Book Reviews of The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America

I requested this book because I was intrigued by the fact that it had received 70+ essentially positive reviews! I don't think I have ever seen that before!
This was a good read. The information about the Fair was fascinating. I was glad to be spared the horrid details of the serial murders. The book was very well written, not sensationalistic and truly interesting.
I am re-listing so someone else can enoy.

This is a great read. I had no idea the Chicago World's Fair had such a huge impact on the U.S. The crime story is amazing. Very interesting.

History with suspense of a murder mystery. Larson ties events surrounding early 1890's Chicago World Fair in to a non-fiction page turner. The story will remain with you long after book goes to a dusty corner of your bookshelf. Highly recommended.

Erik Larson has been able to take historical events and mold a very readable non-fiction book. It looks into the events of the Chicago's World's Fair by telling the story of two masterminds. One a mastermind of architecture and the world's fair and another a mastermind of using charm and murder. Although I am usually interested in history books, I did enjoy as well as appreciate this book and in the end still can not believe the events in this book are real and factual at times and have to remind myself that this was not a novel.

I thought the book seemed interesting,from the synopsis on the best sellers list - I like a good "true story". This book mixes history, with a few madmen moving in tandem through the book. Slow to get moving, but by the middle of the book - I had to know how it all ended and stayed up way too late to finish!

Great book, the descriptions of the fair made it come alive in my mind, thoroughly enjoyed the story as well.

Loved this book SO much, especially since I grew up in Chicago, where some of the places in the book took place still exist! Loved that it reads like a novel, though is a true story of how the World's Fair was put on while a mad serial killer used the fair to lure his victims.

Fabulous combination of historical research and fiction. I didn't know much about the Chicago's World Fair going into the story, but found myself not only drawn into an engrossing story but, surprisingly, learned a lot about our country's popular history in the process.

This is a TERIFIC book! It's one of the very few that my husband & I both read and both LOVED! One of the best books that I have EVER read!!!!!!!!!

One of the finest books I have ever read. Captivating, informative, great style .... I could go on and on....

Who knew that the country's first serial murderer was at Chicago's World's Fair? Not me, and that's just one of the gazillion little facts you're gonna come away with. I was expecting a book about the world's fair overcome by a serial-killer. Not so. The author's focus is more on the journey the planners and architects undertook to make this event happen against enormous odds at the turn of the nineteenth century. The author certainly did his research on how the contracts were awarded for where the world's fair would take place, designing the fair, the months and months and years that went by from one deadline to another. You really feel like you know Chicago by the time you finish. Although the details about the serial murderer were interspersed throughout the book and you felt that drama building up as the fair was coming to life, it all seemed anticlimactic. Something about this book just didn't work for me. It gets so bogged down in all the minutia of the planners and the architects relationships that drags on for years. But if the World's Fair is your thing then this is the book for you. I can't imagine a question about the history of Chicago or the planning of the fair that's not answered. But if you want a really good book about serial killers, read The Dante Club.

Very interesting -- a lot more detailed than I had thought it would be. I have a deeper appreciation and understanding of Chicago and the World Fair now.

If you pick up this book be prepared to say WOW!! This is a fablous true story about the worlds fair in Chicago. Boy--the work and minds that went into this! This book will tell you how it came about, the shows they had, what worked and what didn't and even tells of Wild Bills show across the street as he wasn't invited to be a show within the walls of the fair. After i read this i looked the people who built this great entertainment up on the computer as i wanted more. A "stick your fanny to the seat" read.

Ran across this by accident while visiting Chicago (The White City). Though truly historical in nature, it's a great crime thriller set during the World's Fair with a free lesson in architectural appreciation thrown in! I couldn't put it down. Made me excited to be moving to Chicago this summer to a place so rich in history.

As someone from Chicago, I found this book really interesting and compelling. I often forgot it was historical, and not a work of fiction. Very easy to read, and I loved how historical figures weave in and out of the story.

I highly recommend this book for people who love history, rough and tumble old Chicago, fans of serial killer stories, and architecture buffs. Probably the only book that could reach that particular fan base!

