Author of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' returns to Savannah

John Berendt, the man behind the best-selling true-crime book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," returned to Savannah Tuesday to release his book on a new digital platform.

More than two decades ago, his nonfiction debut about the Jim Williams murder trials put Savannah on the map as a tourist destination.

"Midnight" spent a record-breaking 216 weeks on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list and was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction.

Part of the book's appeal was its romantic descriptions of Savannah, as well its oddball characters, including piano-playing con artist Joe Odom, voodoo priestess Minerva and drag queen entertainer Lady Chablis.

At the Jepson Center in Savannah on Tuesday night, Berendt was to reveal a new way to experience what Savannahians now simply call "The Book."

This new version, available on the digital book app Metabook, contains multimedia features including an audio book with Laverne Cox as the voice of Lady Chablis, crime scene photographs with Berendt's commentary, audio recordings of interviews with Jim Williams, a timeline of the four murder trials and photos of the people and places mentioned in the book.

Benjamin Alfonsi, creative director of Metabook and creator of the app, said the company is launching Tuesday with "Midnight" as its first title.

"We wanted to launch with a book that was known and beloved," he said. "And few books are as known or as beloved as 'Midnight.'"

In addition to being a runaway bestseller, "Midnight" was made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood and is currently being adapted for Broadway. It spawned several "Midnight" book tours in the city that take fans to places mentioned in the book, like Mercer House and Bonaventure Cemetery. The Bird Girl sculpture on the book's cover became so famous that it was moved from the cemetery to Telfair Museums.

Telfair Museums sponsored the event, complete with a band playing classic Johnny Mercer tunes and appetizers provided by Clary's Cafè, which is also featured in "Midnight."

Before the party, Lowcountry Current spoke with Berendt about the digital form of "Midnight," its upcoming Broadway adaptation, and why he couldn't stand Kevin's Spacey's portrayal of Jim Williams in the movie.

Q. Which of the multimedia features are you most excited for people to see and experience with "Midnight" as a Metabook?

Berendt. Anything that satisfies their curiosity. I didn't allow photographs in the book originally. I wanted the readers' minds to have images that I created through my narrative prose. That was 20 years ago. Now, the reading public has more expectations and more demands. One thing I decided to do was include some of the taped interviews I did while writing the book. They're fragments, but you hear Jim Williams' voice, either talking to me or Danny Handsford (whom Williams was accused of murdering). And that's important when you want to know more about the characters that you can't get in the regular book.

Q. What did you think of the movie adaptation?

Berendt. Kevin Spacey played Jim Williams -- badly. He didn't even come close. I had offered (Spacey) recordings so he could to listen to Jim Williams talking to me, regaling me with stories while sitting in his living room in Mercer House. (Spacey) said he'd already heard Williams on tape talking during one of his trials. But when I saw the movie, I was perplexed by the way Spacey portrayed Williams, because he did it as if he were asleep. He talked as if he were in a fog or sleepwalking. Then I realized what had happened, and I thought it was hilariously funny.

If he had listened to the trials, he had very likely listened to the third trial. (By the third trial, Williams had been tried once, convicted and released on appeal. That conviction was overturned, so he was tried a second time, convicted again and sent to jail for two years. That second conviction was overturned again and he was tried ... again.) This time his lawyer said to him, "Jim, for God's sake, cool it. Don't be so arrogant when you're being cross-examined. The jury doesn't take kindly to your anger."

So before being cross-examined, I asked him if he was going to be able to cool it, and he said he didn't know. Then he went over the water fountain with a Valium in his hand.

That, I think, is the tape that Kevin Spacey must have listened to. Spacey is a terrific mimic. He was mimicking Jim Williams on drugs.

Q. How often are you in Savannah?

Berendt. I used to come several times a year. It hasn't been that much lately. The last time I came before this was to show Alfred Uhry around. He's writing the Broadway adaptation. I brought him to introduce him a lot of people here, especially characters that were still alive.

Q. What is the status of the Broadway adaptation?

Berendt. I will see the revised version of the script probably within a month. So I'm on pins and needles. When it comes out, it will probably first go to Off Broadway, either in London or Williamstown, Mass.

Q. Do you keep in touch with Lady Chablis? Anyone you wrote about?

Berendt. Sonny Seiler remains a real supporter of the book. He's going to be here tonight. I didn't see Chablis the last time I was here. She's invited tonight, but I'm not sure she's coming.

Q. Do you get recognized in Savannah?

Berendt. Less now, but I do. I look different too. My hair is white, and there isn't as much of it as there used to be.

Q. On your visits, what do you think of Savannah today? With the tour buses, even tours specifically about places in your book?

Berendt. I hate to say this but it is not exactly the town I discovered in 1983. It's a bigger town. It's a busier town. But that doesn't change it too much. The '80s were a booming time across the country, but not in Savannah. And now it's thriving. And more and more historic houses have been restored. The whole town is pulling itself together and looking more and more polished each time I come.

Q. Do you consider yourself a Southern writer?

Berendt. I've been called a Southern writer, and it is a very high compliment as far as I'm concerned. If someone calls me a Southern writer, I'll say, "You know I'm from New York," but I couldn't be happier being called a Southern writer.

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This story was originally published March 3, 2015 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Author of 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' returns to Savannah."