The Devil in the White City
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| The Devil in the white City | |
 Book cover to The Devil in the White City |
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| Author | Erik Larson |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | True Crime |
| Publisher | Vintage |
| Publication date | February 10, 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 447 |
| ISBN | 0375725601 |
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America (Random House, ISBN 9780375725609) is a 2003 non-fiction book by Erik Larson presented in a fictional style. The book is based on real characters and events.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
The Devil in the White City tells the story of the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 to commemorate Christopher Columbus's discovery of America. The Devil in the White City intertwines the true tale of two men: Daniel Burnham and H. H. Holmes. Burnham, the chief architect and mastermind of the Exposition (also known as the White City) inadvertently created a perfect setting for Holmes, one of America's first serial killers.
[edit] Burnham and the architects
- Daniel Burnham: the chief architect behind the World's Fair.
- Charles McKim
- George B. Post
- Richard Morris Hunt
- Frederick Law Olmsted: landscape architect in charge of World's Fair landscape, also designed New York City's Central Park.
[edit] Holmes and others
- Herman Webster Mudgett aka Dr. H. H. Holmes: a serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Dr. Holmes had built his "World's Fair Hotel" complete with a gas chamber, dissection table and a crematorium to dispose of the bodies. Holmes would remove the skeletons of his victims and sell them for medical and scientific study.
- Clara A. Lovering: Holmes's first wife
- Myrta Z. Belknap: Holmes's second wife
- Lucy Holmes: Holmes's daughter with Myrta
- Georgiana Yoke: Holmes's third wife
- Julia Smythe: Employee and lover of Holmes. Wife of Ned Connor.
- Ned Connor: Husband to Julia Smythe
- Benjamin Pitezel: Business associate of Holmes.
- Howard Pitezel: son of Benjamin Pietzel, kidnapped and murdered by Holmes.
- Detective Frank Geyer: Was in charge of finding Pitezel's children after Holmes was jailed for fraud.
- Assistant District Attorney, Thomas W. Barlow: Holmes' prosecutor
- Mayor Carter Harrison, Sr.: mayor of Chicago who was assassinated on the last day of the fair.
[edit] Awards
- 2004 Edgar Award Winner for Best Fact Crime
- 2003 National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction
[edit] Film adaptation
According to IMDb, a film adaptation is tentatively scheduled for a 2009 release. At one time, Cruise/Wagner Productions was said to be developing a screenplay with Kathryn Bigelow listed as the prospective director. According to Variety, the project stalled due to “creative differences.” However, Paramount through Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher, who previously brought World Trade Center to the screen, are working on the project. Currently, Alexandre Aja is still listed as the film's tentative director. There has been no further word on casting or production.[1] Some rumors are floating around that actor Leonardo DiCaprio may portray the infamous serial killer if the film comes to fruition.
David Fincher seems to be also interested to direct the film adaptation (http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/080109j.php)
[edit] External links
- Official Random House page for the book
- Interactive Guide to the World's Columbian Exposition
- World's Columbian Exposition : Paul V. Galvin Digital History Collection
- A hypertextual exploration of Chicago's World's Fair of 1893
- A collection of photographs and commentary from the fair (beware of pop-up ads)
- Biography of Daniel Burnham with links to landmark buildings that remain.
- A description of Holmes's murders and method of murder.
- Chicago Historical Society
- Chicago, City of the Century An extensive interactive history of Chicago from PBS.
- Chronological History of Chicago
- H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer - film
