Questions About The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

by Erik Larson (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

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Answered Questions (18)

Is there a proper name for a novelization of a historical events? I'm sure there is, I just don't know it. I'm only just starting this one, and I'm loving it!

Aishuu It's often called "narrative nonfiction."…moreIt's often called "narrative nonfiction."(less)

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Is the book suitable for 14 year olds nd are there any young people here who could give feedback?

Brock Dickson Hey I'm 14 and I have thourhely enjoyed and if you think he mature enough then let him read its all how he can handle it age is just a number…moreHey I'm 14 and I have thourhely enjoyed and if you think he mature enough then let him read its all how he can handle it age is just a number(less)

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Is it worth finishing this book? Does the second half contain any significant story developments or change course in any way from the first half? Or is it just more of the same. I'm halfway through and am not interested enough to keep going unless something really unpredictable will happen...

H-Grace I loved this book. I didn’t know anything about the murders, so I find it interesting that the parts about him were the draw for many readers. The par…moreI loved this book. I didn’t know anything about the murders, so I find it interesting that the parts about him were the draw for many readers. The parts about the fair, how its technology still reverberates today, plus discovering things like the impetus behind the invention of the Ferris wheel, all fascinated me. Before I read all the comments about “architecture,” I would have said the fair inventions and ground-breaking technologies were the focus. Plus I didn’t know about the most famous American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead’s (designer of NYC’s Central Park) involvement in the fair. Anyone interested in history is likely to love this book as much as I did. (less)

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I'm listening to the audio book now, and I'm really having trouble getting through it. The book so far has had little to do with H. H. Holmes, and more about architecture. I just haven't found it that fascinating. I hope that it gets better, if not, i'm going to be disappointed. Has anyone else had this problem?

Marianne A. Yes, I had trouble getting into the flow of the book at first. But I found this was not a great book to hear on audible - better to read the paper boo…moreYes, I had trouble getting into the flow of the book at first. But I found this was not a great book to hear on audible - better to read the paper book. I heard much of this book on audible and read much of the hard copy. The portions about Holmes were easy to follow on audible, but the portions about the planning of the fair, especially when it got at all dry or technical, or when too many different names were involved, or vocabulary words peculiar to that era (not many, but some) were tough - those portions I could not follow well on audible or I didn't retain much. So I recommend reading the hard copy, at least the Burnham/fair planning sections.(less)

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Is there any explicit sexual content in this book, or anything else someone might find offensive (excessive language, crude jokes and behavior, suggestive content, explicit content)?