Volusia County Public Library discussion

I'm enjoying this book. The description of life in Chicago in the late 1800s transports the reader to what it must have been like to live back then. How dirty and dangerous our lovely Windy City used to be (the author also touches on why it's called the Windy City -- spoiler alert -- not because it's windy). Of course, the story itself is a fascinating one and delves into the extreme dedication of putting on a triumph like the fair as well as the machinations of a mad man ruining everyone's good time!

Is everyone liking the book so far?

I'm absolutely loving it! It definitely reads like a novel. As a history teacher, I have always found it refreshing when someone can write about history with the same passion as those who lived it.:)

That's a good way of putting it -- that the writer can tell the history with the same passion as someone who lived it. And Larson is definitely succeeding in that. I'm about half way through and looking forward to seeing what unfolds where both Burnham and Holmes are concerned.

The history of that time period surprisingly mirrors today, with the architectural advancement so quickly with a female architect!vs our technology advancement . But Holmes,
the psychopath, he is so evil. Even though my eyes are blue, I will be cautious of blue eyes from now on.

I am close to the end and I think Holmes "game" will be exposed. This has been a very suspenseful thriller, and non-fiction!

Forgot to mention, now I know where the name " ferris wheel" comes from :)

I know, right? The female architect back then. I found that surprising. And the women who oversaw the construction and were in charge of the women's building. Pretty liberal for those days where the roles of the sexes were concerned. I'm just to the part where the idea for the ferris wheel has been examined (I'm less than half way through, it turns out) and so now I'm looking forward to finding out where the name came from...

Ah, got it -- where the name came from. Also finding some of the historical tidbits interesting. Not to introduce any spoiler alerts but things such as the snake charming tune, pledge of allegiance, and the part about champagne bottle bowling pins. And this Holmes fella, goodness. I'm surprised he's not more of a household name when it comes to history's bad characters. And Burnham has certainly run into his share of trouble. And one would have thought that building the biggest, most elaborate World's Fair in history through wickedly cold winters would have been a breeze.

I thought the book was great. I didn't know a lot about Burnham or Dr. Holmes before reading it which surprised me since they're both major figures in a major event in American history. Holmes was pure evil and prolific. The book was easy to get through, I thought it was like reading fiction.

I agree, I was wondering myself why both of these men weren't household names the way others from history are. Some of the things Holmes did are hard to believe, even now in an age where we think we've heard it all. Yet, he doesn't seem to be in the same league of infamy as others....

Yeah, the World's Fair Ripper

I read this title when it first came out, and just listened to the CD version (although it was abridged.) Although the parts about the murders were absolutely chilling, I did enjoy the book. I never knew that so many things had their origins with the fair. I always wondered about the line "Thine Alabaster cities gleam...." Now I know it's a reference to the white buildings of the fair. The book got very mixed reviews from others, but I enjoyed it. I heard there's a movie in the works with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role.

Yes, I heard that, too. Leo as Dr. Holmes. I too, enjoyed learning that so many things originated at the fair. It would have been something to see, for sure.

I have to admit that the Ferris Wheel that could hold so many people in one carriage or whatever they call it, sounds too scary for me, although it doesn't take much with things like that!

Same here. I don't think I would trust something like that -- especially back in the day.

Cory wrote: "Is everyone liking the book so far?"

It is hard to tell if this book is fiction or biographical. I feel like I'm living in 21st century deja vu. Even the first four chapters (which is as far as I've gotten so far)are indicative of the American Dream come true with capitalism and entrepreneurialism at its finest.

Yes, it seems that it's meant to make you wonder just that -- can this be real? It's a true story and we all know truth is stranger than fiction, eh? All the points you made are alive and well in this book: "the American Dream come true with capitalism and entrepreneurialism at its finest." It's intriguing, isn't it.