H.H. Holmes (born Herman Webster Mudgett) murdered between 27 and 200 people, mostly single young women, but including children and men. Many of the murders occurred during the city's World Fair of 1893. With a novel feel to it, this factual account of the fair and the mass murderer, are brought to life. It's like two stories intertwining, giving the reader a break from the gruesome, unsuspecting murder, to the history of how Chicago was able to entertain the world at the same time with such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and Thomas Edison. New inventions, the first Ferris Wheel, and so much more are included in this non-fiction account.

Adults

I became infatuated with the World Fair after listening to this audio book.

I actually interloaned every book I could (from my library) about the World's Fair in Chicago.

How could any human being be so charming and be so cruel at the same time? I was mind-boggled.

Erik Larson is not only a novelist, but has also been nominated for a Pulitzer prize for investigative journalism on The Wall Street Journal. He has taught non-fiction writing at San Francisco State and John Hopkins.

This is history. There are so many interesting facts about the World Fair that I learned.

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Created Nov 18, 2015 at 7:31am • Submit your own review...