Warning: This is an independent addition to The Devil in the White City, meant to enhance your experience of the original book. If you have not yet bought the original copy, make sure to purchase it before buying this unofficial summary from aBookaDay.

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The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson, published in 2002, is an historical work centered on the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. More specifically, the focus of the author centers on two men and their accomplishments during this pivotal moment in the history of America’s new modern era. The first is the chief architect of the fair, Daniel Burnham, whose vision shaped the fair, and by extension, the architectural aesthetic of modern cities more broadly speaking for the generations that followed. His story is one of the power of creation fueled by persistence in the face of obstacles. The second focus of the book is America’s first known serial killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes, whose acts of evil during the time of the World’s Fair would manifest a destructive power that lived in the shadows of metropolitan anonymity.
This review offers a detailed summary of the main themes raised in this historical work. In general the summary follows the structure of the book, which is largely presented in chronological order, alternating between the main historical figures central to the story. However, parts of the summary are presented in an order that deviates slightly from that of the book in order to preserve the continuity and readability of the facts presented. The summary is followed by an analysis.
Larson is both an accomplished journalist and historical novelist. He has written four New York Times bestselling books. He has written for The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine as a staff journalist. He has been a contributing author to The Atlantic, Harper’s, and The New Yorker. His academic background includes a bachelors in Russian history, language and culture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters in journalism from Columbia University.



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