Listen free for 30 days
-
The Devil in the White City
- Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Devil in the White City
Buy Now for $43.86
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Buy it with
-
In the Garden of Beasts
- Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 73
The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved it
- By Tracey L. on 2023-05-15
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Thunderstruck
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Bob Balaban
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 25
In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men: Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication. Their lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great mix
- By Roberta W on 2022-12-01
Written by: Erik Larson
-
The Splendid and the Vile
- A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: John Lee, Erik Larson
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 353
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 302
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 302
On Winston Churchill’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next 12 months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally - and willing to fight to the end. In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows how Churchill taught the British people "the art of being fearless."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I never write reviews.....
- By Lisa Slater on 2020-05-08
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Dead Wake
- The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This is a great book
- By Barbara on 2018-09-13
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Isaac's Storm
- A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Richard Davidson
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
At the dawn of the 20th century, a great confidence suffused America. Isaac Cline was one of the era's new men, a scientist who believed he knew all there was to know about the motion of clouds and the behavior of storms. The idea that a hurricane could damage the city of Galveston, Texas, where he was based, was to him preposterous, "an absurd delusion." It was 1900, a year when America felt bigger and stronger than ever before. Nothing in nature could hobble the gleaming city of Galveston, then a magical place that seemed destined to become the New York of the Gulf.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the best
- By Tim Mabey on 2023-01-15
Written by: Erik Larson
-
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes
- Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession
- Written by: David Grann
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4
Whether he’s reporting on the infiltration of the murderous Aryan Brotherhood into the U.S. prison system, tracking down a chameleon con artist in Europe, or riding in a cyclone- tossed skiff with a scientist hunting the elusive giant squid, David Grann revels in telling stories that explore the nature of obsession and that piece together true and unforgettable mysteries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enthralling
- By Dear happy on 2023-09-05
Written by: David Grann
-
In the Garden of Beasts
- Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 73
The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved it
- By Tracey L. on 2023-05-15
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Thunderstruck
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Bob Balaban
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 25
In Thunderstruck, Erik Larson tells the interwoven stories of two men: Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication. Their lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal chases of all time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great mix
- By Roberta W on 2022-12-01
Written by: Erik Larson
-
The Splendid and the Vile
- A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: John Lee, Erik Larson
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 353
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 302
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 302
On Winston Churchill’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next 12 months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally - and willing to fight to the end. In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows how Churchill taught the British people "the art of being fearless."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I never write reviews.....
- By Lisa Slater on 2020-05-08
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Dead Wake
- The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This is a great book
- By Barbara on 2018-09-13
Written by: Erik Larson
-
Isaac's Storm
- A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
- Written by: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Richard Davidson
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
At the dawn of the 20th century, a great confidence suffused America. Isaac Cline was one of the era's new men, a scientist who believed he knew all there was to know about the motion of clouds and the behavior of storms. The idea that a hurricane could damage the city of Galveston, Texas, where he was based, was to him preposterous, "an absurd delusion." It was 1900, a year when America felt bigger and stronger than ever before. Nothing in nature could hobble the gleaming city of Galveston, then a magical place that seemed destined to become the New York of the Gulf.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the best
- By Tim Mabey on 2023-01-15
Written by: Erik Larson
-
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes
- Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession
- Written by: David Grann
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4
Whether he’s reporting on the infiltration of the murderous Aryan Brotherhood into the U.S. prison system, tracking down a chameleon con artist in Europe, or riding in a cyclone- tossed skiff with a scientist hunting the elusive giant squid, David Grann revels in telling stories that explore the nature of obsession and that piece together true and unforgettable mysteries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enthralling
