The Devil in the White City
Since I had nothing better to do on Sunday than lie in bed and read while the Snook fetched me warming drinks – sometimes being sick is okay – I finally finished off a book I started back in L.A.: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It’s a fascinating piece of historical narrative. Larson weaves together the true story of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with the shocking tale of H. H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer, who prowled the Fair for his victims. I was surprised at all the other notable “firsts” that premiered at the Fair: Shredded Wheat, hamburgers, Juicy Fruit gum, the Ferris Wheel (which was America’s answer to the Eiffel Tower, and seriously, how awesome is that?!), Aunt Jemima pancake mix, and best of all… squished pennies. Beyond the pleasures of the Midway though (which was a term also coined at the Fair), Larson succeeds at evoking the beautiful yet melancholy mood of the Exposition. With its dazzling white neoclassical buildings shining under Tesla’s electric bulbs, the “White City” was an ideal and a dream that lasted less than six months. That’s why I was so surprised to realize that I’ve actually been inside the only two buildings that remain: the former Palace of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Science and Industry) and the former World’s Congress Auxiliary Building (now the Art Institute of Chicago). If you’re a lover of Chicago – or history, or true crime – you should definitely pick up this book. It’s compulsive reading.