Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil
Impact of "The Book" on the City of Savannah
Best selling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil has impacted the city of Savannah in more ways than any other piece of writing or film. The book was originally written by John Berendt in 1994 and follows a story about the shooting of Danny Hansford. After the wide success of the book, it was adapted to a film which also broke records nationwide. To best understand the impact that this book had on the city, we must first understand the history behind it.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: The Book
As mentioned, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is centered around the true story of Danny Hansford’s murder in the 1980’s. Hansford was a known drug dealer, antiques seller, and male prostitute in the city of Savannah.
Danny Hansford was killed at the hands of Jim Williams, another antiques seller and also historic preservationist. While the events depicted in the book are true, the story is a loose adaptation of the true timeline of events that occurred at that time. The story follows the subsequent trials for the arrest of Jim Willaims, leading to his final acquittal in the 1990s.
While the primary storyline of Hansford and Williams draws readers in, what keeps them even more engaged is the secondary characters and storylines that John Berendt weaves in throughout. Remarkable personas in Savannah’s pop culture history make appearances throughout the novel, and leave readers feeling like they have travelled back in time and are experiencing life as it was back then.
The Book’s Impact on the City of Savannah
From the initial release, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was a hit among readers and critics. Readers praised the compelling yet morbid storyline, and were captivated by the eloquent writing style of John Berendt.
This led to record-breaking sales, and word spread throughout the states about the book. Quickly, it began to receive nationwide attention which did not go unnoticed. Not only was the book picked up to be turned into a film, but it also skyrocketed interest in tourist activity to the city of Savannah. People wanted to come and see exactly where this story had taken place, and take in the reality of all of the details shared within the book.
Savannah tourism grew exponentially with trolley tours, walking tours, and more being offered to tourists for a comprehensive experience. Mugs, postcards, newsletters, and even gift shops arose dedicated to selling strictly memorabilia related to the characters and storyline of the book.
In 1996, Berendt was recognized by city officials for the impact he brought onto the city, even going as far as declaring April 26 as “John Berendt Day”.
It’s incredible to imagine that a book can have such a large impact on a city, but Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil proved that all it takes is a captivating story told in an eloquent fashion.