- By Dear happy on 2023-09-05
Written by: David Grann
-
The Little Liar
- A Novel
- Written by: Mitch Albom
- Narrated by: Mitch Albom
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3
Eleven-year-old Nico Krispis never told a lie. When the Nazi’s invade his home in Salonika, Greece, the trustworthy boy is discovered by a German officer, who offers him a chance to save his family. All Nico has to do is convince his fellow Jewish residents to board trains heading to “new homes” where they are promised jobs and safety. Unaware that this is all a cruel ruse, the innocent boy goes to the station platform every day and reassures the passengers that the journey is safe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Gift
- By Bernardo on 2023-11-28
Written by: Mitch Albom
-
American Predator
- The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
- Written by: Maureen Callahan
- Narrated by: Amy Landon
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 193
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 168
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 167
The names of notorious serial killers are usually well-known; they echo in the news and in public consciousness. But most people have never heard of Israel Keyes, one of the most ambitious and terrifying serial killers in modern history American Predator is the ambitious culmination of years of interviews with key figures in law enforcement and in Keyes's life, and research uncovered from classified FBI files. Callahan takes us on a journey into the chilling, nightmarish mind of a relentless killer, and to the limitations of traditional law enforcement.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Forced to Stop Listening
- By P. Bowyer on 2019-12-31
Written by: Maureen Callahan
-
Rogues
- True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks
- Written by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 69
From the prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing—and one of the most decorated journalists of our time—twelve enthralling stories of skulduggery and intrigue.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great voice and interesting stories
- By Lana Hergott on 2023-03-31
Written by: Patrick Radden Keefe
-
People Who Eat Darkness
- The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo - and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
- Written by: Richard Lloyd Parry
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 51
Lucie Blackman - tall, blond, 21 years old - stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. The seven months in between had seen a massive search for the missing girl involving Japanese policemen, British private detectives, and Lucie’s desperate but bitterly divided parents. Had Lucie been abducted by a religious cult or snatched by human traffickers? Who was the mysterious man she had gone to meet? And what did her work as a hostess in the notorious Roppongi district of Tokyo really involve?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Holy....jeeZ
- By Brett on 2018-03-16
Written by: Richard Lloyd Parry
-
In Cold Blood
- Written by: Truman Capote
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 204
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 172
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 170
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
I cant recommend this book
- By Tony on 2018-03-05
Written by: Truman Capote
-
This Is Water: The Original David Foster Wallace Recording
- Written by: David Foster Wallace
- Narrated by: David Foster Wallace
- Length: 24 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 33
Only once did David Foster Wallace give a public talk on his views on life, during a commencement address given in 2005 at Kenyon College. This is the audio recording of David Foster Wallace delivering that very address. How does one keep from going through their comfortable, prosperous adult life unconsciously? How do we get ourselves out of the foreground of our thoughts and achieve compassion? The speech captures Wallace's electric intellect as well as his grace in attention to others.
Written by: David Foster Wallace
Publisher's Summary
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death.
Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium.
Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake.
The Devil in the White City draws the reader into a time of magic and majesty, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. Erik Larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.
What the critics say
National Book Awards, Short-listed
Edgar Allan Poe Award Winner, Fact Crime, 2004
"Engrossing . . . exceedingly well documented . . . utterly fascinating.” —Chicago Tribune
“A dynamic, enveloping book. . . . Relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . It doesn’t hurt that this truth is stranger than fiction.” —The New York Times
“A wonderfully unexpected book. . . Larson is a historian . . . with a novelist’s soul.” —Chicago Sun-Times
Featured Article: 20 Best True Crime Audiobooks for Your Inner Detective
There is nothing more thrilling than the unfolding tale of a true crime story. Whether an unsolved mystery, a deep dive into a criminal mastermind, or a look at an infamous serial killer, true crime is gripping, captivating, and engrossing. The best true crime audiobooks will have you on the edge of your seat, anxious for more. Add to that an emphatic and powerful narrator, and you simply won't be able to stop listening. Here are the 20 best true crime audiobooks to satisfy your inner detective.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Devil in the White City
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Tee
- 2017-10-12
Dry non-fiction
If you like matter-of-fact non-fiction, this story may be for you.
I did not enjoy the book. It reads like a compilation of news reports. The narrator read with an unemotional voice.
There are two storylines - that of Daniel Burnham in the planning and construction of the 1893 Chicago World Fair, and the account of H.H. Holmes the serial killer who lived in Chicago at that time. Each storyline is more or less self-contained. That they should be juxtaposed in one book gives me the impression that Larsen is simply trying to double the thickness of his book.
