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Originally Posted by Gazella
Anyway, I'm currently reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
It is a literary non-fiction novel that spans the years surrounding the building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, also known as The "World's Columbian Exposition", which was designed to commemorate the landing of Columbus in America.
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Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, this spell-binding novel intertwines the true tale of two men; Daniel Burnham, the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair. And H.H. Holmes, the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death.
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I just finished this a few hours ago. It was fascinating reading about the people who helped build the fair; I had no idea Walt Disney's father was one of them. Similarly fascinating was reading about the people who attended the fair: Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Helen Keller, Susan B. Anthony, Theodore Dreiser, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Mark Twain (although he got bedridden sick and saw the fair from his hotel room window only), Archduke Francis Ferdinand, royalty from different countries, and many other famous figures. Also, the new inventions such as the ferris wheel. The introduction of edibles like Cracker Jacks, Juicy Fruit, Shredded Wheat, etc. was all very compelling to read. Now the other story tells the tale of deeply disturbed serial killer, Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, who used the Fair (and his charms) to lure victims (mainly young women and children) to their death. This part of the story was very chilling and mysterious. All in all, this book is very readable. Very interesting. Very intriguing. Very beautifully written.
Next up,
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing.
