"I love Chicago best in the cold" Erik Larson admits in the last sentence of his acknowledgements. Me too. I became a regular to Chicago in 2006 in the dead of winter and still recall the feeling of the first burst of cool air after exiting the station at State and Lake. After that first visit, I would have the opportunity to see the streets in their brown slush during the thaws, to walk down a Michigan Avenue colored in spring tulips, to run under trees which would shed leaves in the autumn, and to share the anticipation for an early snow. It was easy for me to imagine the excitement that some of the women must have felt in the late 1800s as they headed to Chicago in search of freedom, adventure, and of course, a Fair.
In The Devil in the White City: Murder Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Larson does a nice job of guiding the reader through the creation of the Fair while paralleling the dark side of a gentleman who ended the lives of many of the optimistic, vulnerable faces who journeyed to the city for their fresh start. Larson's book is heavily researched; he states his preference of primary sources and avoided internet information. This research however, does not create a stiffness in the read but rather lends weight to the story and to the characters. Larson also creates a suspense with his timing in revealing certain facts, at least for the reader (me) who was not quite up to speed on the historical events of the day.
I was drawn more toward Holmes as I turned the pages and think this would be a good book to re-visit to appreciate more of the architectural elements at play. The "Notes and Sources" section also gave me a few new items to add to my reading list. One can be certain that on my next visit to the Windy City, I will spend a bit more time reflecting the Rookery.
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