The City and the Castle
Title : The Devil In The White City
Author : Erik Larson
Published : 01/04/2004
Pages : 496
Genre : Biography
Publisher : Bantam
The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and its amazing 'White City' was one of the wonders of the world. This is the incredible story of its realization, and of the two men whose fates it linked: one was an architect, the other a serial killer. The architect was Daniel H Burnham, the driving force behind the White City, the massive, visionary landscape of white buildings set in a wonderland of canals and gardens. The killer was H H Holmes, a handsome doctor with striking blue eyes. He used the attraction of the great fair - and his own devilish charms - to lure scores of young women to their deaths
I think there is something about real serial killers that both captivates and frightens us in equal measures. People become fascinated by them following there every move in the papers and on the news. Their trails become media circuses bring down huge ratings in the nightly news. Not long after Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of white chapel America got its first taste of what would become a long and depraved history of a country's obsession with men who kill for the enjoyment of it.
With this book, Larson could have chosen to simply document the crimes of H.H.Holmes. To speculate about his state of mind and motives and finally churn out a book like the countless others that have come before. However, In turning his attention to another man well known in his time he expands our understanding of the social and political climate of the era. Bring Burnham just as much to the forefront as Holmes as allows for a wide circle of people who might not want to read true crime.
This book paints a portrait of two men driven by different desires. While the two never met they share a common bond of obsession. With Burnham, it was to show the world that America should be taken as seriously as those countries in Europe. He needs to prove that although a burgeoning country they could compete with the wonders of the ancient world. The author shows in this book how with a sheer force of will Burnham pushed to make America's first worlds fair something for the whole world to talk about.
When it comes to Holmes thing are a little more matter of fact. I suppose this is to be expected, Whereas Burnham's achievements where things to be shouted about and in fact well documented by those who witnessed him in action Holmes took places in his own private, dark twisted world. In a lot of ways, he doesn't seem like the serial killers we see splashed across the headlines today. This was not a man who seemed to gain some sort of sexual release from raping and murdering women. He motives for his crimes feel like they are far more driven by financial gain.
For me, this book felt like it should appeal to those who have an interest in killer or for that matter those who want to find out about the worlds fair and the men who were responsible for bringing it to life.The author has spent a great deal of time doing his research and collecting the facts of both men's lives. Throughout the book, we get delivered a lot of facts and information about the events that took place. You might expect this then to be a somewhat dry and insomnia-inducing affair, but the writer's style means that he is able to engage with the read and keeps you focused on the last page. In part, I think this is down to switch between the two men. With this shifting, we also get context for each of the actions taken and a better understating of the flow of time.
For me, this book works as it goes beyond yet another true crime book. It encapsulates a small period of time and shows an America that was already in decline when Burnham was trying to show it off to the world.
I think there is something about real serial killers that both captivates and frightens us in equal measures. People become fascinated by them following there every move in the papers and on the news. Their trails become media circuses bring down huge ratings in the nightly news. Not long after Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of white chapel America got its first taste of what would become a long and depraved history of a country's obsession with men who kill for the enjoyment of it.
With this book, Larson could have chosen to simply document the crimes of H.H.Holmes. To speculate about his state of mind and motives and finally churn out a book like the countless others that have come before. However, In turning his attention to another man well known in his time he expands our understanding of the social and political climate of the era. Bring Burnham just as much to the forefront as Holmes as allows for a wide circle of people who might not want to read true crime.
This book paints a portrait of two men driven by different desires. While the two never met they share a common bond of obsession. With Burnham, it was to show the world that America should be taken as seriously as those countries in Europe. He needs to prove that although a burgeoning country they could compete with the wonders of the ancient world. The author shows in this book how with a sheer force of will Burnham pushed to make America's first worlds fair something for the whole world to talk about.
When it comes to Holmes thing are a little more matter of fact. I suppose this is to be expected, Whereas Burnham's achievements where things to be shouted about and in fact well documented by those who witnessed him in action Holmes took places in his own private, dark twisted world. In a lot of ways, he doesn't seem like the serial killers we see splashed across the headlines today. This was not a man who seemed to gain some sort of sexual release from raping and murdering women. He motives for his crimes feel like they are far more driven by financial gain.
For me, this book felt like it should appeal to those who have an interest in killer or for that matter those who want to find out about the worlds fair and the men who were responsible for bringing it to life.The author has spent a great deal of time doing his research and collecting the facts of both men's lives. Throughout the book, we get delivered a lot of facts and information about the events that took place. You might expect this then to be a somewhat dry and insomnia-inducing affair, but the writer's style means that he is able to engage with the read and keeps you focused on the last page. In part, I think this is down to switch between the two men. With this shifting, we also get context for each of the actions taken and a better understating of the flow of time.
For me, this book works as it goes beyond yet another true crime book. It encapsulates a small period of time and shows an America that was already in decline when Burnham was trying to show it off to the world.
I read this book years ago and still rank this as one of the best books I have ever read.
ReplyDeleteYeah it's a great book, I definitely learned a lot from reading it.
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