The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death. “Relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel .... It doesn’t hurt that this truth is stranger than fiction.” —The New York Times 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. Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake. The Devil in the White City draws the reader into the enchantment of the Guilded Age, 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. Erik Larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this

two Men, Each Handsome And Unusually Adept At His Chosen Work, Embodied An Element Of The Great Dynamic That Characterized America’s Rush Toward The Twentieth Century. The Architect Was Daniel Hudson Burnham, The Fair’s Brilliant Director Of Works And The Builder Of Many Of The Country’s Most Important Structures, Including The Flatiron Building In New York And Union Station In Washington, D.c. The Murderer Was Henry H. Holmes, A Young Doctor Who, In A Malign Parody Of The White City, Built His “world’s Fair Hotel” Just West Of The Fairgrounds—a Torture Palace Complete With Dissection Table, Gas Chamber, And 3,000-degree Crematorium. Burnham Overcame Tremendous Obstacles And Tragedies As He Organized The Talents Of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles Mckim, Louis Sullivan, And Others To Transform Swampy Jackson Park Into The White City, While Holmes Used The Attraction Of The Great Fair And His Own Satanic Charms To Lure Scores Of Young Women To Their Deaths. What Makes The Story All The More Chilling Is That Holmes Really Lived, Walking The Grounds Of That Dream City By The Lake.

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. In This Book The Smoke, Romance, And Mystery Of The Gilded Age Come Alive As Never Before.

erik Larson’s Gifts As A Storyteller Are Magnificently Displayed In This Rich Narrative Of The Master Builder, The Killer, And The Great Fair That Obsessed Them Both.

to Find Outmore About This Book, Go To Http://www.devilinthewhitecity.com.


from The Hardcover Edition.

publishers Weekly

this Is A Steady Performance Of A Book That, While Gripping In Its Content And Crisply Paced, Isn't Quite A Gold Mine For An Audio Performer. It Relies On Journalistic Narration And Includes Almost No Quotes, So There Isn't Much Chance For Interesting Characterization. But It Is Excellent Nonfiction, Chronicling The Hurly-burly Planning And Construction Of The 1893 Chicago World's Fair (which Did, As The Title Suggests, Include Building What Amounted To An Entire City) And A Cruelly Calculating Sociopath Who Used The Event's Tumult And Crowds To Serve His Homicidal Compulsion. Goldwyn Is An Experienced Narrator With A Keen Dramatic Sense, And His Resonant Voice Is Well-suited To The Project. Music Is Used Only Sparingly, But The Few Subdued, Creepy Bars Goldwyn Reads Over In The Beginning Do An Excellent Job Of Creating Atmosphere For A Tale That Is Subtle But Often Genuinely Unsettling. Listeners Will Also Be Fascinated By Descriptions Of The Sheer Logistics Of The Fair Itself, Which Serve As Not Only Carefully Crafted And Informative History, But Also As Welcome Breaks From The Macabre And Relentless Contrivances Of The Killer. In All, It's A Polished Presentation Of An Intriguing Book That Outlines The Heights Of Human Imagination And Perseverance Against The Depths Of Our Depravity. Simultaneous Release With The Crown Hardcover (forecasts, Dec. 16, 2002). (feb.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America's rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair's brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country's most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his "World's Fair Hotel" just west of the fairgrounds--a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake. 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. In this book the smoke, romance, and mystery of the Gilded Age come alive as never before. Erik Larson's gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both Evils Imminent (A Note) Aboard the Olympic Frozen Music The Black City The Trouble is Just Begun The Necessary Supply Becomingness Don’t Be Afraid Pilgrimage A Hotel for the Fair The Landscape of Regret Vanishing Point Alone An awful Fight Convocation Cuckoldry Vexed Remains of the Day A Gauntlet Dropped The Angel from Dwight Dedication Day Prendergast I Want You at Once Chappell Redux The Cold-Blooded Fact Acquiring Minnie Dreadful Things Done by Girls The Invitation Final Preparations In the White City Opening Day The World’s Fair Hotel Prendergast Night Is the Magician Modus Operandi One Good Turn Nannie Vertigo Heathen Wanted At Last Rising Wave Independence Day Worry Claustrophobia Storm and Fire Love Freaks Prendergast Toward Triumph Departures Nightfall The Black City Cruelty Revealed Property of H. H. Holmes Moyamensing Prison The Tenant A Lively Corpse All the Weary Days Malice Aforethought The Last Crossing The Fair Recessional Holmes Aboard the Olympic Notes and Sources Bibliography Acknowledgments Illustration Credits Index From back cover: Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spell-binding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men - the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; 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. An account of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 relates the stories of two men who shaped the history of the event--architect Daniel H. Burnham, who coordinated its construction, and serial killer Herman Mudgett. Set against the Chicago World Fair of 1893 two true tales are intertwined; Daniel Hudson Burnham, the architect behind the Fair -- and Henry H. Holmes, the serial killer using the Fair to kill his victims. While Daniel H. Burnham builds the glittering 1893 Chicago World's Fair, a serial killer lures young women to a torture chamber