Warning: There are accounts of murders which the author had pieced together from his research, including of children. I find these chilling and unsettling because they indeed took place.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joseph Butcher
- 2017-10-26
Well written
Really enjoyed it. Be warned, this book does contain content regarding a serial killer that is fairly explicit. Regardless, it is an amazing book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Raina Mermaid
- 2019-08-02
A boring book about... a Serial Killer?
This book wasn't what I was expecting based on reviews, hype, and general talk of a film. This is a book about the history of the Chicago World's Fair, with a little bit of HH Holmes in it. I guess I expected it to be the other way around. I was boring to me as it wasn't what I expected, hearing about ledgers, finances and health issues of the people who made the fair. It does cover a lot of interesting content but a huge majority of it was just mundane, every-day stuff. If you're into history and that sort of thing I can imagine it would be fairly interesting but even then a lot of the content was rather stagnate for me. I've never fallen asleep listening to books but I fell asleep often listening to this one - which is crazy when you consider it's about a serial killer. The serial killer stuff IS very disturbing. I don't say this out of needing it to be more morbid or gory I was just more interested in the history of HH Holmes, how he was caught and what was learned as a result. I did find the history of the Ferris wheel interesting, and of course a few other little factoids. But if you're buying this book to learn about HH Holmes... he's sort of a background thing. Voice actor for the narration was excellent though
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Rob
- 2019-04-04
Fragmented
Struggled to finish it. Fragmented . I will not keep this book. Certainly not Larson's best
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-12-29
True crime lovers beware
Lower your expectations for how much you’re going to learn about H. H. Holmes. It’s nothing you don’t already know. If you’re not here for that, then it’s a lovely book about architecture and the world’s fair.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bada bing
- 2023-06-21
Ignore the bad reviews
I am only here to counter the reviews that almost made me ignore this book. I really enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Vivian L
- 2022-10-30
Not what I expected
I really was hoping to read about the subject of this book H H Holmes. A lot of the book, probably about 70% of it is purely focussed on the Worlds Fair and the minute details and personalities that undertook the creation of it. I was a lot less about the first serial killer. It was well read and still interesting but would not choose again if I knew.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- leon heidema
- 2022-10-07
Very interesting
Don’t expect non stop action. This book is about living at the turn of the century and specifically the Chicago world fare. It also revolve around the actions of a cereal killer during the same time.
Between the two events I gather that living at that time was very hazardous.
Well written, good performance, kept me interested.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jyoti D Shrestha
- 2022-08-09
Time I will never get back
This book was not about the World Fair of 1893 nor the serial killer Holmes nor the architects of the World Fair. The book was all over the place and had no flow or true plot. Not worth the time.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sheleigh Ross
- 2022-03-09
Elegantly woven historical non-fiction
You almost forget that you aren't listening to a murder mystery novel, so sensational is the material. If you love learning about history, the story of the fair's coming to fruition is awe-inspiring. And if you are a true crime junky, the story of Holmes is right up your alley.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- D
- 2003-09-18
A Rich Read!
I enjoyed this listen so much I lost sleep to continue listening. Scott Brick is my favorite narrator and he doesn't disappoint here. Set in Chicago in the late 1800's the book tells two stories. The fascinating story of Chicago's rush to build the White City and hold the World Fair of 1893 (celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America and visited by everyone who was anyone); as well as the murderous actions of Herman Mudgett (a.k.a. HH Holmes) a well respected doctor who preyed on young trusting women, and anyone else who got in his way.
The author writes in such a way that you can truly imagine the excitement and boom happening in that place and time. Other added details such as the detectives' intense search for evidence, appearances by famous people, and a tale from the Titanic make this story a rich and enjoyable read.
