The Devil in the White City

Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City

Recommendation inspired by:
A brief history of the devil - Brian A. Pavlac

Why we love this book:

Devil in the White City paints a fascinating portrait of a time and place charged by tectonic cultural and technological shifts: Chicago, 1893. As the city prepares to host the World's Fair, it also plays host to one of the most notorious serial killers in history. Although the true crime aspects of the book are not for the squeamish, the history of the Columbian Exposition is some of the most captivating, easily readable architectural history I've come across. Stories I learned about the building of the fair, the creation of public transportation and the artistic philosophies of Frederick Law Olmsted continue to impact how I view cities almost 10 years after having read it.

Recommended by:
Alexandra Panzer, TED-Ed Team

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