Totally loved this book! I love to read about things that really happened and with such accuracy and attention to details. He makes history interesting! Now I just can't wait to go back to Chicago to see all the sites mentioned in the book.

Enjoyable book about a criminal who until this book has generally just merited a "mention" in books about serial killers.
Very interesting back/side story about the men who planned, designed and built the Chicago's World's Fair.
My only criticism of this book would be the development of the tie-in between the fair builders and the criminal. It wasn't wasn't well developed - it was difficult to discern what the author's point was using this style of writing and joining the two stories.
Overall, however, I would highly recommend this book. Fortunately, both stories are interesting in and of their own.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It's a good example of truth being better than fiction. The accomplishments, connections, events, and action are almost too much to believe. It's a page turner with an easy format and readable style. The author deserves much praise for research, organization, and presentation of an event and era that I feel most of us know nothing about. I especially found the brief descriptions of Hunt, Olmstead, and others helpful as "behind the scenes" shapers of America. As a summer read, I just happened to be visiting both the Vanderbilt mansion and Chicago while vacationing. To be in the museum district of Chicago and recall the White City was terrific. I am on my way to buy his other book.

I must admit. I don't get it. Two books with grotesque murders related in gory detail against backgrounds of world historical events the intersections of which have little to do with each other. There is a bit of a problem with partially fictionalized history. It becomes a little like infomercials. How much info and how much mercial? And does the fiction begin to stand for the real history rather than admitting when it comes to history there is a lot we don't know and may never know as much as we would like our understanding of the past to read like a novel? It does not and maybe never can. I know a superb writer/historian/anthropologist who has filled an excellent book with words his hero might have said, and the hero in his old age came to believe that the fictionalized account was indeed what he had done. That is a touching confirmation but nonetheless a distortion. Holmes, the villain of this book may have gotten sexual gratification while listening to his victims being gassed to death and I guess that titillates the reader, but the author has no real idea of Holmes' state of mind. Also the Chicago World's Fair had little to with Holmes' murders and the reverse. Then as an extra the author throws in the murderer of Chicago's mayor by an unbalanced newspaper distributor. Yes there were nuts, as there have always been--- John Hinckley, Jr. shot Reagan because of a crush on Jodie Foster---and girls have always disappeared. Both Chicago's painted ladies and the Fair's commotion were not unique. So it is all a literary artifice. I am not sure readers would have been interested in the social history of the Fair without the murders.

As to that social history, it is interesting. Larsen has done a formidable amount or research and presents it in an interesting manner. But Larsen often lapses into purple prose. The biggest, greatest, etc. It gets a bit tiresome and is not true of history. That Westinghouse beat Edison with alternating current I don't think can be attributed to the Fair. And so it goes. Were it not for books on tape, grinding California traffic, and too many hours in a car, I would not have made it through the book. Fast forwarding helps. I must admit that I skipped a lot of detail such as Olmstead's various ailments and even his theory of color but found myself going back to the murder. Yet I could have done without some of the gory stuff. I don't quite understand how Holmes got away with it. But then I guess Larsen does a good job of conveying his charm even if that might have been somewhat fictionalized. With the murderer, he is so unimportant to history that it doesn't really matter. Lots of people who read fiction will like this book a lot more than I did and maybe they will thereby learn some history. I am all for that.

Charlie Fisher, author of Dismantling Discontent: Buddha's Way Through Darwin's World

not many books transport you to a time of great changes like this one does. for the too brief of period I have lived in the book I have lived the rise of a nation and the dawn of great evil and vision. wonderfull depictions, great people and amzing time.

Loved it from start to finish! Wanted it to never end. As an enthusiest of non-fiction, I was pleased with all of the interesting tidbits of history as well as the main "plot". I never review anything but this is worth spreading the news about. Read it 1st, then get the audio CD for a trip. I could read it again and again.

Not too many people these days have heard of the infamous Doctor HH Holmes or the Columbian Exposition. Both were major news stories over a hundred years ago, but now are forgotten.

This book aims to change that, and it does so admirably. You get a real feeling of what life was like in Chicago and, indeed, much of America in the Guilded Age. You also see that serial killers like John Wayne Gacey, Ted Bundy and others are hardly a new development in crime.

What I found particularly fascinating about this story was reading about the logistics involved in creating something like the Columbian Exposition. It must've been a wonderful sight to see! I only wish it had survived into the modern age.

