The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson (2003)

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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson


                In 1893, Chicago hosted the World’s Fair. It was originally intended to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovering the New World. But after the Exposition Universelle, an extremely successful world fair that was hosted in Paris, the World’s Fair turned into something more. Chicago wanted to put its name on the map and also build a structure that would rival the newly constructed Eiffel Tower. The architect Daniel Burnham would oversee the construction of what would be known as the White City and its success or failure would ride on his shoulders. While Burnham was building and planning the World’s fair, there was another man who had his sights on more sinister projects. He was known as H.H. Holmes but that was only one of the aliases he used. He would ultimately be responsible for the death of at least nine people with some estimates guessing up to two hundred. In a time and place where many people often disappeared few were suspicious of the fact that so many seemed to disappear around him.
                This is the second Larson nonfiction novel that I have read and I am extremely pleased. This was an extremely engrossing read about the creation of the World’s Fair, its trials, tribulations, setbacks, success and legacy but it’s also about this murderer who used Chicago and all of its faults to his advantage. I went into reading this book completely unaware of the history of the World’s Fair and found it extremely informative. The impact of the World’s Fair on the generations to come is something that can’t be overlooked once recognized. From Pabst Blue Ribbon beer to Shredded Wheat, The Wizard of Oz and Disney, that’s before even mentioning the first “Ferris Wheel”. The fact that while the creation of the fair was taking place, Holmes was actively luring women with his job and his hotel, with the intent to murder them and possibly experiment on them or sell their remains. It’s disgusting and yet part of the history of this time period. Larson did a great job at juxtaposing these two realities.

                Larson is amazing at creating what is now coined as “nonfiction novels.” He simply knows how to take the facts and information to weave together and extremely interesting and moving plot. His constant change in narrative between Burnham with the fair and Holmes with the murders created an atmosphere of both excitement and fear. His world building and development of historical characters just brought this history to life. I read this as part of the 24in48 readathon and wasted no time in devouring it. Really well done. I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

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