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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
by Larson, Erik
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$3.00
Used
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Trade Paperback
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9780375725609
Overview
Overview
This New York Times bestseller intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction.
Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America's rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair's brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country's most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his "World's Fair Hotel" just west of the fairgrounds--a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake. The Devil in the White City draws the reader into a time of magic and majesty, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. Erik Larson's gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Larson, Erik
- ISBN: 9780375725609
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 8.00 x 0.90
- Number Of Pages: 464
- Publication Year: 2004
Customer Reviews
Rating Snapshot
5 ★
80%
4 ★
15%
3 ★
5%
2 ★
0%
1 ★
0%
20 Ratings
0
0% Would Recommend
0 Recommendations
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Chicago's finest murder hotel
Liz L. - 1 year 5 months agoI picked this book up when I first moved to Chicago, and I learned both an awful lot of awful things about notorious serial killer H. H. Holmes, and also an awful lot of interesting things about the Chicago World's Fair. I recommend this book to anyone interested in either serial killers or parks.
HPB Staff Review -
A Wonderful Narrative History
Nathan C. - 3 years agoThe Devil in the White City is a wonderful narrative history, showing us the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. While describing the incredible construction of the "White City" in glorious architectural detail, Erik Larson describes the activities of Dr. Holmes, a dubious doctor who uses the Fair as bait and cover for mass murder. My favorite part is the description of the sumptuous gardens and grounds of the Fair, designed and executed by Frederick Olmstead, best known for creating Central Park in New York City.
HPB Staff Review -
Great nonfiction book that reads like a historical fiction novel!
Lizzy C. - 5 years 4 months agoI really liked this book! I’m a big fan of historical fiction, true crime, and I’ve recently gotten more into nonfiction, and this book felt like a really great blend of those. It was based mostly in fact, but read more like a historical fiction novel and kept you on your toes. The swapping between two different concurrent narratives also added another layer of depth that made it hard to put down. If you like historical fiction and/or true crime I’d highly recommend this! #SpringPicks
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Great nonfiction that reads like a (creepy and informative) novel
Corrie S. - 5 years 4 months agoThis is absolutely my favorite nonfiction book. It reads like a novel and weaves together the story of Chicago, of the worlds fair, and of a really creepy serial killer. So fun! #SpringPicks
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Amazing Read
Randy W. - 5 years 7 months agoGreat read. Reads like a drama, but it’s a non-fiction. I would highly recommend it. The Chicago World Fair created many historical figures.