If, like me, you have an interest in the Guilded Age I could hardly find a book I'd recommend more! An excellent read.

Larson captures the best and worst of mankind. Two bigger than life men, Daniel Burnham and H.H.Holmes set about creating beauty or destroying life on grand scales. Both were successful and both had setbacks.
Burnham was the visionary who was largely responsible for the success of the 1893 Chicago Worlds' Fair, commemorating the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World. Holmes took advantage of (mostly) vulnerable women who made their way to Chicago on their own, killing them when he tired of them.
The story of the fair or of the slaughters would have been interesting books on their own. Weaving the tales took away from the story of the fair. While the fair was the background that enabled Holmes to have his pick from thousands of potential subjects, the detail of the how the fair developed didn't add to the story of the slaughters.
Larson is a good writer, but I would have preferred that he wrote two separate books.

If you believe truth is stranger than fiction, then this book is for you. No fiction writer can make up the strangeness that is history. Excellently written.

Chicago in the late 1800's was a different world. Author Erik Larson tells the story of the fair through the story of Daniel Burnham: where the idea began, how Chicago was chosen, how the fair came together and was built so quickly. Throughout the story of the fair, he tells another story of Dr. Holmes. Holmes comes to the Chicago area and establishes a pharmacy as well as other businesses. He also builds a hotel that houses the World's fair visitors. Some of the visitors and other acquaintances disappear forever. This fascinating book was detailed and included aspects of Chicago life as well as these stories.

This book really takes you back to a time when a group of true visionaries change the world. It is really interesting and educational at the smme time. Well worth reading!

I loved "The Devil in the White City" and was thoroughly absorbed by it, something I find to be rare with nonfiction. Larson's writing style is perfect for drawing you and making you feel like you were there in 1890s Chicago. He obviously took a number of creative liberties to add narrative flourish (e.g., describing what people felt, the expressions on their faces, etc.), but I'm happy he did and won't criticize him for it as it made the book so enjoyable.

One criticism I had, though, is that the book would have been more aptly named "The Devil AND the White City," as the story of the psychopath Holmes is a parallel thread that just barely intersects with the story of the White City. And though the book won the Edgar Award for true crime, Holmes' story accounts for only about 35% of the book. The dominant story is that of Burnham and the White City's inception, execution, and ultimate success.

I also felt that the section detailing the White City's operation from May-October 1893 was surprisingly somewhat skimpy, compared to the amount of detail Larson presented for the time when the fair was being built. Larson's over-fascination with eyes and his tendency to end most chapter subsections with blunt-as-a-hammer foreshadowing grew a little irritating, but these are minor gripes compared with the overall excellence of the book.

I think everyone will find something to enjoy here: history buffs, crime buffs, people who just enjoy a compelling story, and more. I hadn't previously known the impact the 1893 World's Fair had on both its own time and through the present day--the story is simply fascinating.

Erik Larson did a masterful job of blending the historical significance of the Columbian Exposition and life in Chicago at the turn of the century. Well researched, well written and a novel that I really enjoyed.

Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" captures the evil enthusiam of one man's murder spree and a group of men's desire to create a great American pleasure ground. This book will disappoint those looking for the grizzly details of the dozens of murders committed by HH Holmes (real name Mudgett). Mr. Larson is not looking to exploit the gruesome tortures the victims underwent--and for this restraint Mr. Larson is to be congratulated. What he does relate are the tribulations faced by the designers of Chicago's Columbian exposition and the frustrations of lawmen to capture a madman.

In what I believe is intentional, Mr. Larson gives us a frightening picture of American life then and, quite possibly, now. That being: it is much more difficult to do something good for society than it is to do evil. The ease with which Holmes was able to build a large house, complete with gas chambers, torture chambers, soundproof rooms -- at times, without even paying for the materials -- and burial grounds is remarkable. Meanwhile, the men who wanted to construct the exposition had to agonize over every penny and over every design, had to struggle with laborers, unions, fires, the weather... it seemed everything went wrong. Nervous breakdowns and illnesses plagued these men. Holmes, who plucked several victims from the fair, went through his savagery like it was a walk in the park. It is a frightening conclusion.

So why only four stars? One big reason is that the book fails to live up to the last part of its subtitle "...the Fair that Changed America". He makes several arguments for this proposition, but they all fall a little short, to me. Maybe I'm wrong. Find out for yourself because "The Devil in the White City" is valuable reading for anyone interested in American history and/or crime.