A very interesting look at the building and execution of 1992 World's Fair in Chicago and the life of a serial killer, HH Holmes, living in Chicago who took advantage of his proximity to the fair to feed his psychopathic desires.

I enjoyed the book, but it did take me some time to get into the book. Larson spends a great deal of time developing the background of the characters in the book (the architects for the World's Fair and HH Holmes.)

He moves back and forth between the two stories. The biggest problem for me was that the moves weren't always during the same time frame, as the early story of HH Holmes started before the World's Fair was even an idea. So you will find yourself reading about things from HH Holmes life in 1885 after reading about something with the World's Fair from 1890.

The most interesting thing to me was the fact that the view of "kids these days" enabled HH Holmes to really get away with murder. (And that we still think "kids these days.")

Drags on the first half but stick with it! Totally worth it for the ending. FANTASTIC read.

Reviewed by K. Osborn Sullivan for TeensReadToo.com

In 1893, Chicago was gearing up for its shining moment on the international stage. The city had been selected to host the World's Fair, beating out New York and a number of other American contenders. A prominent local architect, Daniel Burnham, had taken the reins to organize and construct the massive project. He assembled a dream team of architects, landscapers, engineers, and other professionals to help pull the fair together. Certainly Chicago could outdo the Paris Fair, which had been a worldwide success years earlier.

Unfortunately for Burnham and his team, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Due to a lack of organization and bickering among the committees responsible for the fair, construction began far later than it should have. Partially completed buildings blew over and burned down. Union workers threatened strikes. One sideshow act showed up a year early, while another (which was believed to be made up of cannibals) killed the man sent to retrieve them and never showed up at all. And there was a monster on the loose. A man who used the chaos of Chicago at this time in history to conceal the murders of dozens of people - many of them young, single women. A man who constructed a building with stolen money, then used the building as a slaughterhouse to lure, kill, and dispose of his victims.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY is a terrific book. It is nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. The real-life details of this story seem almost too bizarre to be true, yet this is one example of the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." The author, Erik Larson, even includes a lengthy section at the back where he documents his facts and explains his suppositions.

The book's chapters alternate between the World's Fair and the exploits of serial killer, Dr. H.H. Holmes. I found myself enjoying both stories, as they ran parallel throughout the book. The Herculean task of putting together the fair in record time was fascinating, and the sociopathic actions of Dr. Holmes were chilling. It made for a brilliant contrast - just when the frustrations of the Fair seemed overwhelming, the book switched to Dr. Holmes as he lured yet another young woman into his web. And just when Dr. Holmes' evil seemed too much to bear, the chapter would end and the reader would be back at the World's Fair dealing with political back stabbing, instead of Holmes' more literal variety.

I rarely read nonfiction, but this book came highly recommended to me, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did, too. It offers a wonderful historical perspective on Chicago and the world near the close of the 19th century. For a Chicago-area native like me, its frequent mentions of famous local names, like Burnham and Adler and Marshall Field, that still grace street signs and the sides of buildings, were an added treat. Just a brief word of warning, though: it does contain some of the dreaded "adult themes." Some of Dr. Holmes' crimes are described - although not too graphically - and they might be upsetting for "younger or more sensitive" readers.

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.

I read this for a book club - one of the best history stories I've read in a long time. I really wish I could have seen the White City in person. And wow...some people are just too dangerous for words!

I'm still thinking about this book a month later. I'm a history geek and a psychologist so the combination of historically fascinating facts and a psychological examination of a period of time (and a madman) combined together was riveting. I felt like I was taken back in time, could feel the scratchy natural fibers people had to wear, could smell the polluted blood-soaked air of Chicago's stockyards. The first cracker jacks? The first electric lights? so many firsts; I can't spill all the beans, but this is a must read.

Excellent book for lovers of American History, Cultural History, Mysteries and ARCHITECTURE.

