- The Good: A slice in time of two dramatic stories in turn-of-the-century Chicago
- The Bad: Too long with pacing issues; non-historical embellishments
- The Literary: Highly researched and full of footnotes and references
Daniel H. Burnham has a dream to create a World’s Fair in Chicago that not only rivals but surpass the Paris Fair with its Eiffel Tower. Also in Chicago, taking advantage of the chaos surrounding the fair, lurks a successful serial killer in the vein of Jack the Ripper, H.H. Holmes. I can see the ambitious vision that Larson intended for this book. The ingenuity and art of working to create something beautiful and significant paired against the despicable and evil, both set against the seedy streets of Chicago. This historical nonfiction tells two stories, interspersed chapter by chapter, but they are only very loosely related.
The first story centers around the architect Burnham and a relatively dry, detail-oriented progression, with a wide cast of characters, all of whom contribute to making the Chicago’s World’s Fair possible. From constant bickering, to a lack of funds, to construction so rapid that the safety of the buildings comes into question, to rain and fire, much threatened Burnham’s vision. It’s clear the research for the book was extremely thorough, and Larson is so enthralled by the complexity that he wants to put it all in. Unfortunately, the number of characters is too large, and the side plots are too many, so this section feels overwhelming and without a clear narrative.
The second story is more tantalizing, focusing on the charming and successful pharmacist Holmes, who buys a corner building to house his pharmacy and hotel. Secretly, in an interior room, Holmes builds a gas chamber and furnace large enough to cremate human remains. Unfortunately, the imaginative flourishes that flesh out the details of Holmes’ interactions with his victims are complete speculation, and for me, take me out of the story. With that said, if you love true crime, this will be right up your alley. Holmes doesn’t just woo his victims, but nearly everyone else, including those to whom he’s indebted, to achieve such easy success.
Once the fair finally comes to fruition in the last quarter of the book, you’ll learn there are so many “firsts” at the Chicago World’s Fair — the pledge of allegiance, the term “snapshots”, shredded wheat, the zipper, squashed penny souvenirs, and so much more. While these tidbits of information are fascinating, it’s barely enough to make up for the pacing issues that came before. You may find your mind wandering while reading this book, but I recommend it for fans of history, especially those interested in the infrastructure of such a huge event.