The Devil in the White City
by Erik Larson · first published 2003
62% recommend38% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Nonfiction told like a novel, interleaving the building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with a serial killer's story. Praised for its Chicago architecture and civic history. For history readers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
From back cover: Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Erik Larson's spell-binding bestseller intertwines the true tale of two men - the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure America's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction.
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Not tech related, but I loved Devil in the White City by Larson and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig. Also, I reread Rework about 3 times this year. Always a good and quick read.
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗LOTR Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami) Blood Meridian (Cormac McCarthy) Devil in the White City (Erik Larson)
on “Ask YC: favorite books” ↗…with PAIP. I'm also off-and-on reading Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (which needs no introduction), GEB (the same), and Coders At Work (which is humbling). And Erik Larson's The Devil In The White City which is pretty entertaining.
on “Ask HN: What are you reading right now?” ↗…Museum of Science and Industry. This was one of my favorite family vacation destinations as a child (around 1960). The 1893 Columbian World's Fair is written about in the fascinating book by Erik Larson, Devil in the White City.
on “Quiet naval hero who rescued Enigma machine dies aged 95” ↗Last Spring I read Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. It's about the same 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. It's non-fiction, but written in a novelistic style. I absolutely loved it, I can't recommend…
on “Gene Wilder Has Died” ↗"Devil in the White City" is a very fun read which covers the planning and execution of the Chicago World's fair in 1893. It also is interleaved with a tale of a psychopathic murderer who came to town at the same time. https://www.amazon.com/Devil-White-City-Madness-Changed/dp/0...
on “The Rise and Fall of World’s Fairs” ↗Not related, but because I also liked that one, I'll add: Devil in the White City, by Eric Larson Covers the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Light on some of the sorts of details OP is asking for; also follows the thread of a serial killer to keep things interesting for those less interested…
on “Ask HN: Books about people who did hard things” ↗Devil in the White City (coming to the big screen)
on “Ask HN: Favorite audio book for long drives?” ↗I really enjoyed “Devil in the White City”. So much happened during the World Fair its absolutely astounding. It would have been mind boggiling to attend and glimpse so many aspects of the future at once
on “Ask HN: What are some good books you have read lately?” ↗See also the 1893 World's Fair - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Columbian_Exposition (One of my favorite books in the last few years is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_in_the_White_City)
on “The Raising of Chicago” ↗You should also read Devil in the White City, which is nominally about the construction of the 1893 World’s Fair but really gives you a feel for the free-for-all that Chicago architecture was in that time period.
on “The short, forgotten life of New York City’s first skyscraper” ↗I don't cry often. But a common types of cry I have is in narratives when someone achieves something. For example, I cried reading The Devil in the White City when the Ferris wheel started moving for the first time.
on “Crying” ↗The book "Devil in the White City" goes in-depth into both Holmes' story as well as Daniel Burnham's, comparing & contrasting two lives intertwining at the same event (World's Fair), more so contrasting since the two lives / characters…
on “The Master of the Murder Castle (1943)” ↗This is just an anecdote, but one of my favorite parts about reading Devil In The White City was the social aspect the World's Fair had on Chicago. The people of Chicago were very personally invested in winning the bid and making it a success because it was part of their city's identity, which…
on “A weird epic ramble about Etsy homepages from the middle 2000’s” ↗I loved Devil in the White City so it's too bad to hear that you didn't find Thunderstruck very good. Marconi was working on developing microwave transmission at the time of his death. Microwave antenna are small but are only good…
on “Underwater Ears Everywhere” ↗