I was disappointed to be actually bored by what I thought would be an involving and interesting tale of the first person to be described as a "psychopath"--the word was invented to describe/try to explain what this guy was! But what I found my self reading was a history lesson on the Chicago Worlds' Fair given by a good upper-level schoolteacher.
Personally, I am simply not interested much in the lives, lifestyles, paperwork, health issues of a bunch of (admittedly talented) architects in 1893. The Devil himself took up less than a third of the actual book and his misdeeds evaded any sort of description till the very end (and were presented in oddly Victorian description & restraint).
Well-written for what it is and no doubt would be of interest to those who like tales of historical bureaucracy, urban squalor,and the Manly Men of the turn of the last century---not my cup of tea,however.

This book is awesome! The other took a total Tarentino approach and managed to bring several different stories into one. I absolutely loved the way he incorporated history into the personal lives of each character. I highly recommend this book for any history buff.

This book is very well researched and fascinating for about the first 75 pages. However, I lost interest quickly with all the infighting and revising of the parks. The pace for me slowed to a screeching halt and I was not able to make myself finish.

Excellent look into the minds of some fascinating people from the past. I couldn't put it down.

Like other books by Larson, this one is filled with tangents and tidbits, but here they contribute to the story rather than distracting the reader away from it. The grand scale of the Columbian Exposition touched thousands, and Larson tells the sometimes stranger than fiction stories of the architects, engineers, dreamers, and criminals who were associated with the White City. A very involving and interesting book.

This book is incredible! Possibly the best read I've had in a long time. The stories of the architect and the murderer are intertwined marvelously, and it's a gripping tale. There are some technical bits about architecture and such, but they're told in such a way that even the seemingly "boring" parts are really interesting. Highly recommended!

Disturbing but draws you in.

One of my favorite books - totally fascinating and have recommended it numerous times. Isaac's Storm by the same author is also excellent.

Being that I am from Chicago, I found this book really interesting. It started out slow and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to read it at first. But, after I got into it I really liked it. I'm glad I kept reading. I would recommend it to others to read.

This is an excellent read and a very fascinating story. I could hardly put the book down once I got into it. I knew almost nothing about the history of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago--what was involved in the multifaceted planning of the fair, all the various players participating in the design and construction of the complex and in the amazing construction project itself. I certainly knew nothing about the serial killer living in Chicago during the time that the World's Fair was being constructed and while the attraction was open to the public. It is simply amazing what this monstrous individual got away with for years before his reprehensible actions came to light. I like the way Larson weaves the two story lines together to create such an intriguing account of these past events.

I enjoyed Larsen's Issac's Storm very much and I have to say The Devil in the White City is even more enthralling. I think that even if you aren't a lover of history you will enjoy this book and find it quite enthralling.

It's interesting to compare the civic pride of Chicagoans in the 1890's as they sought to be the site of the Columbia Exposition to the grandiose hopes of the current mayor to realize the Olympics, seemingly for his own piece of posterity. Highly recommended book--wonderful historical page-turner that reads like fiction.

A bit dense, but well worth it. A masterful weaving of 2 parallel worlds.

This book was very well researched and written, it had everything you would want in a book.... murder, mystery, epic imaging , drama and plot twist.

This is one of my favorite books i have read in the last five years.

Entralling reading, a page turner you will want to put procrastinate whatever you are doing to finish this one!

My husband really enjoyed this book. A very good read!

This is one of the most intriguing, shocking, suspenseful books I've read in a long time. Wonderfully researched and written, the author captures the era beautifully.

Even without the serial murder storyline, I thought this book was extremely interesting and informative. You really feel as though you know what it was like to not only design, build or visit the attractions at the Chicago's World Fair, but you get a good glimpse into life during that time in Chicago, and architecture enthusiasts will enjoy this glimpse into the old Chicago school of architecture. Add in the criminal aspect - one that I had never heard of before reading this book - and you've got quite a story.

The insight into the murderer and his victims is absolutely bone-chilling. I am still shocked to think that these events actually happened. Great read!!

This was my book club's choice one month, and all of us loved it!

This book was recommended by someone who knows I like history,and had read and enjoyed Larson's Isaac's Storm. I was not disappointed in the least! It is a fascinating read!

Must read for anyone who is interested in the history of Chicago, but anyone else will enjoy it too. I couldn't put this book down.

