Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Throughout the book, Berendt portrays Savannah as a city that resists change and outsiders’ influence. Have you ever lived in or visited a place with a similar mentality? How did your experience compare to Berendt’s in Savannah?

2. Jim Williams believes strongly in the power of his mind to influence events—from games of chance to his murder trials. To what extent do you believe in the power of positive thinking or concentration to affect outcomes in your own life?

3. The book explores how people often maintain a public facade that differs from their private reality. Can you recall a time when you were surprised to discover someone’s true nature beneath their carefully maintained public image?

4. Lady Chablis uses humor and performance to navigate a society that often marginalizes her. What did you think of her use of coping mechanisms to deal with challenging social situations or environments?

5. Joe Odom’s charm allows him to get away with behaviors that would normally have serious consequences. Have you ever known someone with this kind of charisma? How did others respond to them?

6. Several characters in the book are defined by their eccentricities, which seem to flourish in Savannah’s unique environment. Which character did you find yourself most drawn to or able to relate to, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Berendt portrays Savannah as having deep divisions based on race, class, and sexual orientation. How do these social stratifications in 1980s Savannah compare to those we see in American society today?

2. The book was published in 1994 and describes events from the 1980s. How do you think the reception to Williams’s sexual orientation and Lady Chablis’s gender identity would differ if the story took place today?

3. Berendt suggests that Savannah’s isolation and resistance to change were both its strength and its weakness. In what ways do you see similar tensions between tradition and progress playing out in communities today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The title refers to the graveyard ritual in Chapter 18 but is also a metaphor for moral ambiguity. How do other symbols in the book—like the Mercer House or Williams’s Nazi flag—enhance this theme?

2. Berendt presents himself as an objective observer, yet he becomes increasingly involved in the events he chronicles. How does his dual role as narrator and participant affect your understanding of the story?

3. The book is divided into two parts: before and after the murder. How does this structure shape the narrative? How does it affect the novel’s pacing and tone?

4. Many critics have noted the book’s Southern Gothic elements, such as eccentric characters, decay beneath beauty, and supernatural elements. Which of these elements did you find most effective in creating the atmosphere of the book?

5. Berendt admits in his Author’s Note that he took “storytelling liberties” with the timeline of events. How does this admission affect your trust in him as a narrator? Does it change how you view the genre of creative nonfiction?

6. The book features many vivid character sketches of Savannah’s residents. How do these portraits contribute to the larger themes of the book, and which characterization techniques did you find most effective?