My sister slept with the light on until she was 27. She rightfully blames me. I would leap out of closets with my hands made into claws. I would...
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BakerB, January 14, 2013 (view all comments by BakerB)
Very interesting read. Full of fascinating history, details of the World's Fair, & Chicago in its heyday, & chilling murder & mystery. Great combo!
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Waney, December 29, 2012 (view all comments by Waney)
I strongly recommend THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY to anyone who enjoys an engrossing, well-written story, whether they normally read fiction or nonfiction. In particular, if readers have a book report in school, this book should be considered. It makes history come alive.
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Maggie_S, November 13, 2012 (view all comments by Maggie_S)
A wonderful well researched novel following two seperate events that took place in Chicago in the last years of the 19th century, a serial killer on the loose and the Chicago World's Fair. Very well executed and as accurate as I could find.
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Sofi, August 31, 2012 (view all comments by Sofi)
I first heard about this on the "Stuff You Missed in History Class" podcast - and the book did not disappoint! The story of the World's Fair would have been compelling on its own - combined with the bizarre life of H.H. Holmes, it was hard to put down. A fascinating episode in America's history!!
nolan.marie, August 20, 2012 (view all comments by nolan.marie)
I wish my history books in high school were as compelling as Erik Larson's. You will find yourself emotionally invested in the lives and happenings of those inside, never mind that they are long since past.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Used Trade Paper
Erik Larson
0 stars -
0 reviews
$7.50
In Stock
Product details
464 pages
Vintage Books USA -
English9780375725609
Reviews:
"Staff Pick"
by Michal D.,
An amazing history that recounts the inconceivable events surrounding the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, Larson's tale captures a time and place that vividly come to life. The central characters in this tale are Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the construction of the fair, and H. H. Holmes, a serial killer who used the popularity of the fair for his own nefarious ends. Burnham's work at overcoming the insurmountable obstacles before completing this awe inspiring project is interwoven with chapters relating to the maniacal Holmes, whose person will keep you both captivated and haunted. Breathtakingly written, this almost unbelievable history reads like the work of a highly inventive novelist.
by Michal D.
"Staff Pick"
by Beth,
"I was mesmerized by this book. It was a deliciously creepy read, made more creepy for being true. Several times in the course of reading it, I had to keep reminding myself that the events really happened."
by Beth
"Review A Day"
by Adrienne Miller, Esquire,
"You've got to respect a book that makes you keep flipping to the back cover, double-checking that it is nonfiction. Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City seems like something from the mind of, say, Thomas Harris. But it is, in fact, true. A gruesome and gripping book....[T]he heart of the story is so good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already." (read the entire Esquire review)
"Review"
by Chicago Tribune,
"Engrossing...exceedingly well documented...utterly fascinating."
"Review"
by Chicago Sun-Times,
"A wonderfully unexpected book....Larson is a historian...with a novelist's soul."
"Review"
by USA Today,
"Another successful exploration of American history....Larson skillfully balances the grisly details with the far-reaching implications of the World's Fair."
"Review"
by New York Magazine,
"Vivid history of the glittering Chicago World?s Fair and its dark side."
"Review"
by David Traxel, The New York Times Book Review,
"[Larson] uses language well, but has little sense of pacing or focus, perhaps because of the huge amount of material available on the fair....There is much less material available on H. H. Holmes, and Larson tells that part of the story economically."
"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
The story of two men's obsessions with the Chicago World's Fair — one its architect, the other a murderer. The Devil in the White City draws the reader into a time of magic and majesty, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others.
"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
The story of two men's obsessions with the White City Fair, one its architect, the other a murderer.
"Synopsis"
by Random,
Erik Larson—author of #1 bestseller IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS—intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction.
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