This was a huge undertaking for any author and I'm glad Larson ventured to uncover this enthralling story, however more details of both the murders and the building of the city would have been welcomed. Still a fascinating read that for the first time makes me look forward to the movie so I can see the incredible White City come to life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
255 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 2012-05-26
Impossible to stop listening
Of the 30+ books I've listened to since 2009, The Devil in the White City is one of the best experiences. Erik Larson's writing is sublime. He conjures the Chicago of the late nineteenth century so clearly that he might be documenting events that occurred yesterday. The stories about the design, organization, and construction of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair as well as the personalities involved are all utterly fascinating. The macabre portions that deal with serial killer Dr. H. H. Holmes are so bizarre as to almost be unbelievable. While listening to this book, I found myself continually thinking, "Truth truly is stranger than fiction."
Prior to my listen I was apprehensive about the narrator, Scott Brick, who had also done Ron Chernow's Washington: A Life. I felt that Brick's reading of that book was slightly stilted, but his performance of Devil in the White City is pitch perfect.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
161 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kelly
- 2014-06-18
two excellent stores read by a superb narrator
My daughter was assigned this book as part of her summer reading for her Honor's English class. I got to it first and spent two nights awake until dawn listening in wonder. I expected a murder mystery set in the World's Fair. It was so much more. Really there were two stories running concurrently. We did follow HH Holme and know what he was up to while living in Chicago. There was nothing gruesome -- Mr Larson writes about Holmes' machinations in a straightforward way. For me this mad it feel less sensational and I was glad for the writing style.
The other story interested me further. Following the preparation for, the buildup towards, and the financial consequences of the Fair was fascinating. It allows the reader to understand the culture of our home country at a time more than 100 years in our past. We meet world leaders, owners of the largest businesses, the father of a son who later be known as WALT DISNEY. But we also meet people that some might not recognize. FREDERICK LAW OLMSTEAD played a large role throughout the book. It was fascination t flesh out his life as I knew him only as the designer of Central Park in New York. Interspersed throughout the entire story are came performances. I particularly liked the the short moment shared between Pulham and Helen Keller.
i loved everything about the book -- with one caveat. Really more advice. Don't let your mind wander. You won't want to miss any of the hidden gems.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
78 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Ed
- 2011-06-21
Cold blooded Architectural Digest
I'm sure people who loved this book will disagree with me but my expectations were far from met after wading through 15 hours of listening. I thought the connection between H.H. Holmes and the Chicago World's Fair was tedious at best. Larson might have done just as well to insert a photo of a scantily clad girl from the gay '90s every 25 pages or so. Of course, that would have proved problematic for Audible customers. If you like "architectural talk" and the behind-the-scences motivations of those involved in the trade, then this is a book for you. That's especially true if you also like a sprinkling of "serial killer story" with your description of building and landscape architecture. This book was well researched and well written, hence the three stars. It just wasn't for me. (The last 50 minutes summarized the first 14 hours and would have sufficed.)
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
73 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- PKsweets
- 2009-10-27
Entrancing historical thriller
In reading some of the lower rated reviews, I was hesitant to make this pick but now
I cannot think of a better way to tell the two intertwined stories presented here. They are the yin and yang of the event, and with the wonderful narration, and engrossing detail, the story flew along.....well, as fast as you can listen to those 14+ hours. Unlike other long downloads, this one kept me in the story, and I did not have to 'back-up' to remember the place....
The amazing scope of this Fair is awesome, and for the time history-making on so many fronts, from the Labor movement, to engineering, and sanitation, we can still see this Fair's footprint on our daily lives! Concurrently,
the gruesome serial-killer who took advantage of the circumstances is a potent reminder that there is always evil lurking just under the beautiful surface, and we cannot be too vigilant.
The narration was perfect, and this story will please the history buff, mystery or thriller reader in you.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
69 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Audra
- 2003-10-13
Couldn't take my earphone out...
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this audible book. The two story lines are both wonderful and either one on their own would have been enough to keep me entertained.
A wonderfully researched and thoughtfully written book that is brought to life by a voice made to be listened to.
