The Devil in the White City

Hi there everyone! So today I am reviewing a book that I had to read for AP Human Geography entitled "The Devil in the White City" which is written by Erik Larson. I have not only recently read it, but I have also written an essay and done a "creative project" with it, so I feel pretty confident that I have a very good understanding of this slightly strange book. Well, away we go!

Characters: Daniel Burnham: leading figure of the World's Colombian Exposition/ one of the most prominent architects in Chicago/ started the "City Beautiful" project
H.H. Holmes: one of America's most notorious serial killers/ creator of the "Murder house" in one of Chicago's burrows/ most often killed his victims in a gas chamber
Fredrick Olmstead: designed Central Park/ head landscaping architect of the World's Colombian Exposition/ frequently suffers from ailing health

The Plot: The Devil in the White City is really a story with two plots. The first "plot" tells the story of Daniel Burnham and his legion of architects who set out to create the greatest World's Fair America has ever known. Burnham and the other aritects do this in response to Paris's impressive World's Fair, and work to top this magnificent feat. Faced with an impossibly close deadline, and obstacles at every turn, Burnham and his team begin to wonder if the fair will ever get finished at all. On the other side of the Chicago, a very different man reigns. While Daniel Burnham and his "White City" represent all that is good in Chicago, H.H. Holmes represents the deep, dark, underbelly of the Chicago slums. A ruthless serial killer, Holmes lures most of his victims into a Murder Castle where he disposes of them with no traces to be found. Full of hope for a great fair, the people of Chicago don't realize that they are harboring a man who will become one of the most famous mass murderers in the history of the United States, until it is too late.

What I liked: Let me just start out by saying that I thought this book was absolutely flawless. I don't normally read a book where I could find no faults, but for this one, I have absolutely no criticisms. First, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of research that Larson did to make "The Devil in the White City" absolutely perfect. Every quote that was in this book came from the private journals, public statements, or correspondence of these remarkable historical figures. It would have been very easy to just make up the dialogue of these figures, or make up the arguments that they had, and even to make up events. But Larson did none of that: every single action was supported by real quotes that these historical figures once said. These quotes by themselves gave us as readers a very personal glimpse into what these people were like. I believe that a piece of writing can tell you more about a person than you might think, particularly when the writing is casual, where there is no intention to impress, or sound a certain way. Beyond just the things you say, writing can show us HOW you say them, what words you use, when can tell you a variety of things from education level to hometowns. I absolutely loved all of these quotes which gave me as a reader, a very unique look into the mind of these historical figures, even the minds that were a bit more uncomfortable to look into (H. H. Holmes). I have also never read a story like this before. Such a sharp juxtaposition between two worlds isn't normally written about in such a way. but these two worlds instead of fighting against each other for the reader's attention in the book, seemed to flow seamlessly together to create a beautifully written novel. The detail in these two worlds gave the reader this true image of what Chicago was like in 1893: the good and the bad. The best and the worst of Chicago. Burnham and Holmes. It is easy to write about history and leave out the parts that are convenient for your purpose: like if you are writing to shock people, leave out the good deeds, or if you are writing to glorify, leave out the bad parts. Larson left nothing out: he showed us all of Chicago's perfection, all its imperfection and made Chicago 1893 a real place, not a figment of one. I have also found the World's Fair a fascinating subject; with so much creative explosion and cultural mingling, it must have been a truly amazing place to visit. It was said in "The Devil in the White City" that it would take two whole weeks to see it all. I loved the subject matter, but I could see how some people could find the endless plot of construction a little dull. However, I don't think anyone could find Holmes's portion of the book slow. It had a relentless pace, not unlike Holmes himself. It was absolutely chilling to read the very words Holmes wrote in his memoirs about himself. But I had never read anything like that before, and it was an interesting albeit, disturbing experience.

What I didn't like: Nothing.

Overall: 10 out of 10. This goes down as one of my favorite books of all time. What a flawless and complicated read. I was never bored.