This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Amazingly, it is not a novel, but is based on historical fact. To call the 1893 Chicago World's Fair a/k/a the Columbia Exhibition built to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's voyage to America the backdrop of this saga would be a huge disservice to Chicago and the masterpiece that was the exhibition. The fair, not nearly completed when it opened to the public, was a marvel, a work of great beauty. It boasted the designership from, among others, Frederick Olmsted, the creative genius behind New York's Central Park. The fair introduced the Ferris Wheel, created by George Ferris, to the world. The centerpiece, the Court of Honor, was lit up by white electric lights at night, and drew raves from the public and the critics alike for its magnificence. Although the fair opened late and did not draw the number of visitors predicted at the beginning, by the end it was a huge financial success.

Lurking in the background, was Chicago's own "Phantom of the Opera," its very own Jack the Ripper of English infamy. One Herman Webster Mudgett reinvented himself into Dr. H.H. Holmes. Holmes was very charming and clever; women loved him and he loved them back, but in a very twisted way. The least of Holmes's sins was insurance fraud. He also reputedly murdered about 200 people; unlike Mr. Ripper, Dr. Holmes also engaged in kidnapping and killing men and children. Holmes practiced his art in the most grisly ways possible for money and just for the thrill of it. He was one of the first individuals to whom the term "psychopath" was utilized. The hunt for this killer was on. _The Devil..._ is an absolutely marvelous book, and I dare anyone who starts reading it to put it down. One simply cannot.

This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Amazingly, it is not a novel, but is based on historiacal fact. To call the 1893 Chicago World's Fair a/k/a the Columbia Exhibition built to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's voyage to America the backdrop of this saga would be a huge disservice to Chicago and the masterpiece that was the exhibition. The fair, not nearly completed when it opened to the public, was a marvel, a work of great beauty. It boasted the designership from, among others, Frederick Ohlmstead, the creative genius behind New York's Central Park. The fair introduced the Ferris Wheel, created by George Ferris, to the world. The centerpiece, the Court of
Honor, was lit up by electric lights at night, and drew raves from the public and the critics alike for its magnificence. Although the fair opened late and did not draw the number of visitors predicted at the beginning, in the end it was a huge financial success.

Lurking in the background, was Chicago own "Phantom of the Opera," its very own Jack the Ripper of English infamy. One Herman Webster Mudgett reinvented himself into H.H. Holmes, a doctor. Holmes was very charming and clever; women loved him and he loved them back, but in a very twisted way. The least of Holmes's sins was insurance fraud. He also reputedly murdered about 200 people or so; unlike Mr. Ripper, Dr. Holmes also engaged in kidnapping and killed men and children. Holmes practiced his art in the most grissly ways possible for money and just for the thrill of it. He was one of the first individuals to whom the term "psychopath" was utilized. The hunt for this killer was on. _The Devil..._ is an absolutely marvelous book, and I dare anyone to start reading it to put it down. One simply cannot.

The Devil in the White City is an exciting book. Thank heavens, since it is non-fiction, I knew that it ended well, otherwise I would have died from the suspense. I got such a rich perspective on what it takes to pull off an event like a World's Fair, or The Olympics (making it relevant for today), and what wonderful talent it takes to hold the vision and bring it to fruition. Very inspiring. But juxtaposing this along side the fascinating story of the serial killer - and it's all true. Great writing and pacing. I was riveted while learning history all the same time. An unusual combination. Chicago is a beautiful city, thanks in large part to the great minds who created the Columbian Exposition and the leaders since then who have followed suit.

I didn't know much about this book prior to reading it - I tried it based on the high reviews. The book deserves the high praise. It details two events that happened in Chicago in the 1890's - one was the Chicago World's Fair the other was a killing spree by a psychopathic killer. The story of the world's fair alone is incredible, it is amazing what they could do in the short time from when the fair was awarded to its' opening. Although this wasn't that long ago it is amazing how dangerous construction work was in those days - let alone walking down the street.

I found the more amazing story was the story of H.H. Holmes. Here is the story of a psychopath who would charm his way into women's hearts & charm his way out of paying debts that would be in the millions in todays $. He ends up building a hotel with almost 100 rooms designed with soundproofing & numerous ways to end a person's life as well as having built in systems to dispose of the bodies. He is a good looking , very smooth psychopath (similar to Ted Bundy in many ways) who was surely on of the worst serial killers the US has ever seen. And to think all of this took place back in the good old days.