Excellent read. Great research of the history of the serial killer as well as the first World's Fair in America. This work shows us that demented, as well as great minds were as alive at the turn of the 19th centruy as they are today.

Although I didn't feel that this book was gruesomely-detailed as I had heard it would be; I still very much enjoyed this book. I felt it had great historical facts and amazing pictures from that time-frame.

This is an excellent book..you don't want to put it down!

I really enjoyed Erik Larson's writing style. He does a great job of relaying the history of the day without making it too stodgy. Thorougly descriptive non-fiction with the feel of fiction. Highly recommend.

This book was fascinating and scarier than you-know-where as it simultaneously tells the story of th Chicago World's Fair and the development of one of America's first known serial killers, a "doctor" who murdered one of his wives, one of his own chldren, along with many others, as well as destroying the entire family of a man who was close to him and probably knew too much to be allowed to live. The author brings to life the time in which it occurs (the late 1800's) with rich detail and description. It is one the best true crime accounts I have read and I have read many!

A page turner I couldn't put down, full of history and intrigue. It's the 1892 World's Fair in Chicago side-by-side with the story of a serial killer who took advantage of the Fair to gain his victims. The story of the Fair is primary and covers its inception through its finish. What a monumental endeavor and success! At the same time, you get a sense of the underside of Chicago as you read about Dr. H.H. Holmes and how he was able to murder young women without coming under suspicion during the time of the Fair. Amazingly well written when you consider the complexity and sensitivity of the two topics. I read this one cover to cover and fully intend to read it again sometime in the future!

In our book club, half really loved the book for the content on how the World's Fair was built and all the little bits of information you learn about it. Many felt it didn't have enough information on the killer and how he worked.

It took me 2 weeks to get through this book. Mainly because it's been crazy in my life lately, but also because this is, in some ways, a dry book. I was fascinated by the architecture and building practices of the time. The history of foundations in the Chicago area, the time/effort/labor it took, all that stuff interested me. BUT it did seem to drag on and on at times. The Holmes connection wasn't really connected, it happened at the same time and I think the fair only allowed him to get away with it because of the large number of people and craziness that went down around there. I wish we had heard more of the Holmes story and a little less of the fair. They were inter-woven, yes, but I think they deserved equal time.

Having said that, it is a good book, a bit tedious, definitely not a beach read. It did make me go look up more information and pictures about the fair. I always knew we had one there back then, but I didn't really know much about it. The whole project seems huge and frankly, amazing, for the time. Impressive.

This was recommended to me by my book store owner. At first I almost gave up on it. Very slow at start. If you like history you'll like this. After half way through, it's a great one to stay with it till the end. Be prepared to meet lots of people in the story to with the building of the worlds fair in Chicago. Very different read!

I liked the premise of the book, but at times the story was hard to get into. I had to restart the book a few times because I wasn't sure where it was going so I put it down for awhile and then came back to it.

I don't read much non-fiction, but I was so glad that I decided to read this book. It opened up my eyes to a truly special time in U.S. History, the Chicago World's Fair. The author does a great job of transporting the reader back into that era so that we actually feel like we visited the fair. The author also leaves the reader with an understanding as to how the events of the fair truly ushered in the modern era.

There are two stories running through the book. The first story revolves around what it took to actually make the fair happen. The second story is a chilling account of a serial killer that preyed on many victims during this time period. Both stories are equally interesting but I was intially drawn to the latter story but ended up enthralled by the monumental task of putting on the fair.

Fantastic account of one of the key events pushing America into the 20th century. The author blends a fascinating murder mystery/serial killer into the framework of the staging of the Columbian Exposition that makes this a book impossible to put down. Personal looks into the lives and motivation of the key players of the Exposition, as well as the mad serial killer, makes for truly compelling reading. A classic.

A great book about the Chicago World's Fair - chapters alternate between the people responsible for the Fair and a serial killer during this time.

Historical non-fiction that reads like a novel. Devil in the White City is an easy non-fiction read: hard to put down, and harder to believe the details of H.H. Holmes' crimes. Highly recommended for true crime fans willing to try something a little different.

This is a fascinating book which I highly recommend. If you are interested in history and crime, pick up this book. You won't be able to put it down.

