NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review 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. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John 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 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 drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people 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. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.

Coffee table book; hard cover; 112 color pages with text and photos of Savannah, Georgia's historic squares

An anthology of fiction and nonfiction about Savannah

"An atmospheric, compelling story of survival, tragedy, the enduring power of myth and memory, and the moments that change one's life." --Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Four Winds "[An] enthralling and emotional tale...A story about strength and fate."--Woman's World “An epic novel that explores the metal of human spirit in crisis. It is an expertly told, fascinating story that runs fathoms deep on multiple levels.”—New York Journal of Books It was called "The Titanic of the South." The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah's elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten--until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis. When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she's shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can't resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking. Everly's research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah's society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

"You will discover all of this and more as we visit Savannah, Georgia. Full of photos and fun facts about Savannah and some Savannah attractions, this book is great for kids whether you are preparing for a Savannah vacation with the family, or simply want to learn a little more about this great city"-- back cover.

While automobile races had been held in Europe earlier, it was not until after 1900 that organized races were held in the United States. These contests took the form of road races--usually over a series of connected links of the best roads available. The most important of the early races were held on Long Island, New York. As a result of the efforts of the Savannah Automobile Club, the International Grand Prize Race of the Automobile Club of America was held in Savannah, Georgia, for the first time in November of 1908 and was enormously successful. In 1910 and again in 1911 the most famous drivers and the finest racing cars from all over the world returned to the city for the Grand Prize Race. The 1911 event attracted thousands more who came to witness the famous Vanderbilt Cup Race, the fastest race of this length up to that time (291 miles in 3 hours and 56 minutes). Julian K. Quattlebaum was among those who lined the Savannah race course for a glimpse of the big Fiats, Loziers, and Mercedes that roared around the turns, across the finish line, and into autoracing history. He has written a new introduction to this edition and has gone through his collection of early photographs of the cars, the drivers, and the races to add to the generous selection of illustrations in the original edition.

From the cotton boom after the Civil War to Savannah's economic decline around the middle of the 20th century, the city's streetscapes were crowded with signs. In a time before strict sign regulations, business owners embellished building facades and and rooftops with extensive signage to catch the eye of pedestrians and motorists. The abundance of advertising was symbolic of Savannah's rapid growth and prosperity, but the majority of these signs were discarded over the years, and only a few remain. Photographs and postcards from the past survive, however, and images of historic signs serve as reminders of these lost commercial relics. Such signs give the bricks and mortar of the past another dimension by identifying their social purpose. Through vintage images of Savannah signage, this volume provides a history of the city's businesses and industries. Included are local landmarks like Levy Jewelers, the Globe Shoe Company, the Lucas Theatre, the Marshall House, and Johnny Harris Restaurant.

Savannah has repeatedly stood on the edge of ruin, brought to its knees by bloody battles, mysterious pestilence, fire, unforgiving weather and the drums of war. Men and women whose names echo in history once walked its streets. Countless other faces are seemingly forgotten, names that history held in looser grip--like Mary Musgrove, the colonial translator and entrepreneur, or Dr. Samuel Nunes, shipwrecked by chance on Savannah's coastal shores just in time to curb a deadly epidemic and save Savannah's first settlers. And then there's John Geary, the larger-than-life Union general who beat Sherman's march south to the sea. Join authors Brenna and T.C. Michaels as they explore Savannah's long, wide and very often hidden history.

Commendation "A stunning tale of life in Georgia in the years leading up to the Civil War. The fictional characters are as real as the historical ones." Dr. John Duncan, Professor Emeritus, Armstrong Atlantic State University Synopsis Though Savannah's beautiful squares and architecture were already acclaimed in antebellum years, the city also struggled with dramatic challenges. A third of the population was enslaved. A steamship explosion killed many of its leading citizens. A local businessman tried to reopen the slave trade. And events were leading, inevitably, to civil war. Into this fascinating locale two young men are thrust: Joseph, a plantation owner's son, destined for a life of privilege, and Andrew, who is enslaved and being trained to manufacture bricks. But many things in Savannah were not as we might think, and the two boys become inseparable friends. They grow up to face the contradictions that surround them: the graciousness and the violence, the accomplishments and the tragedies. They help build some of the city's greatest architecture. They become ensnared in the illegal slave ship expedition of the Wanderer, which landed 400 Africans on the Georgia coast, tore apart Savannah, and edged the country closer to war. Both Joseph and Andrew face life-changing choices, made more difficult by the sweep of national politics. Can these two individuals maintain their friendship? And if so, at what price?