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Year of Our Lord 1893, a World's Fair in Chicago, a city almost fully recovered from the devastating fire of 1871. A dazzling spectacle in Jackson Park, the first Ferris Wheel, buildings and peoples of the world, tourists from everywhere...and an unspeakably evil Herman Webster Mudgett, AKA Dr. H.H Holmes, who meets young women, invites them to visit his home near the Fair, and murders them. I grew up in Chicago and I'd heard a few things about this man and his "murder castle" on 63rd Street west of Jackson Park, but this book fills in any and all details I never knew. Holmes was evil, a cold blooded serial killer, America's first, and his story is fascinating in the same way as looking a fatal car accident: I was revulsed by what he'd done, but it was horribly fascinating and I could not look away until I'd finished the book. This horror is not fictional, it's real and that's the most disturbing thing.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought this book because it is our book club assignment for March. It is an excellent read for many reasons. 1) It is historical and that is always of more interest than a similar story you know is fiction. 2) It parallels the lives of two men very disparate in character yet each consumed with a single goal - one beauty and civic contribution; the other death and destruction. 3) The book is written so that one chapter describes the architect and where he finds himself in his goal pursuit. The next chapter gives us update on the psychopath and his race to evil. Back and forth - every other chapter. And 4) The book is a wonderful resource for Chicago and the living conditions of the 1890's. I would recommend this to most of the readers in my life.
This book is unlike any other book I have ever read because it incorporates a true crime story with the history about the end of the 19th century when there was a monumental world's fair in Chicago, Illinois. That 1893 world's fair introduced so many modern advances such as the ferris wheel, the use of alternating current for electricity, the creation of a modern theme park with white structures, the utilization of landscape architecture by Olmstead, the invention of the rocking chair, etc. This book is historically fascinating and uplifting while providing the back drop for one of America's worst criminals, who preyed on young women who attended that spectacular world's fair, many whom went missing forever. If you are looking for a riveting page turner, this is it!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Probably the best of all Erik Larson's books. As fascinating as the H. H. Holmes story was, the planning and building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair was even more compelling. I read this a few years ago and bought a hard cover copy so I can read it again.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Spell-binding. Chock full of historical content. Brings the realities of 1890s Chicago to light. If you want to learn about the first U.S. city to host a World's Fair, and how it was accomplished, this is the book for you. Captivating!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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