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.

Really enjoyed this one. Lives up to reviews. Wish it had more photos, but than it was 1890ish. Ends a bit aburptly, but than, that's real life. Highly recommend.

A must read for trivia experts. Larson could have left out the "devil" and still had an extremely good book.

Devil in the White City creates a fascinating picture of forgotten moments of glory and depravity in American history. Larson's poetic descriptions conjure the budding strength, ingenuity and beauty of the city of Chicago and its people and the simultaneous depths of horror that emerged in the same city, in the same culture and the ways these two extremes changed the American psyche forever.

It was very difficult for me to get into this book. I enjoy History on great events, however I just found myself bored and uninterested. I guess I had too high of hopes for the book and it just didn't hold up.

Not nearly as good as I had expected.

Both stories - the building of the fair, and the crimes of serial killer H.W. Mudgett - are interesting, but neither tale was fully explored in this book. Condensing the history of each of these remarkable occurrences unfortunately made each story far less compelling. These stories didn't relate as well to each other as I might have liked, and as such I was distracted by the jumping from one tale to the next.

I ended up skimming much of the book and I really didn't enjoy it. It's not the worst book in the universe but I certainly can't see how it received all the positive reviews on here.

This was an interesting and well researched story about the Chicago Exposition. It was also a very uneven tale of the true story of a serial killer who also used the fair to do his "business". It actually left me asking more questions about the fair, and even more about the killer, Holmes. I spent a great deal of time looking up pictures of the buildings at the Exposition, and reading more about the exhibits. I am going to leave Mr. Holmes to his dark secrets and move on. It's definitely worth reading, but be prepared for lots of questions that are not answered here.

Erik Larson has written a very enlighting nonfiction about the first World's Fair held in the United States and the first serial killer that became known to the police. The author's story starts with the beginnings of bidding for the right to hold it in the city of Chicago to the closing day of the fair. While he does this he intertwines the thread of the first known serial killer in this country and how he feeds on the fair for his own sinister gain. This is done quite brilliantly by means of volleying the chapters. In addition, along the way, you pick up various tid bits of information about skeletons, view of doctors, sanitation and much more. Make time for this one, you will not be disappointed.

Hard to put this book down. Great history lesson of the Chicago area. Plot and characters masterfully blended into two parallel stories.

American history well told. There is not a slow or dryly told chapter. Highly recommended to all history buffs.

Very Interesting Read. It wasn't quite what I expected it to be. It borders somewhere between biography and novel.

Loved the history in this book. I'm not a history buff myself however it makes you look at the city of Chicago a lot differently. It is twisted and very well written. A little slow in parts regarding the buildings, however where it's a little slow in some areas it's not stop action in others. Enjoy!!

The chapters on the fair are fascinating and fun to read. The chapters about the devil are well-written but not valuable, and not tied in enough to enhance the other chapters. If you get it, just skip to the chapters about the White City. You'll be glad you did.

Extremely interesting, true story about the making of the Chicago World Fair. The men who lived their lives to fulfil this and one man who had a very sinister agenda of his own, not related to the World's Fair except for living in the vacinity.

Absolutely amazing!! How did I not know about this event or Holmes before. I cannot get enough of it. Recommend DVD MAGIC OF THE WHITE CITY after you have finished book-brings book to live.

Hated it. There was just too much to get into the book.

A great historical write-up written in story form. Very interesting to know what was going on with the Fair and the killer at the same time. Great read!

BRINGING CHICAGO CIRCA 1893 TO VIVID LIFE. ERIK LARSON'S SPELL-BINDING TALE INTERTWINES THE TRUE TALE OF TWO MEN.THE BRILLIANT ARCHITECT BEHID THE WORL'S FAIR & THE CUNNING SERIAL KILLER WHO USED THE FAIR TO LURE HIS VICTIMS TO THIER DEATH.

Extraordinary history of events that went underreported for years. Fascinating read for book clubs, too.

Wonderfully written, fascinating history. A lot of gore, if that sort of thing bothers you.

This book tells the story of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and how a cunning serial killer used the fair to lure his victims to their deaths.

