The devil in the White City

murder, magic and madness at the fair that changed America

by
No cover

Erik Larson: The devil in the White City (2003, Doubleday)

447 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 2003 by Doubleday.

ISBN:
978-0-385-60273-0
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OCLC Number:
156117835

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(2 reviews)

This is the story of the men and women whose lives were irrevocably changed by the Chicago World Fair, and of two men in particular: an architect and a serial killer. Spicing the narrative are the stories of a cast of historical characters including Buffalo Bill, Scott Joplin and Theodore Dreiser.

21 editions

reviewed The Devil in the White City Illinois by Erik Larson

good, but you might as well read The Jungle

It seems everyone read this when I lived in Chicago except me, but the true crime hook turned me off then. Turns out it's mostly about architecture and temporary facades of respectability, and engagingly told as popular history. Satisfyingly travel-back-in-time-to-Chicago.

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Subjects

  • Burnham, Daniel H
  • Holmes, Henry H
  • Murder -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- 19th century
  • Chicago (Ill.) -- History -- 19th century