The Devil in the White City

For being such an avid fan of books, I really don’t write enough reviews promoting books!  That being said, I will make more of an effort to get something up on my recent reads.

I have pretty much become obsessed with Chicago.  The city mind you, not the musical.  Seeing the latest Supernatural episode inspired me to do a little historical research on Chicago.  I actually wound up going a bit further back than the 1944 jump back in time Dean Winchester made.  I decided to read The Devil In The White City.

This book is actually a historical book, for which Erik Larson did beaucoup research. He found out what he could about a then serial killer, H. H. Holmes and his usage of the World’s Fair to lure in victims.  He did extensive research on the creation of the World’s fair and the people who visited it.  Larson tell the tale in an amazing way where we feel like we are actually part of what is going on.

Horrifically, we see into the mind of a serial killer.  His ability to win over almost any audience.  We see his complete lack of regard for the human condition, not only to the point of apathy, but to the point of actually seeing people as pets, maybe even insects.

But beyond the horror, we see how the amazing world created for the 1893 World’s  Fair.  We see the struggles that the architects of the day went through, as well as their dealings with local and national politics.  What amazed me is how much we take for granted living in the 21st century.  We learn about the conceptual idea of the Ferris Wheel and how many thought it would fail.  Today, they are just another ride at carnivals or fairs, but when it was first created, the Ferris Wheel was a major feat of architectural significance.

The book took me mere days to read, and I highly recommend it.  You can purchase it at Barnes and Noble here.