I loved this book. It is an interesting story about the Chicago World's fair of 1893. It goes into great detail in its descriptions of the buildings and the inside workings of this historical event. In addition, it also documents the story of a mass murder that was active during this time.

Not long after Jack the Ripper haunted the ill-lit streets of 1888 London, H.H. Holmes (born Herman Webster Mudgett) dispatched somewhere between 27 and 200 people, mostly single young women, in the churning new metropolis of Chicago; many of the murders occurred during (and exploited) the city's finest moment, the World's Fair of 1893. Larson's breathtaking new history is a novelistic yet wholly factual account of the fair and the mass murderer who lurked within it. Bestselling author Larson (Isaac's Storm) strikes a fine balance between the planning and execution of the vast fair and Holmes's relentless, ghastly activities. The passages about Holmes are compelling and aptly claustrophobic; readers will be glad for the frequent escapes to the relative sanity of Holmes's co-star, architect and fair overseer Daniel Hudson Burnham, who managed the thousands of workers and engineers who pulled the sprawling fair together 0n an astonishingly tight two-year schedule. A natural charlatan, Holmes exploited the inability of authorities to coordinate, creating a small commercial empire entirely on unpaid debts and constructing a personal cadaver-disposal system. This is, in effect, the nonfiction Alienist, or a sort of companion, which might be called Homicide, to Emile Durkheim's Suicide. However, rather than anomie, Larson is most interested in industriousness and the new opportunities for mayhem afforded by the advent of widespread public anonymity. This book is everything popular history should be, meticulously recreating a rich, pre-automobile America on the cusp of modernity, in which the sale of "articulated" corpses was a semi-respectable trade and serial killers could go well-nigh unnoticed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW

A facinating tale -- two parallel stories, really. One, the story of the architects of the Columbian Exposition, Chicago's World's Fair - how it got built, its struggle to make money in the worstening economy of the early days of the Great Depression. The other story, a madman living nearby who used the Exposition as bait, gathering in young women and seducing them to their death.

Both stories, facinating and well-told.

A great book! Very interesting and informative about this period of time in our country - especially in Chicago. Larson does a great job of weaving the two story lines together. An incredible amount of research had to be done on both subjects. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This was a fascinating story, rich in history and suspense. It is a little slow in the beginning, but it picks up after the first few chapters. Since I am from Pittsburgh, it was interesting to me to learn about the origins of the ferris wheel.

I liked this one quite a bit. It's a history book written like a novel. There is plenty of suspense and it's chocked full of interesting facts about American history that I'd never heard before. This one's worth checking out, for sure.

Very educational - and as exciting a book as you'll ever read about architecture, since the muder mysteries unravelling will keep the pages turning. I found it annoying a few times when the author was clearly taking liberties to make the story more dramatic; these stories are gripping and dramatic enough without it.

I have to admit that this book took me awhile to get into. But, once I did, I couldn't put it down. It was interesting to learn about Chicago in a time so alive with new inventions and exciting events. Add a little murdering on the side, and you've got a good read!

I read this book recently and enjoyed it very much. It told me a lot about a period of history that I don't know enough about. Was especially interesting since I went to school in Chicago.

The true tale of two men--the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Lot's of history including the creation of the first Ferris wheel, and a number of unique constructions methods necessary to meet the time constraints of the opening of the Fair.

A largely historical work that reads like a novel. It's about the planning, design and building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (The White City) The book becomes decidedly more interesting as it slowly at first introduces Dr. H. H. Holmes (The Devil), a psychopathic killer, his "murder castle" and the tangled web of lies, deception and murder that comes unraveled in the end due to the work of a tireless and brilliant detective. Not for the squeemish!

Very interesting story.

loved this book!

Excellent, excellent book.

Excellent book. All the positive reviews here are well deserved.

My sister got me this book as a gift, and I must say I loved it! Very informative, and it definitely wasn't what I expected.

Based on actual events (I think).

Facinating! "Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair (Chicago) that changed America" Meticulous research by an excellent author.