Do yourself a favour and get this one.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
67 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Calliope
- 2013-09-09
well written, well researched, well read
I'll start by saying that, as much as I liked this audio book, it's really two stories that aren't wound together very well. That's OK because they're both good and worth time and attention. The bulk of the book is about the creation and execution of the Columbian Exposition, which is told in a way that is more interesting than one would expect. From the architectural challenges to the societal politics, from the adoption of AC current to the creation of the first Ferris Wheel, it was all far more interesting than I had expected. The addition of the extra story, of the sociopath serial killer HH Holmes, is timely enough so as not to stand out, but doesn't really flow as part of the story of the Exposition either. Holmes ran a ''hotel'' for young women going to the Fair, many of whom fatally disappeared, but Holmes crimes started before the Fair and continued after, so linking them is a bit of a stretch.
Scott Brick did an excellent job as the narrator, winning me over after a previous performance reading a book I couldn't finish because it was so bad. I hesitated when I saw his name, but there was no need,,,,he did a stellar job. The author too did an excellent job writing a very accessible book from a lot of well researched material.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
59 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Cayce
- 2006-10-07
Completely engrossing
This was one of the best books I've heard on Audible (and I listen to around 2 a week). True, there is a lot of detail, but unlike a few other readers, I didn't find one moment of it tedious.
I, of course, had heard of the Columbian Exposition, but I had no idea what a large role it played in the history of Chicago or the country. The descriptions of the building of the fair, the social classes and the side story about the murders gave me a good feel for the time and the attitudes of the people who lived then. It was also interesting to hear about people like Olmstead and how he worked.
I was fascinated by this book and spent a lot of time after I finished it looking at photos of the fair online.
The whole thing was like one of those great New Yorker articles about something you know nothing about but, once introduced, can't get enough of.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
46 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Debra
- 2003-11-05
Fascinating!
I knew very little about the Chicago Exposition and nothing about H.H. Holmes before listening to this book. What a juxtaposition between the two stories - one of great deeds and triumph and the other of such horror and tragedy.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
41 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- The Amester
- 2016-11-04
Turning History into Tedium
I was massively disappointed in this book. The narrator, Scott Brick, is great as always. But, the writing and storytelling were sub-par. I was very interested in the topic and had looked forward to learning about something brand new.
As soon as the narrative began, I realized that the author was caught between telling a story and retelling history. He failed at both. Attempts to create suspense fell flat because he was recounting known historical facts. Attempts to create character-depth fell flat because he could only have them speak in the small snippets of dialogue culled from historical documents. Not one person seemed real to me and yet they were all historical figures! Because the author stuck by historical facts and evidence only, he hobbled his own freedom to create vibrant people which I could care about. Larson ends up describing people, describing their words and describing their actions. It didn't seem that the characters were actual people, speaking and acting.
I was fascinated by the fair but the author dragged me into minutiae that felt irrelevant to the story. And, I'm generally a great lover of minutiae.
The murderous Holmes was approached and described as though the author himself were a product of the end of the nineteenth century - constrained by prim social mores and avoiding saying anything crude, explicit or graphic about the murderer. It takes a true lack of writing talent to turn a vile killer into a tedious character.
I suspect that most other listeners will disagree with my point of view. But, two very exciting subjects were ground into a fine dust of tedium by Erik Larson.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
31 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Pierre Gauthier
- 2017-10-29
Interesting but not Perfect!
This work intertwines the planning, construction and unwinding of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition in Chicago with the doings of a serial killer that went on in that city at the same period.
Thus, the narrative basically alternates between the actions of luminaries such as Daniel Burnham and Frederick Law Olmsted and those of a mad criminal. A third plot is also meshed in, regarding another madman living in his delusions.
Though the three series of characters never meet, there is initially a unity of time and place and a strong suspense is developed.
Sadly, about three quarters of the way through, this unity is lost as the Exhibition is closed, the murderer carries his deeds to various other locations such as Philadelphia and Toronto and the madman has been arrested.
The epilogue however does bring all the loose ends together and tells of the final fate of all major protagonists.
There clearly was an outstanding amount of research carried out by the author although, as he himself mentions, his imagination was required to make things fit together. He may also be criticized for his overly lengthy macabre descriptions that appear unnecessary.
Though not perfect, this partially fictional work will certainly prove worthwhile, particularly to those interested in architecture and urban planning.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!