Devil in the White City

The Peristyle
I am reading this amazing book called Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America about a serial killer at the World Columbian Exposition of 1893 and I am surprised that this bit of American history was hidden from me until Matt told me about this book.

The Horticulture Building
While the serial killer facet of the book is captivating, the story of the preparation for and building of the city is awe-inspiring. The author, Erik Larson, balances the book by alternating the chapters between the true crime story and a historical account of the building of the fair. His writing style makes the book feel like a brilliantly written novel, when in fact, it depicts events that actually took place. The pictures in this blog are of just a few of the many buildings that were built to house exhibits for the fair. Some of the buildings were large enough to hold several football fields.

The Art Palace
I find that Larson’s eloquent writing style helps the story flow and keeps me from jumping ahead when I become anxious to see how the killer’s evil plans unfold. He juxtaposes the arduous planning and somewhat plodding development of the magnificent exposition by the architect in charge with the more rapid evolution of the killer's murderous desires and his calculated preparation of a chamber of death . Either story would be a novel unto itself, but Larson artfully weaves the two tales into a gripping tapestry of the best and worst of what America can produce.