false 21996 21 Author <i>Erik Larson</i> imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book's categorization to be sure that <I>The Devil in the White City</I> is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel. Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham's challenge was immense. In a short period of time, he was forced to overcome the death of his partner and numerous other obstacles to construct the famous "White City" around which the fair was built. His efforts to complete the project, and the fair's incredible success, are skillfully related along with entertaining appearances by such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and Thomas Edison. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable. He devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims. 3486041 11 2 2003 The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America total:33850|5:9445|4:14550|3:7365|2:1924|1:566| 33850 131934 44736 6089 2 28 false false Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 19 02:05:25 -0800 2008 Thu Jul 03 02:17:10 -0700 2008
Larson: I wanna write a book about the architects who designed the World's Fair in Chicago. Also, pork.

Publisher: Nobody wants to read about architects. They're boring.

Larson: But the World's Fair--

Publisher: Boring.
...more...]]> 5 19 false false Thu Dec 02 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Wed Apr 02 05:26:57 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 07 08:01:46 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 16 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 12 19:58:42 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 19 09:03:58 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 13 false false Thu Sep 11 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 11 17:27:48 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 11 17:31:57 -0700 2008
I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction. Scratch that. I'm a huge fan of non-fiction...more...]]> 2 7 false false Sat Sep 27 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 26 20:16:37 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 27 20:42:57 -0700 2008 the Path Between Seas by David McCull...more...]]> 4 5 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Sun Jun 08 20:02:58 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 02 18:49:23 -0700 2008
My fascination with the World's Columbian Exhibition (1893 Chicago World's Fair) began when I went to work for the President Benjam...more...]]> 3 4 false false Sun Jul 05 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 03 20:21:37 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 09 20:30:57 -0700 2009 The Devil in the White City is a book about the White City — the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and a book about a devil — a psychopathic serial killer.

I enjoyed both books here, but wasn't pleased with the author's decision to try to integrate them into one book.

If they had ...more...]]> 0 4 false false Mon Jun 16 20:27:24 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 16 20:27:58 -0700 2008
Larson's narrative jum...more...]]> 4 5 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Mar 30 10:44:24 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 28 20:45:19 -0700 2007
I didn't realize this book was non-fiction when I bought it. I bought it because it came recommended from ...more...]]> 5 3 false false Wed Apr 30 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 30 08:51:19 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 30 08:53:13 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 2 false false Sat Apr 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 04 23:30:55 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 22:58:40 -0700 2009
I've always had a some vague fascination with the ...more...]]> 5 2 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 11 12:25:27 -0700 2008 Thu Oct 02 08:14:23 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 2 false false Sun Aug 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Jun 19 09:27:36 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 25 12:31:53 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 2 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 01 09:33:15 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 13 00:37:12 -0700 2008
I didn't *really* see a cornice or balustrade until I'd fufilled a requirement at the University of Michigan in Professor Thomas A. Cole's American Studies class: a study of American city plans for Boston, New York, New Haven, Philadelphi...more...]]> 3 2 false false Mon Jun 09 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Dec 28 12:28:12 -0800 2007 Mon Jun 09 06:39:43 -0700 2008
I read The Devil in the White City in less than a week, and for a book of almost 400 pages, that's saying something. The story was very compelling, and I found the descriptions of late 19th-century Chicago fascinating. I feel the need to look up more about the ...more...]]> 3 2 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Mon Nov 12 17:25:18 -0800 2007 Sat Nov 17 10:06:15 -0800 2007 Bought Oct 2007

I heard an interview with the author on the Diane Rhem show back in March 2003 & checked to see if the library had the book.

This book follows the development of the 1893 World's Fair and the murderous spree of one of America's first serial killers, Herman Webst...more...]]> 2 4 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Jul 12 07:48:56 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 17 05:43:16 -0700 2007
What...more...]]> 4 3 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Jun 12 11:51:32 -0700 2007 Tue Jun 12 11:51:38 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 2 false false Tue Apr 24 09:33:18 -0700 2007 Wed May 23 07:33:23 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 2 false false Fri Jun 20 15:06:57 -0700 2008 Sat Jul 05 12:54:18 -0700 2008 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=9030