February 14, 2023

New Exhibit of Foreign Editions of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on Display at the Georgia Historical Society

Home / Press Releases / New Exhibit of Foreign Editions of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on Display at the Georgia Historical Society

Savannah, Ga., February 6, 2023—The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) recently announced that the late John Duncan and his wife, Virginia, donated their collection of domestic and foreign editions of the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil to GHS, along with related ephemera and other materials. The foreign editions are now on display to the public from February 1, 2023, through March 31, 2023, at the GHS Research Center at 501 Whitaker Street in Savannah.

The Duncans were longtime friends of John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Berendt often stayed at their house when visiting Savannah to conduct research for his book.

Most of the books in the donation are first editions. Many of them are signed by Berendt.

“Seeing all of the foreign editions grouped together is really impressive as it demonstrates the truly global impact of the book,” says Nate Pedersen, Manager of the Archival and Reference Team at the GHS Research Center. “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil clearly resonated with people from all over the world. Its extraordinary success helped make Savannah a global tourist destination, the impacts of which we are still seeing today. By having all these books on display, we hope to be able to connect visitors from around the world with the source material that may have inspired their travels.”

In addition, the Duncans generously donated other fascinating items related to the book to GHS, including:

  • Unbound manuscript of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, with a cover letter from Berendt dated May 18, 1993, as a presentation copy of the unpublished manuscript to the Duncans.
  • John Lee Hancock’s screenplay of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, inscribed by Hancock and Berendt, along with twelve members of the film’s production crew, including the actor Paul Hipp (portrayed Joe Odom in the film).
  • A copy inscribed to the Duncans by Berendt and Lady Chablis.
  • A copy used for a broadcast of Prairie Home Companion in Savannah.
  • First edition, first printing of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, signed by Berendt.
  • A “flipbook” edition of the book.

These additional items are currently unavailable to the public until they can be properly archived. Members of the media may view them upon request.

For the Research Center's hours of operation, go to georgiahistory.com.

For more information about the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil exhibit at GHS, please contact Keith Strigaro, Director of Communications, at 912.651.2125 ext. 153 or kstrigaro@georgiahistory.com.

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ABOUT THE GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation.
To learn more visit georgiahistory.com.