The Devil in the White City tells Erik Larson’s gripping tale of two men—the brilliant architect behind the 1893 World’s Fair, Daniel Hudson Burnham, and the serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their deaths. Burnham was one of those rare individuals whose ambitions were so large that they required multiple epochs for their realization. He designed not only Chicago’s famed “White City” but many other landmarks around the world, including Union Station in Washington D.C., New York Public Library, and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
For who is this book for ?
This book is for people who are interested in architecture, serial killers and the 1893 World’s Fair.
Pros :
- The book is extremely well written and researched, making for a very interesting read.
- It provides an in-depth look at both the amazing architect Daniel Burnham and the serial killer H.H. Holmes, providing a more complete picture of each than any other source I’ve found.
- The story sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the very end.
Cons :
- The book is a little slow to get started.
- It can be dense at times, with information about architecture and the fair that some readers may find less than fascinating.
- The narrative occasionally jumps around in time, which can be confusing.
Learn more about the author
Born in New York City, Larson graduated from Brown University and worked at the Wall Street Journal for six years before writing his first book. He is the author of five consecutive New York Times bestsellers: In The Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, The Devil in the White City, Dead Wake, andThe Shipwrecked Mind.
Reader Reviews
“What an interesting book! I couldn’t put it down.”
“You can’t put it down.”
“The Devil in the White City is an excellent book. It is well written, and it covers interesting subject matter.”
“Larson’s rich period detail and wonderfully evocative storytelling make this a page-turner worthy of comparison to Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.”