I have read this book twice. It is a engrossing mystery. It takes you back to the time of the 1893 World's Fair with a wonderful discription of the era.

great read hard to believe this book is nonfiction

Learned alot about the Chicago world's fair and a serial killer that had never really been publicized much

****, Original, absorbing, fascinating, well-written, murder, magic, and a bit of modern history as well. I would choose this book again!

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. I picked it because of my interest in crime stories, but found myself unexpectedly drawn in by the historical information. In this book, I found history to be as interesting as fiction.

A gripping story! Read it!

An absorbing and very interesting piece of American history that few people know about.

Brilliant, beautiful book! I couldn't put it down. The intrigue of the old World's Fair combined with a serial killer is a very unusual combination, but in Erik Larson's capable hands, it works!

Excellent Read... I loved this book! It is definitely a page turner.

At times this reads a little bit like a dry history book, especially when Larson starts introducing dozens of people in a chapter. If you like true crime, you can get through the history of the worlds fair and enjoy.

I loved this book. Lots of interesting "trivia" type facts.

Listened to the audio tape. This was a great combination of historical fiction and suspense. I learned a lot about the Fair and the key players involved. Fascinating! Marian

Finalist for the National Book Award. An atmospheric blend of history and mystery. Well deserves the great buzz.

Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Takes place in Chicago around 1893. It has two stories going on simultaneously. The first abou the brilliamt architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair. The second story is about a serial killer who used the Fair to lure his victims to their death.

This book could get a bit tedious at times with all of the details, but I enjoyed it. Larsen really brought history to life for me. The numerous historical facts that originated with the Chicago World's Fair is so interesting. I found it amazing that so much was accomplished during this time period, especially given the ailments that most people had to contend with.

This book sparked my interest in the 1893 Chicago Columbian Expo--Interesting!

Interesting book set in Chicago in 1893 - intertwines the tale of two men - one the archetect on the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the other a serial killer.

Well researched book on the World's Fair in Chicago and a serial murder that took place at the same time

I found this book very interesting. I liked how the author laced the book with a lot of little details about how the fair was connected to so many people and cultural events that we are so familiar with today. Some parts were a little slow, but over all it was a good read!

Chicago, Illinois, circa 1893. The true tale of two men-the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, and a cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Newly discovered history meshing with the best of murderous fiction.

riveting historical murder mystery--based on real serial killings during the 1893 Chicago Exposition.

This is one those books I was arfraid to read because of all the hype around it. I have been disappointed before. But, althought non fiction, this tale of murder and the Chicago World Fair in 1893 was very enthralling. I recommend to anyone.

This is a fascinating book about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair...and a serial killer who lured women to horrible fates before, during, and after the fair.

I loved this book. I learned all about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (great inventions came from this one) all against the backdrop of a serial killer!

I thought this account of the 1893 World's Fair was great. As the advertising for the book says, there was murder, magic and madness during the planning and creation of the world's greatest fair. You can't believe how many products we still use today made their first appearance at this fair (like Cracker Jacks!).

Typical of Larson's writing, this is yet another excellent example of deep research and a compelling narrative style. I recommend this book to anyone with a fascination of turn-of-the-century historical writings.

Excellent mix of history and murder. Throughly enjoyed

keep reading.....it gets better and better

Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime

Two different stories and/or characters
are developed around the building of the
Chicago Worlds fair.
Larson, the historian, really becomes a novelist.
a very engrossing book.

My book club did not like this book but I did. I thought it very interesting. Almost like watching a movie that tells the story of 2 main characters who don't realize they connect. Forgot it was nonfiction in a lot of places. It has been compared to IN Cold Blood but I liked Devil MUCH better.

Enjoyed. Learned alot of history. A litle detailed in places.

True story - Chicago World's Fair 1893 - serial murderer uses Fair to lure victims. Great insight into making of Fair.

Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America!

Engrossing American history.

I thought this was a great book. There was so much that I learned from it. I learned all about the architecture of Chicago, where I'm from. These are buildings that are still there. The world's fair, serial killings I didn't know about. His writing is so descriptive I can't believe there was so much in such a small book.

