Welcome to Litsy!

This might be one of the best known true crime books. A John Cusack movie was even made of it (I have heard it is not good so I am passing on it). I found the book itself to be a bit scattered. Lots of characters (in every sense of the word) most not really having anything to do with the story beyond giving the book a particular vibe. Savannah itself comes off as a very well drawn character, and for that I think the author did a good job. 👇

“I felt perfectly safe in my rolling metal fortress, rusted and dented as it was. Nothing and no one could get to me, and nothing and no one did—with one very notable exception. Her name was Chablis.”
Have to admit, the one thing I didn't expect in a Southern Murder book was a side character who is Trans and the author respecting them. Learning today about beloved Lady Chablis a Trans performer in Savannah who died in 2016 of pneumonia at age 59.

I thoroughly enjoyed this ‘non fiction novel‘ set in the Georgian city of Savannah. It‘s the sort of place which has a hold in my imagination and I‘d love to see one day. Some vivid characters and entertaining moments. While there is a murder mystery the trial is a part of the events rather than a central theme. I admit the tail end of the book loosened its grip on me but overall a great read - unlike the drag of a movie which was made from this.

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil isn‘t so much about the murder of Danny Hansford as it is where the crime fits into Savannah society and the people impacted by it. It‘s an interesting way of telling a story, even if it means that the story loses some of the tension and propulsion a reader could rightfully expect from classic true crime. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/midnight-in-the-garden-of-good-and-evil-joh...

“Rule number one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”

One of the more famous works of true-crime, abetted by the author‘s added advantage of being a friend and confidante to almost all the absurdly rich, decadent and oh-so-genteel actors involved in this eerie Savannah murder case. Also part travelogue, this book makes you want to wander the historic town, spared by the destruction of the Civil War, and visit the lush garden squares and hauntingly beautiful Bonaventure Cemetery.

Soft pick. It held my attention (for all it‘s rambling) & I loved Minerva & Chablis. The whole situation was quite strange.

#WickedWhispers #Evil
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

The facade of peaceful life in Savannah, GA is upturned when a prominent antiques dealer is tried 4 separate times in the shooting of his lover.

While this non-fiction novel did an excellent job at painting a gorgeous scene of a city stuck in the past & an intriguing recounting of a complicated case, I couldn‘t get past the feeling that Berendt really felt like he was better than the people around him.🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

I found this pic of the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA on the blog: http://keepingupwiththejones-s.blogspot.com/2010/06/midnight-in-garden-of-good-a...

This book was everywhere in the ‘90s. It only took me 30 years to get to it. It was pretty good, like a really long, tangential magazine article. The true crime aspect is almost overshadowed by the detours and eccentric characters. Still, a very evocative portrait of Savannah.

Published in 1994 but about a true crime that happened in 1981. I‘ve had this book now probably since the early aughts and providentially picked it up yesterday to read because it will fit this month‘s #TBRTarot tag “Set in the‘80s”

Someone once wrote that musicians are touched on the shoulder by God, and I think it's true. You can make other people happy with music, but you can make yourself happy too. Because of my music, I have never known loneliness and have never been depressed.

#StorySettings
#garden
@Eggs
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Thirty years? 😳

Soaking up my last day of break! #catsoflitsy

I hated this book so much that I actually quit it towards the end. I don‘t even know why I kept trying. But when he started with the “blacks” debutante ball, as if it was one of his comical elements, I was done and done. It‘s not even worthy of me going into it. Yuck!

#december
Second book of December #nonfiction #savannah

I am enjoying this book so much. I love his style of writing like he is having a witty conversation with me. I regret that he has only written one other book. Any other books that you have read that remind you of this one…for an enjoyable reading experience?

Book 160 of the year.

Managed to finish some reads yesterday including this one, which I'm glad I finally read but it wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be.
#Scarathlon #SpookyGhostClub #rushathon #deweysreadathon #popupweekend #birthdaybashweekend #31by31 #falling4books #spookoween #scarathlonatoz #OutstandingOctober @Clwojick @Andrew65 @DeweysReadathon @AmandaBlaze @TheAromaofBooks @catsandbooks @Read4life @TheSpineView @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Texreader

Though I am not going to do the full 24 hour readathon like I normally do, as I have out-of-town family visiting for the weekend, I am going to do what I can to read for some of it. I'm starting Hour 1 with the tagged book that I hope to finish today.
#deweysreadthon #deweysoctober2023 @DeweysReadathon

#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: Killer Joe

Starting a book after midnight, when I have plans first thing tomorrow morning. I might regret this, but I‘m doing it anyway. This line is already setting up the vibe of how creepy this book might be: “…eyes so black they were like the tinted windows of a sleek limousine — he could see out, but you couldn‘t see in.”

I completely bailed on this book at 20%. I could not do it. The descriptions were great but I just couldn't get into it. I love reading a book set where I am so while in Savannah on vacation, I had to try it. I am leaving today towards Charleston and won't be picking it back up again.
But here is a pic of a lovely tree with Spanish moss that happens to neither be Spanish or moss but still is so lovely and evokes such mysticism and stillness.

