The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
- Genre: Nonfiction; historical; true crime
- Originally Published: 2003
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1170L; college/adult
- Structure/Length: 4 parts, 53 chapters, prologue, and epilogue; approximately 447 pages; approximately 14 hours, 58 minutes on audio
- Central Concern: The Devil in the White City is a historical nonfiction work that weaves together two narratives set in Chicago during the late 19th century: the construction of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair; and the activities of H.H. Holmes, a man convicted of murder. The book explores the challenges faced by architects, including Daniel Burnham, in creating the magnificent fairgrounds; it also discusses the dark and sinister actions of Holmes.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Crime; violence; murder, including the murder of children; graphic details; mentions exploitation of marginalized groups; additionally, outside resources regarding the 1893 World’s Fair may discuss racism, prejudice, and discriminatory practices regarding the exposition’s management and exhibits.