I really enjoyed this book and hesitated parting with it. I also learned about architects and landscapers. I'll look for the same people when I get to NYC and see various buildings there. Of course, it was meant to be a crime story about the Chicago World's Fair, and it was excellent.

Winner of Edgar award for best fact fiction. The 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, blends fact and fiction. Great story.

Interesting facts on the Chicago World's Fair and a true serial killer. Reads so much like a novel that the reader forgets this is history.

Very detailed and descriptive! Lots of research went into this one!

excellent book!

Murder, Magic, and Madness at the fair that changed America.

Facinating! Reads like fiction. Gory, historical non-fiction.

Winner of the Edgar award for best fact crime story. A tale of two men and their works: the brilliant architect who organized the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago (the first venue for the Ferris Wheel --America's answer to the Eiffel Tower--and alternating current, among other innovations) and a cunning and brutal serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims.

This was a fascinating mix of history and mystery. I learned a lot about the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and how it came to be. There was also a serial killer in the city at the time and that story was interesting as well.

The book takes a meandering walk through the architecture designed and almost magically completed for the Chicago World's Fair. Some of the buildings still stand! However, I wanted to know about the guy who was killing people, so the first third or so was pretty dull to me. It really picks up when the killer is discussed, and the completion of his building with all sorts of "useful" rooms was awfully interesting. This book was a National Book Award Finalist.

Great story- loved all the info about the world's fair!

Great read! I loved the history -- written like a novel -- lots of "name-dropping". The "devil" sections were right out of a horror novel.

Fabulous read, I loved it wholeheartedly.

This is a fascinating tale of the construction of the 1893 World's Fair and an evil man who resides in Chicago at the same time. Based on a true incident.

GREAT book! I couldnt put it down!

Truth really is stranger than fiction! Intrieging story intertwining the life of the architect behind the 1893 World's Fair and the serial killer who used the fair as a hunting ground for his victims.

I had no idea there was a serial killer in Chicago during the World's Fair in 1893. They weren't called serial killers then, but that's exactly what "Dr. H.H. Holmes" was. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson was very interesting in that the author alternated his chapters between a good man (architect Daniel Burnham) and a bad one (Holmes). I have to admit, though, that if it wasn't for the lure of the serial killer's story, I probably would have passed the book over. I wonder if that's why Larson twined the two men's stories together? I picked up some interesting trivia about the fair that I either forgot or never knew. Among them: the ferris wheel (a gigantic version!) was introduced at the fair. It was called "The White City" because all the buildings were painted white--and what an effect the sun had on them! Cracker Jack and shredded wheat and Juicy Fruit gum made their debut at the fair! But the book wasn't about trivia. It was about the dream and determination of a man (Burnham) to build the greatest world's fair ever and to "out Eiffel" the Eiffel Tower. It was about the frustrations and set backs and tragedies he endured along the way. Every other chapter (almost) was devoted to the outwardly charming but inwardly soul-dead man impersonating a doctor/pharmacist. He was an architect of sorts too--a castle chamber of horrors he built and to which he lured, tortured and killed at least 9 people. Some say he may have killed up to 200!

Great book 4 stars

Couldn't get into it..

One of my favorite reads last year. I've recommended to all my friends. Nonfiction that reads like a goodmurder mystery!

One of the best books I've read in awhile! I could hardly put it down. The writing style is fairly obvious, but Larson has woven the complex story of two intertwining historical events together in such a skillful way, that you are compelled to keep reading.

Loved it! If you want to know where the Ferris Wheel came from, then read this! Great historical fiction!

I'm sure some might find this book entertaining, so I am reposting it. I just couldn't get past the first few chapters.

Has a bit of highlighting in it...

Great book !

I found the book fascinating. Interesting blend of history and entertainment. And well written. Book was a finalist in the National Book Award.

An untold piece of Americana. A unique look at one of the seminole events in the forging of the American identity. The book is a true story that feels like a gripping work of fiction, Larson captures a moment in time, bringing to life a tale of one of America's great achievements, while casting light on the dark places that are usually omitted from the history books.

Trade sized paperback

Very interesting read. A great book for someone interested in History. All about the world's fair in Chicago and a serial murderer too.

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