There's not too much left of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair any more. We are introduced to some products by author Erik Larson in his book "The Devil In The White City," that were first shown at the fair, a beer that won the blue ribbon at the fair (Pabst), architectural marvels, and enough drama in Larson's story to overshadow it all.

A classic story of two men, one good, one bad, form the outline for the book. The good, Daniel Burnham, is in charge of creating and overseeing the creation of the fair's buildings. That he was able to do so successfully within the restraints of time, money and meddling is remarkable. That he was able to do so with the loss of his business partner in the planning stage adds to his legacy. Despite infighting between architects and their firms, bank administrators and outside distractions, the Fair was a great success, a worthy successor to the 1889 Paris World's Fair, to which Chicago strived to surpass in comparison.

The bad, Herman Webster Mudgett, a.k.a. H.H. Holmes, was the "Devil," both in book title and in deed. In the few years after the fair, no one knows how many people failed to return to their homes after the fair, but it is accurate to say that Holmes played a part in not returning some to where they belonged. In fact, from the time that Holmes came to Chicago in 1886, the death toll in the city had a new source of increases. This culminated in a building that Holmes designed and had built that contained the facilities of a killing lab. His business dealings were similarly sinister and underhanded - non-payment of goods and services was standard operating procedure. Yet he was able to perform his deeds by easily gaining the trust and empathy of almost everyone he dealt with: a look, a touch, a sympathetic ear, false identities and more in his bag of tricks proved fatal for many, both economically and literally.

At close to 400 pages, it is still a compact book, full of architectural talk of plans and murders, and has a kind of novel-type read to it - but it is history, not fiction. That's what makes it a compelling story, that these men were able to pull off what they did, even though the end for both was not what they had planned or foreseen. Larson is a very fine writer, able to draw you in to the world at that point of time, and keep you interested until the end.

I had to put this book down because it was too gory. I enjoyed the accurate, historical description of 19th century Chicago architecture and building schemes, but the equally descriptive graphical descriptions (how the murdered disposed of bodies... etc) could have been left out. If you didn't like Silence of the Lambs on account of the gore, this book's not for you.

`Devil in The White City' by Erik Larson

Mr. Larson weaves a remarkable narrative that is magnificent in its grandeur and remarkably disturbing - the tale of Chicago in the last years of the 19th century. The story of H.H. Holmes - perhaps, America's first highly publicized serial killer - is intertwined with that of Daniel Burnham, the brilliant architect and driving force behind the design & construction of the "The Second City's" World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair) of 1893.

This story - which is almost too unbelievable to be true - explores the madness of late 19th century Chicago striving to prove to the world it had overcome the devastation of the Great Chicago Fire and was ready to take its place as a great, if not the greatest, American metropolis. An industrial and architectural feat was what it took to accomplish this goal, and herein lays the amazement of the story. Within, what even today would be considered a short period of time, the famed architect Daniel Burnham, erects a "White City" containing such magnificent structures as had never before been seen making the fair a national sensation and exceeding any of Chicago's societies expectations.

Within the madness and rush to urban rejuvenation lurks a twisted serial killer, preying on the innocent and naïve young women lured by unlimited opportunity this new city will offer. The often twisted, and occasionally gory, story of H.H. Holmes is revealed to the reader in stark contrast to the birth of this new and glamorous city taking place all around him. Mr. Larson is remarkably detailed, yet never gratuitous in the telling of the villain Holmes' tale.

You'll also be introduced to names easily recognized in the pantheon of design and architecture: Charles McKim, George B. Post & Frederick Law Olmstead (landscape). Additionally, names such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Nikola Tesla & George Westinghouse appear. You'll be astounded at the debut of inventions and attractions that revolutionized America - it's simply remarkable.

This is a book that is almost impossible to put down and that you'll want to reread upon completion. An absolutely excellent piece of non-fiction that I could not more highly recommend.

Erik Larson took on quite a task with this work! He attempts to intertwine the story of the Chicago's creation of the 1893 Columbian Exposition with the emergence of H.H. Holmes's sinister self. The process of creating a city within a city, and the story of one of America's most accomplished serial killers could be two separate books! But Larson infuses them successfully.

