Charmedwitch23 on 19/1/06.

Recieved safe n sound. Sorry for not journaling earlier. Thanks Futurecat. Ill read as soon as I can. Lots ahead of it.

Cheers,
Charmedwitch