The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen

In the late 1800's, Chicago was one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Known primarily for its meat processing, its location at the confluence of several railroads and Lake Michigan made it a true crossroads for a burgeoning U.S. economy.

Still, when civic leaders aggressively sought to host a World's Fair to equal the momentous fair held in Paris, few believed it could be done.

This book tells the astounding true story of how Chicago managed to not only land, but host one of the most successful World's Fairs in history. At the same time, it tells a parallel story of a "devil," one of the most notorious serial killers in U.S. history, who probably killed between 100 and 250 people in Chicago before and during the 1893 World's Fair.

Overall, I felt the story of the Fair itself the most compelling feature of this book, although both stories were well told. This book especially made me want to learn more about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

John Howard