The interesting (although second rate, in my opinion) story of the World's Fair sets the stage and creates suspense as H.H. Holmes's misdeeds are revealed slowly throughout the book. Holmes is easily the more interesting of the two tales, but it cannot be told without the debacle of the Fair. Intertwining chapters weave the stories together, until they converge and explode with the horrors of Holmes.

A fascinating read for anyone interested in history, Chicago, serial killers, true crime, art history, or detective novels. Highly recommended!!

I really enjoyed this book. It took awhile to get through it though. I haven't read a "history" book that reads like a novel in such a long time. The author uses facts like his own ideas and thoughts.

Slow read, but interesting due to the detail and facts. Lots of characters to keep track of.

Erik Larson has written a wildly entertaining story, intersecting two pieces of late 19th century American history. However, the two stories couldn't be more dissimilar. One is the triumph of imagination and will with Daniel Burnham as the principal character. The other centers around H.H. Holmes, a charming con man and brutal serial killer.

Daniel Burnham was the chief architect behind the ambitious effort to hold a World's Fair in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the New World by Christopher Columbus. Burnham wasn't looking to just put on a good show. He was bent on surpassing the 1889 World's Fair that took place in Paris and gave the world the Eiffel Tower. Larson does a masterful job of painting a picture of Chicago (and most American cities) at the turn of the century. Chicago was a bustling place characterized by the terrible odors emanating from the meat packing industry and other poor sanitary conditions. The story weaves together such American architecture luminaries, including Hunt, McKim and Sullivan along with Landscape Architure Frederick Olmsted in a way that breathes life into these individuals. As one looks at the current state of modern American urban architecture, it is amazing to think of what Burnham, his partners and the thousands of workers were able to accomplish in such short a period of time.

I also found the parts about George Ferris and Buffalo Bill. Everyone recognizes Ferris by the structures that bear his name, but I certainly didn't realize that this fair led to invention. I tried putting myself in the shoes of those first riders and what it must have been like in this new marvel -- both awesome and incredibly harrowing. Equally enjoyable were the escapades of Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. While not technically inside the fair grounds, Buffalo Bill generated sales of over $30 million dollars in current dollars, regularly playing to packed crowds of 15,000 plus.

My only criticism of Larson's book is that his ongoing portrait of Holmes loses steam about midway thorugh the book. At first, I found the chapters and portrait Larson painted of Holmes quite eerie. As the book went on, I felt Larson got a little verbose and could have shortened some of the chapters to keep a brisker pace and provide a little more mystery to Holmes. Unfortunately, I thought Larson filled in some of the detail more than he needed to and would have preferred the ambiguity. As one read the footnotes, it became apparent that he recreated more than I realized given the lack of detail in Holmes confession or the reliability of some of his statements.

All in all, this was a highly entertaining and fun read. At times, especially the parts about Holmes, one could mistake this book for a novel. Ultimately, the ability of Larson to create a wonderful sense of time and place -- late 19th century Chicago -- brought this book to life in a way that is well worth the read.

What can I say about this masterpiece of the non-fiction novel other than READ THIS BOOK. I have heard about it for years, yet somehow never got around to reading it. I happened upon the book at the library and didn't put it down until the last page, regrettably, was done. I have never written a review on amazon either, but this book compells me to do so. In fact, I would rate this book one star higher than James Swanson's Manhunt, which I also loved. This book led me to other books about the history of Chicago, which I have never been interested in previous to reading this phenomenal book. The details about Chicago and the fair are informative and lushly descriptive, not to mention Larson is noticably respectful and sympathetic concerning H.H. Holmes victims. If you like historical true crime or even simply non-fiction history 'novels' this is the book for you.

The Devil in the White City is one of the finest historical novels I have read. It is both lyrically written and packed with fact, a balance which is very difficult to achieve. The plotline essentially reduces to a struggle between good and evil, as the struggles and aspirations of the 1896 Columbian Exposition's leading architect are contrasted with the schemes of a serial killer who runs a "hotel" near the fair. Larson does an excellent job of weaving excerpts of letters, newspaper articles, and even dinner menus into the story of these two men. The book also presents a wonderful picture of Gilded Age America as a whole, and perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the story is the way that, even amid strikes, recession, technical difficulties, and deaths, the fair remained an island of beauty and progress. The 1896 World's Columbian Exposition may not be a well-known historical event like the roaring twenties, the world wars, the Great Depression, or the baby boom, but, as this book shows, it had a huge impact on and in many ways, saved, the American psyche.

