The Devil in the White City

Thanks to my friends Pete and Betsy (formerly of Seattle, and now in Boise), I got to read this book by Erik Larson right before going to my library conference in Chicago. It interweaves the two stories of the creation of the Columbian Exposition, aka the 1893 World's Fair, in Chicago (see photo at right) and the story of a serial killer operating in the area at the same time. The book opens with two quotes:
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood," spoken by Daniel Burnham, Director of Works for the Exposition.
And this from the confession of H.H.Holmes, "I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing."

Although I expected the opposite, I found the account of building the World's Fair infinitely more interesting. Neither of these tales is fictionalized; both are based on documentary evidence and detailed research. I have to say that my visit to Chicago was enormously enriched by reading this book, which alerted me to the seminal role that Chicago played in American architecture. It was the home of the first skyscrapers--by ten years! Many of the major architectural styles, such as modernism, received critical impetus from the work of local architects. Everyone knows that Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright also started their careers here. Chicago was celebrating the 100th anniversary of Burnham's design for the whole city while I was there and so posters of him, as well as books about him, and about the Exposition, were abundant at the Architecture Foundation's gift shop. I also found there a book of postcard with paintings and archival photographs of the "White City" and I have to say that my major criticism of the book is that more of these were not included in the book. Chicago's architecture is truly monumental and it's definitely worth taking either the land or water tour sponsored by the Architecture Foundation next time you go. Oh, and read the book, too, so you can learn about how the first Ferris Wheel almost didn't get created, or why the Exposition was called the White City, or how a serial killer almost got away unnoticed.