The Devil in the White City Review
AP American History Book Review
The Devil in the White City
Introduction The Devil in the White City written by Erik Larson is the riveting account of the first modern serial killer of the 19th century in America. Published in 2003, Larson carefully and accurately creates a connecting plot of two very different characters. The first character introduced in the book is Daniel Burnham. Burnham is the architect who builds the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. He faces many challenges in his journey to construct the most incredible World’s Fair the world has ever seen. After the death of Burnham’s partner, John Root, he must make many compromises in his grand plan. Building drafts continuously incoming late, construction worker deaths, extreme economic weakening, and the reveal of the Eiffel Tower are just a few details that compromise Burnham’s design. However, Burnham tirelessly works through the obstacles and completes the construction which in the end brings a profit.
Erik Larson ties the second major character, H.H. Holmes, into the novel via the attraction of the Chicago’s World Fair. Holmes moves to Chicago in hopes of working in the medical field. Holmes lands a job as a pharmacist coincidentally very close to the location of the upcoming World’s Fair. After some time, Holmes purchases the lot across the street from the pharmacy where he is working and builds an elaborate home for himself; the first floor consisting of a pharmacy and the second and third floor having rooms which could be rented. As the Fair arrives he turns his home into the World’s Fair Hotel. The rooms become extremely convenient for many of his killings. Holmes married few women and killed many while going bankrupt in the process. After fleeing Chicago he is eventually caught in Philadelphia and charged with insurance fraud. Only later is he discovered to be the man behind countless murders.
Summary of the Content The Devil in the White City is not written in
The Devil in the White City
Introduction The Devil in the White City written by Erik Larson is the riveting account of the first modern serial killer of the 19th century in America. Published in 2003, Larson carefully and accurately creates a connecting plot of two very different characters. The first character introduced in the book is Daniel Burnham. Burnham is the architect who builds the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. He faces many challenges in his journey to construct the most incredible World’s Fair the world has ever seen. After the death of Burnham’s partner, John Root, he must make many compromises in his grand plan. Building drafts continuously incoming late, construction worker deaths, extreme economic weakening, and the reveal of the Eiffel Tower are just a few details that compromise Burnham’s design. However, Burnham tirelessly works through the obstacles and completes the construction which in the end brings a profit.
Erik Larson ties the second major character, H.H. Holmes, into the novel via the attraction of the Chicago’s World Fair. Holmes moves to Chicago in hopes of working in the medical field. Holmes lands a job as a pharmacist coincidentally very close to the location of the upcoming World’s Fair. After some time, Holmes purchases the lot across the street from the pharmacy where he is working and builds an elaborate home for himself; the first floor consisting of a pharmacy and the second and third floor having rooms which could be rented. As the Fair arrives he turns his home into the World’s Fair Hotel. The rooms become extremely convenient for many of his killings. Holmes married few women and killed many while going bankrupt in the process. After fleeing Chicago he is eventually caught in Philadelphia and charged with insurance fraud. Only later is he discovered to be the man behind countless murders.
Summary of the Content The Devil in the White City is not written in