The author narrates two parallel stories: the struggle to create the Columbian Exposition of 1892 and the progress of a serial killer who preyed on women who were drawn to Chicago by the fair. Larson shifts back and forth between these two threads, parceling out his information in such a way that every chapter ends with a cliff-hanger.

For history buffs and mystery afficienados this is a super book. It is a non fiction book about the Chicago World's fair and the serial killer who preyed on the citizens of Chicago. I found it extrememly interesting.

I found "The Devil in the White City" to be a truly amazing book to read. I expected that the portion of the book dealing with the serial killer, H. H. Holmes, would have been fascinating, and that ended up being true. Reading about the diabolical operation of this man, who had no moral problem murdering women who loved him and small children who had done nothing to harm him, was shocking and kept me turning pages.

I was surprised to find, though, that the descriptions of the construction of the World's Fair were just as compelling and suspenseful. I was astounded at the obstacles Burnham and the other architects were faced with, and the ways in which they consistently were able to make unthinkable things happen in a nearly impossible timefame.

The research of this story was impressive, and I liked the details making clear the issues that would have faced the building industry at the time, things such as difficult access to clean water, that wouldn't be a thought in the minds of workers today.

The events and especially the names dropped into this story, from Helen Keller to Walt Disney to Mark Twain to Susan B. Anthony, made me feel this fair took place in a truly magical time for the United States. It was hard for me to put this book down, and the contrast between Holmes' story and Burnham's story made this tale both horrifying and uplifting.

Go back to the 1893 World's Fair that changed America. The Devil and the White City, a novel by Erik Larson, takes the reader back to the time of the World's Fair through the eyes of two remarkable men - Daniel H. Burnham and H.H. Holmes. Daniel H. Burnham was a brilliant architect who was forced to overcome many obstacles to construct the 1983 World's Fair. H.H. Holmes on the other hand was a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor while leading his victims to their death in his World's Fair Hotel, complete with a crematorium and a gas chamber. Erik Larson accomplishes what he set out to do, telling a tale with such drama and mystery that readers will find themselves double-checking to be sure they are not reading a highly imaginative novel. Although readers might find parts of Burnham's story slow at times or H.H. Holmes sinister activities grotesque, this can be easily overlooked by the vivid descriptions, great sentence flow, a nail-biting suspense story, and a terrific supporting cast that includes Thomas Edison, Buffalo Bill and Susan B. Anthony. It is no surprise that Erik Larson was nominated for a National Book Award for The Devil in the White City. He is also a former features writer for Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine, where he is still a contributing writer. Larson has also taught non-fiction writing at various colleges and seminars and has spoken to audiences from coast to coast. The magical appeal and disturbing dark side of 19th century Chicago are both revealed through Larson's masterpiece. The enjoyment of this story is only heightened by the fact that the story is true.

A fascinating journey behind the World's Columbian Exhibition in 1893. Even non-history buffs will be amazed by stories behind popular attractions like the ferris wheel, the "name-dropping" of everyday goods that were introduced to the world for the first time at the fair and the struggles of heroes like Daniel Burnham and the villainous H.H. Holmes.

This extremely well researched book deals with two parallel events in the history of Chicago. It provides a detailed description of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, introducing us to historical personages like Daniel Burnham (of Burnham Harbor) and Potter Palmer (of the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago) among others. We also learn how the world's first Ferris wheel was built for the exposition in the face of almost universal skepticism. Simultaneously the book tells the macabre story of H H Holmes, the pseudonym of Dr Herman Mudgett, a physician serial killer active during the same period. It is hard to know which is the more fascinating tale. Initially the exposition held my attention but at some point the finer details of its logistics began to drag.

Holmes appears to have been a charming conman but also an implacable killer who emotionally exploited, tortured, murdered and dismembered his mostly female and child victims. He had lengthy amorous relationships with many of the women, marrying some, before killing them. Erik Larson's portrait reveals no shred of humanity and one is frustrated by his victims' inability to see through him. One tends to regard serial killers as a modern phenomenon, but obviously that is not so. Holmes lived an ordinary urban middle-class existence in Chicago over a hundred years ago. In this contemplation on the nature of evil one sees the truth of Shakespeare when he wrote "... a villain with a smiling cheek... Oh what a goodly outside falsehood hath!"

