Holmes and the World Exhibition in Chicago 1

the course is not no Sherlock Holmes but the young doctor Henry Howard Holmes (1860-1896) one of the first serial killers in the United States confessed at his trial, 27 murders. He has raged in Chicago on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1893.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY gathers these historical stories both very interesting and extremely well documented.
First, the adventure of this universal exhibition was faced with the dual challenge to do better than that of Paris of 1899 and replace the Eiffel Tower. The account of the preparations for this exhibition organized by architect Daniel Burnham is as original as exciting: financial and technical, technological and architectural challenges to overcome, rivalry, race against time to meet deadlines, developing the different attractions .. . Nicknamed the White City (all palates were uniformly covered with white), it was successful (27 million visitors) thanks to the circus Buffalo Bill but also the first Ferris wheel (80 meters).
The second story is that of serial killer HHHolmes, who built a diabolical hotel offers soundproofed rooms and a crematorium near Jackson Park where the expo was held. This doctor, friendly and attractive, was capable of the worst atrocities: identity theft, scams, bigamy and of course murder of women, men and also children. The police suspected of at least a hundred murders.

Despite the last part which details the hunt and the last days of freedom Holmes, Erik Larson has more privileged backstage universelle.Cependant the exhibition, the book really fascinated me.