An account of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 relates the stories of two men who shaped the history of the event–architect Daniel H. Burnham, who coordinated its construction, and serial killer Herman Mudgett.
The Devil in the White City
By eriklarson
Larsen is the best. Devil is just who he said it was.
The Worlds Fair comes to life. Everyone should read this
A tremendous delve into depravity at the hands of a monster in Chicago during the World’s Fair in 1893. Well researched and executed with depth by Larson. One of my favorites by this outstanding, articulate author!
I love the “big picture” scenarios that Erik Larson builds. We do not live in a vacuum and the events he weaves together shows us just how true that is.
What’s not to like about a book that combines murder, mystery, and suspense, with the titillating history of the Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair involving a serial killer.
Erik Larson knits his extensive research of the period into this tale of fiction with an expertise that makes it difficult to know where fact ends and the author’s vivid …
Many books written on this subject and I have read a few. I consider it one of my favorites
This is one of two books by Erik Larsen (the other being Thunderstruck) that I absolutely love and for the exact same reasons. They tell two completely different parallel stories that are perfectly intertwined. One is the story of the men who built the World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago World’s Fair) in 1893. The other is the tale of Dr. H. H. …
Another great Erik Larson read, combining the stories of early Chicago and the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with the the mystery of a serial killer on the loose.
A page-turner.
We listened to the audio on a 2-day car trip. It actually made us look forward to getting back in the car! Great dual plots, expertly related with great suspense. Larson sure knows how to tell a true story that reads as if it were a mystery novel!
This book is well researched and revealed all about the preparation for the Worlds Fair. Also, it told the story of a very evil man.
I am torn on this book. I am glad I read it, in that I learned about a subject of which I knew nothing before. However, it left me overall a bit disappointed because I think it could have been a truly excellent read. I do not understand why the author chose to juxtapose the architects of the world fair with the serial killer throughout the book. …
Larsen could probably make the phone book interesting! He’s juggling 2 plots at once: the world’s fair and a serial killer. And the things the reader learns comes from both.
To me, the most interesting was the making of the fair and all of the creations, as in Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, that we have now.
great telling based on historical facts .
This wonderfully informative non fiction novel tells of a number of historical happenings at the World’s Fair in Chicago 1893. Very informative story that reads like a great mystery novel. Recommended!
A mystery and non-fiction combined. I learned a lot and enjoyed the read.
I love historical novels. Eric Larson is the best.
I greatly admired the depth of detail and stringent research that went into Erik Larson’s account of Chicago’s 1893 “World’s Columbia Exposition” and, simultaneously, the secret deeds of America’s worst serial killer, H. H. Holmes, who lived and killed just a few miles away. Ray Bradbury once said something to the effect that you can tell the …
You can’t just “plug in” words to describe this book – it is still my favorite of Larson’s works
Absolutely loved this book.
Anything that Eric Lawson write is great and there was no disappoint here.