On the whole this is an absorbing period novel particularly recommended for those with an interest in the history of Chicago.

Interesting and wonderful historical story detailing the facts of the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. To me ,at least, this is a part of our nations history that has not received as much notice as it deserves.

THis book was written like a research paper. I want the plot to go somewhere,and didn't really care that this or that train car origionated here or there or was used for some other purpose. I didn't care what it took from Lawyers, Bankers, Planners to get the worlds fair off the ground. I wanted to know about the serial killer and in the end read every other chapter so I could keep up with that... giving up on all the other INFORMATION stuffed between the pages. If I had wanted a research paper to read I could have found one... without being secretly wrapped in the pages of a NOVEL.

Erica Asahan wrote:

As absorbing a piece of popular history as all would ever hoped to find. This is such and amazing novel. Chicago at its darkness!

fascinating murder mystery...and the OTHER half...more fascinating historical tale of CHICAGO. a MUST READ ifyou live in, live near, visit, love,--okay...buy this if you ever heard of chicago! you will love the memories you will acquire. hugs, rudydot

I forced my way through this book on the recommendation of a friend. The book's focus was too broad, and tried to take on too much: the Chicago World's Fair, the assassination of Chicago mayor Carter Harrison, Sr., the indecision that delayed the fair's opening on schedule, the many colorful guests who visited the fair, the first Ferris wheel, the impending financial meltdown, and the mass murderer and his victims who happened to live in Chicago during the fair. How did the fair change America? I don't think that question was answered. I was impressed by the author's footnotes, however. Obviously the book was a labor of love.

Excellent book. Learn about one of the greatest architects (Don't miss the Burnham Hotel when you are in Chicago - it used to be the Reliant building, one of the pioneer skyscrapers), and a really fiendish mass killer. I always was fond of the 1893 fair, but didn't know about the man who may have been America's greatest mass murderer.

Truman Capote started the genre of historical non-fiction that reads like a novel, but Larson takes it to new heights here. This book is a wealth of information about a world's fair which no one remembers and a killer who few can recall. These events had such a profound impact on American History and culture that it is shocking that we don't already know this tale. Larson has an eye for detail and dramatic timing. One moment you will be learning about how Pabst recieved its "Blue Ribbon" award at the world's fair and the next you will be on the edge of your seat as Holmes claims another victim. Love history? Read this book. Love suspense? Read this book. Love random knowledge? Read the book. Love a good read that will keep you up all night? Well this may just be the book for you.

I really enjoyed this book. It is very well written and heavily researched. The characters, drawn from real life, and the stories behind the evolution, construction, and demolition of the Chicago exposition are cleverly intertwined with the murderous doings of a pseudo pharmacist, doctor, and confidence man, and his persistent pursuers. Fascinating look at Chicago and America during the last part of the 19th century - its visionaries, optimists, and madmen. I couldn't ask for more about the motivation of the men and national environment that shaped the Chicago exposition, but would have liked a bit more about the mysterious devil in the White City.

I am somewhat surprised that at least one other reviewer stopped reading rather than accept that this book is exactly as presented, a fine work of non-fiction with an unsurpassed historical backdrop; the 1893 World's Fair.
Erik Larson has managed to combine two of my favorite genres, American History and True Crime, and the result is astonishingly good. Although some readers have found the style somewhat cumbersome, and it can be a bit confusing, I enjoyed finding out about some of the things that were happening at the same time as the murders.I enjoyed discovering unknown but significant characters (Prendergast) as well as those whose names have become part of the lexicon of America (Ferris). Besides, we readers of True Crime are somewhat used to dealing with two or three seperate timelines as we discover what the villian, his next victim, and investigators are up to.
The weak point of the story, as others have mentioned, is how little of the book is taken up with Holmes. I attribute this in part to the fact that turn-of-the-century America was less interested in serial killers than today, and partly because Holmes was such a liar that it has been necessary to confirm everything coming out of his mouth(impossible for obvious reasons).For this reason and the cumbersome storyline, I give the book a 4 not a 5.
Another book about Holmes is mentioned on page 388.'The Torture Doctor' by David Franke was a source of inspiration for Dr. Michael Swango, who was also a serial killer and who was arrested in Chicago in 1997. I haven't read Franke's book, but it may prove an alternative to readers who can't follow Larsen's style.

