The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
by Erik Larson, Tony Goldwyn
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, Tony Goldwyn holds a well received rating of 3.98 out of 5, based on 309.4K reader ratings. First published in 2003.
About The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed AmericaErik Larson's gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America's rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair's brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country's most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his "World's Fair Hotel" just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake.The Devil in the White City draws the reader into a time of magic and majesty, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. In this book the smoke, romance, and mystery of the Gilded Age come alive as never before.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Erik Larson, Tony Goldwyn |
| Published | 2003 |
| Genres | History, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Mystery & Thriller |
| Average Rating | 3.98 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 309,385 |
Reader Ratings & Analysis
Rating Overview
How It Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America?
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America is categorized as History, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Mystery & Thriller.
Is The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America worth reading?
Based on 309.4K reader ratings, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America has an average score of 3.98 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received." Its large number of reviews suggests broad reader appeal.
Who wrote The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America?
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America was written by Erik Larson, Tony Goldwyn. It was first published in 2003.
What is the ISBN for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America?
The ISBN-13 for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America is 9780739303400.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
