John Berendt is an acclaimed American author celebrated for his ability to craft richly detailed and engrossing narratives, deeply rooted in the culture, history, and eccentric characters of the cities he explores. Best known for his non-fiction book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt has established himself as a masterful storyteller with a gift for capturing the essence of place and personality. His success in blending meticulous research with engaging prose has earned him both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Berendt was born on December 5, 1939, in Syracuse, New York, the son of two writers. He grew up with a fascination for storytelling and an innate curiosity about the world around him. After graduating from Harvard University, where he studied English and worked on the staff of the Harvard Lampoon, Berendt began his professional career in journalism at Esquire magazine. His experience in magazine editing and writing would later serve as the foundation for his literary pursuits, sharpening his skills in observation and narrative construction.

Berendt was an associate editor of Esquire from 1961 to 1969, editor of New York magazine from 1977 to 1979, and a columnist for Esquire from 1982 to 1994. In 1985, three years after meeting antiques dealer Jim Williams, who became the central character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt moved to Savannah, Georgia, and spent the next seven years researching the book.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was published January 1994, and became an overnight success. The book spent a record-breaking 216 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list—a record that still stands. The non-fiction book reads like a novel and features several quirky characters, including The Lady Chablis, a Black drag queen who became the book’s breakout star. The book was adapted into a 1997 film directed by Clint Eastwood. In the film, Kevin Spacey portrays the film’s protagonist, Jim Williams, Jude Law plays Danny Hansford, the young man who was killed, John Cusack plays John Kelso, a character loosely based on Berendt and The Lady Chablis played herself..

Berendt's second book, The City of Falling Angels, was published in September 2005 and reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list. It chronicles interwoven lives in Venice in the aftermath of the fire that destroyed the famed Fenice opera house. According to Kirkus Reviews, "Berendt does great justice to an exalted city that has rightly fascinated the likes of Henry James, Robert Browning, and many filmmakers throughout the world."

In 2011, a blue jay creating a nest outside the window of Berendt's New York City townhouse inspired him to photograph, almost daily, the building of the nest and, ultimately, eggs hatching, chicks emerging, learning to fly and leaving the nest. Berendt wrote a children's story to accompany his photographs, which was published as My Baby Blue Jays by Penguin/Random House. Dolly Parton's Dollywood Foundation, through its Imagination Library, distributed hundreds of thousands of copies for free to children across the U.S.

Berendt's writing style is marked by his keen eye for detail, wit, and ability to immerse readers in the unique atmospheres of the locales he chronicles. His works often delve into the lives of eccentric and complex individuals, painting intimate portraits that reveal larger societal truths. Berendt's books have not only been lauded for their literary quality but have also sparked renewed interest in the cities they depict, making them popular destinations for readers and tourists alike.

John Berendt’s contributions to literature have secured him a lasting legacy as a master of the New Journalism that emerged in the 1960s, bridging the gap between journalism and storytelling in a style referred to as “literary non-fiction.” His meticulous research, coupled with his flair for drama and character development, has inspired countless readers and writers to appreciate the narrative potential of real-life events. Today, Berendt's works are timeless examples of the power of storytelling to illuminate the quirks and mysteries of the human experience. His books continue to captivate audiences worldwide, standing as testaments to his extraordinary talent and enduring appeal.