I have multiple books going at one time. In this case I read from cover to cover and left the others alone. Now I wish he'd do a history of the 1904 World's Fair.

I bought "The Devil in the White City" based on the synopsis on the back--a true story involving the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893, and the serial killer who used said fair to lure victims to their death. While technically this is true, I think the back-cover description is deceptive.

Alternating between the story of architect Daniel Burnham and that of con man and killer H.H. Holmes, who opened a seedy hotel near the fair and was responsible for an unknown number of disappearances, author Erik Larson fails to ever weave these two stories into a whole the way one hopes and expects. By and large, a reader could read only the chapters on Burnham, or only the chapters about Holmes, and they wouldn't be missing anything about that respective story.

Despite this somewhat uncomfortable narrative structure, "The Devil in the White City" holds one's interest, reading like the most fascinating history textbook you've never read. Both stories are informative and fairly exhaustively researched (though Holmes' story doesn't quite receive the attention that the fair story does). All in all, this was a book that was well worth reading, but one that did not quite have the pull to it that a good fiction novel does.

great read - historical fact nicely structured with an edge of the seat thriller plot

This book was one of the best I have ever read of its kind. The way the author mixed the trials and tribulations of the architects, designers, etc., with the atrocities committed by a psychopathic serial killer that prowled on the people coming to the fair (and others he met) was absolutely fascinating. This is a must read for history lovers and true crime lovers.

Not great literature, not going to change anyones life, but a good story, a page-turner, very interesting. It's about a period in American history I find very compelling, and this guy is a good reporter.

This book is sold as NON-FICTION!!! It is, at best HISTORICAL FICTION. Why does a guy like James Frey get sued for embelishing his memoirs, but this guy gets to reap millions selling something as non-fiction that is truly fiction? You got to be kidding me! I could not get past the fact that the book was made up, so i stopped reading it after 100 pages.

This book is about the 1892 Worlds Fair in Chicago and the man H.H. Holmes who used the fair to murder many people.

The part of the book detailing the life of H.H. Holmes is fascinating. The author tells about his exploits leading from New York and elsewhere before settling in Chicago and building a castle that he used in the systematic murder of many (at least 30) people many of whom where young woman (an some of whom had been romantically involved with him) The author also details his life after the fair when he took three children of his former friend and took them and their mother on a wild goose chase before murdering the children like he had their father. The murders of the three children lead a detective to try to find out what happened to them, and ultimately for H.H. Holmes being hanged for his crimes.

The part that dealt with the fair while informative I found to be very boring compared to the other part of the book. After about 100 pages trying to read about the fair I gave up trying to figure out how all the people the author mentions fit into the story and ultimately found myself just reading the part about H.H. Holmes.

Having grown up in the Chicagoland area, I always detected echoes of the great 1893 World's Columbian Exposition/Chicago's World Fair. There was the Museum of Science and Industry, housed in what had been the Fair's Palace of Fine Arts, and there were so many references to the grandeur of the White City and the huge success of the Fair. But, there was something else that occurred at the same time, something so monstrous that the city chose to block out of its collective memory.

This fascinating book tells the story of the White City and the devil that lurked just outside of it, by concurrently giving the biographies of two men - Daniel Burnham, one of America's greatest architects and urban planners, and Herman Webster Mudgett (alias H.H. Holmes), one of America's most infamous serial killers, who might have killed hundreds during the great Fair. Along the way, we see the rise of Mr. Burnham to being a celebrated architect, while we see the descent of Mr. Mudgett as he learns the ropes in his new "hobby." We see the rise of the White City, while we see the rise of Mudgett's "Murder Castle." And strangely, we see the fall of the White City to arson, and the bringing of Mudgett/Holmes to justice.

Overall, I thought that this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I loved the way that the author succeeded in giving the story of the Exposition the grandeur that it deserved, while at the same time giving the story of Dr. Holmes the feeling of horror that his crimes must have engendered at the time; weaving the two seemingly incompatible strands into a an excellent whole. Also, I liked the many other stories that he told along the way - the story of Frederick Olmstead the great landscape architect, the story of George Ferris and his marvelous invention, and so much more.

I must say that this is a great book, one that I think that everyone should read. I don't say this about many books, but I really do believe that this one is destined to be considered a classic piece of literature by future generations!