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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
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MSRP: $34.95
Your Price: $23.07
Savings: $ 11.88 ( 34% )
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Manufacturer: Random House Audio
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Additional The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America Information
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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 listener 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 audiobook 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 out more about this audiobook, go to http://www.DevilInTheWhiteCity.com.
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What Customers Say About The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America:
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Amazing piece of writing that was definitely entertaining. I am amazed that the historical and architectural aspects of the story intrigued me and drew me in as much as the serial killer portion. Great flow between these storylines to paint turn of the century Chicago.
Well, Larson did it again in this book. If you read the book, you will understand why, as simply confirming him as a killer, does not come close to describing what he did. This time, it is the story of the the creation and eventually the destruction of the Chicago World's Fair, and those who dedicated an important part of their lives to building it. Much of the book was dedicated to the horrors committed by one H.H. Rather than being left with only repugnance as otherwise would be the case. Holmes. He takes an event from history, one that has many gruesome and tragic aspects, and weaves an amazing story. Once again, however, Larson manages to tell a good story, and to bring history to life along with the tale of tragedy.
At least, Holmes was one of many names used by this murderer. I find myself having difficulty finding descriptive words for this man. In this way, with the story of Holmes is embedded within another story, and the feeling of horror and the gruesome activities of this man are somehow eased. this man is a storyteller of extraordinary talent.
At one point, the author goes so far as to provide a list of the frequency of illnesses caused at the fair, including one case of extreme flatulence. I only bought this book because I like Scott Brick, but even his narration couldn't save this book. I have never read (listened) to a book that was so full of minutia before. UGH. This was awful.
There are lots of characters, which sometimes I have difficulty tracking, but these folks are unique enough to make it fairly easy to follow who's who and who's doing what when. I really enjoyed this book and I am not usually a historical fiction fan. References are made frequently to future acts of notoriety which I haven't gotten along enough to see if they pan out but it's a great read. Well I take that back; I haven't been a historical fiction fan since James Michener and although Larson is no Michener, he captures the balance between fiction and fact to keep it interesting. It moves along at a good pace which is often my chief complaint of some of the best sellers. It's long at 400 pages and the print is small (have I revealed my age). so may be a bit too long for a monthly book club selection.
Not often rendered jealous, but I must confess that Mr. Larson's research and fluid writing style displayed within these pages is most impressive.Rather than repeat what so many others have already mentioned about this outstanding book's contents: the depiction of a bygone America which, for the sake of us all, particularly for our progency, is not entirely gone, I must commend the author for all the simple yet lyrical sentences he managed to flavor his narrative so often with. Every chapter is made memorable with deeply felt grace notes that I was compelled to go back and reread. Do yourself a favor and discover this book for yourself.
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