This has great reviews everywhere but, at about 1/3, I'm getting tired of it. At first I enjoyed the loosely connected vignettes but now I'm finding them tiresome. There's no plot so far, just the author hanging out with various interesting people- and they are interesting!- but I keep waiting for things to *happen* and growing frustrated. I'm thinking I'll send this back to the library and try again sometime. Maybe.

Is there anything better than a crackling "fireplace" (thanks for the Yule log, Netflix), a new kombucha, and a fresh book ? ah just bury me among my books when I go and let the book worms get me ?♥️???

I booked a trip to Savannah after reading this! #temptingtitles #antonyms @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#TemptingTitles
Day26. With Antonyms
#WithAntonyms

I found this to be a spellbinding story. Classic. The author did a good job detailing events.

#nonfiction #truecrime

Visiting the Mercer House in Savannah last week. Much of the book take place here, and I loved getting to explore the historic squares described so beautifully in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

I 1st read this in high school. Up until that point I assumed nonfiction was boring. It was a shocking wonderful experience. The descriptions of people were intoxicating. I was completely enamored with the whole city of Savannah. I could picture every street & quirky neighbor. The fact that those people really existed just made it all the more amazing. Midnight opened the door to the world of creative nonfiction for me. Rereading it was a delight.

A NF look at the beautiful southern city of Savannah, Georgia, and some of its more eccentric citizens. The backdrop for a shooting in 1981 between two men. Employer - Employee, friends, lovers? Murder, or self-defense? This has been on my TBR forever.. I really enjoyed it. The movie..not so much. Non-fiction that reads like a novel.

This looks like it‘s going to be fabulous. Any feedback from anyone who read is greatly appreciated!

Does anyone else feel compelled to buy certain books when you come across them, specifically because you remember seeing someone significant to you reading it years ago? I swear I remember seeing my mom read this when I was a fairly young child. I didn‘t even know what it was about until I found it on Pongo Books about a month ago, but I recognized the cover immediately when I saw it.

When I travel, I love to read books that take place in my destination. I managed to read the first half of this book on the flight to Savannah and the rest on the flight back. It set the perfect scene. Nonfiction has trouble keeping my attention but Berendt's writing is excellent. Highly recommend!

October 23 - The Daily Photo Challenge - Prompt: evil

🔴 6 pts

#OminousOctober
#scarathlon22 #teammonstermash #scarathlon #evil #dailyphotochallenge #newpost #viral #spookyseason #instabooks #halloweenreads #halloweenvibes #halloween #bookporn #trending #horror

This #story about Savanna has been on my TBR for so many years, but somehow it‘s never the thing I reach for. Do you all have titles like that? #evil #Scarathlon2022 #ScarathlonDailyPrompt #TeamMonsterMash @StayCurious @Clwojick #OminousOctober @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Although the murder victim (or perhaps perpetrator?) in this #TrueCrime #Classic was shot to death, it does include a character who possesses an extremely potent bottle of poison. And it took me a week and a half, but I am now officially back on track! 😅

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 17: #Poison #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

#murderhouse

More audiocrafting today. I still have a LONG way to go yet, but at least now I can see my vision coming together.

I finally finished Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I can't tell you how many times I came close to reading this one, but just never quite got there. It was excellently written. I can see why it's a must read.

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks #Litsycrafters #audiocrafting #EricCarle #littlefreelibrary

Yes, I tagged the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I read it in my early 20's and still remember it.

Best part of the week, any day I get to read during the day, just not at night. Worst part of week, any day I am not able to read, due to being sick and brain not working so I can't concentrate.

Thanks @EadieB for the tag and @Eggs for doing this one today.

Want to play: @Clwojick @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego

Picking this book because I am born and raised in Georgia and it‘s about a murder that happened in Savannah and because it‘s a 5 star read @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks #AlphabetGame #LetterM

#AlphabetGame A true crime mystery with the kookiest cast of characters you‘ll ever come across!‘ I couldn‘t put this book down ❤️

Found this for 50 cents in a cardboard box at an outdoor thrift market (signed copy)

Anyone else read it and does it live up to the hype?

My thrift haul…for a total of $1.75

I found this book interesting. At first I didn‘t like how I was waiting for the murder that never came but later on I loved that all the characters were well developed. I didn‘t realize this was a non-fiction until I was almost done. Which makes it even more fascinating. It reads like a fiction, especially the sheer amount of extremely eccentric characters. I have no desire to go to Savannah for so many social reasons but it made a good book.

A pup so exhausted he went back to his crate.
Watched this movie a few times as a kid, realised it was a book. Did not know this was non fiction!! I really enjoyed these characters. Confused as to why half the book was done before the crime happened BUT it's worth it.
This does make me want to visit Savannah. Me and everyone else 🤣

#SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

I watched this movie years before I finally read the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed them both. #Garden

#Graveyard #SavvySettings
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

It‘s been years since I have seen this movie, but I remember it was bizarre and great. The book did not disappoint! It was hard to put down. I‘m excited to rewatch the movie now.

I tagged this book, bc she seems like a character right out of it. I don't think I've ever laughed while reading an obituary
https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451