3 1/2 stars

This was an interesting read, especially for those of us who are from the Chicago area. Most of us are somewhat familiar with the World's Fair that was held in Chicago in 1893. Anybody who is from Chicago or watches our local PBS station WTTW has seen architectural shows that mentioned the Fair and the Chicago architects involved, mainly Daniel Burnham. So we have a little bit of background info about this story to begin with though perhaps not many of the details. Rest assured, once you read this book you will have ALL the details! LOL

So yeah for those of us from the Chicago area this is right up our alley so to speak. And for architecture buffs also. Ditto history buffs. Some of the rest of the world might be somewhat bored by the amount of detail Eric Larson goes to great pains to provide. You can tell he did his research! I can say I was never bored and the book was a quick and enjoyable trip back in time when something like a World's Fair could leave fair goers awe struck, thoroughly charmed and entertained, and even fundamentally changed by the experience. In our jaded times, with the world at our fingertips there are very few experiences left to us that we haven't at least virtually experienced.

The other story depicted in this book is about a certain character known as H.H. Holmes (among other known aliases) and his wheeling and dealings (building a hotel for fair goers among other things) in the Jackson Park neighborhood around the time of the fair. Here is a story most of us have not heard. This nefarious character was a true sociopath and I don't think we know the full truth of his story. What Eric Larson does provide is a sketch of Dr. Holmes' time in Chicago and a (partial) list of his victims. We can't be sure what the final count of his victims actually was due to police work of the times and the forensic tools available in the late 1800s. I have a feeling there were many more victims.

All in all a detailed look back in Chicago's history when the stockyards still operated in the city, the first skyscrapers were built and men with a vision had the wherewithal to see it through.