The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson turned out to be one of those books that is so good because it is nonfiction, and not just a story being told. Also, I realized about halfway through that the reason I don't read much nonfiction is because of the writing style. I enjoyed Devil so much because it is written as a narrative even though it does a great job of keeping the facts and references coming at you.
The book is the story of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and the events that surrounded it, particularly those of H.H. Holmes, sometimes called America's First Serial Killer. The setbacks and problems that surround the building of the fair are incredibly interesting, but there is just something about Holmes' chapters that are the most intriguing as it draws you deep into his little web of deception.
Larson does a fantastic job with the research too, mixing in quotes from newspapers, letters, diaries, and other writings from the time in order to give it a much more personal sense rather than just a history book retelling the facts.
The book is the story of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and the events that surrounded it, particularly those of H.H. Holmes, sometimes called America's First Serial Killer. The setbacks and problems that surround the building of the fair are incredibly interesting, but there is just something about Holmes' chapters that are the most intriguing as it draws you deep into his little web of deception.
Larson does a fantastic job with the research too, mixing in quotes from newspapers, letters, diaries, and other writings from the time in order to give it a much more personal sense rather than just a history book retelling the facts.
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