The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson

People, Places, Events
Chicago World’s Fair	H. H. Holmes (Herman Webster Mudgett)
Daniel Hudson Burnham Margaret –wife John Wellborn Root – died before completion World’s Columbian Exposition Company Burnham and Root – lead designers Frederick Law Olmstead – landscape architect Harry Codman – new member of Olmstead’s firm Sol Bloom – in charge of Midway George Washington Gale Ferris Buffalo Bill Annie Oakley Carter Henry Harrison - mayor Patrick Eugene Joseph Prendergast – murdered Harrison A. S. Trude – lawyer	First wife – Clara Lovering Second wife – Myrta Belknap – daughter Lucy Third wife – Minnie Williams (not legal) Three associates: Charles Choppel Patrick Quinlan Benjamin Pitezel Nine known victims: Julia and Pearl Conner Emeline Cigrand Minnie and Anne Williams Pitezel Alice, Nellie and Howard Pitezel Others who disappeared: Boy in Mooers Fork, Michigan Mrs. Holton – druggist wife Misc. drugstore clerks Georgiana Yoke Detective Frank Geyer

 For discussion:

NOTE:  All page numbers refer to paperback edition.

1.            Discuss the author’s writing style.  Did you like the frequent foreshadowing?   For example, on page 30 when writing about minor setbacks, the author wrote, “Far worse was to occur, and soon.”

2.            Discuss Barnham and Root’s working relationship and the atmosphere in their office.   Ahead of their times, they had a gym and played handball over the lunch hour.  Another employee stated that, “The office was full of a rush of work, but the spirit of the place was delightfully free and easy and human in comparison with other offices I worked in.”  (page 27)

3.            Discuss Holmes and his childhood.  His parents were very strict and often spanked him and sent to the attic without food or talking, he tortured animals, his friend, Tom, was killed in a fall while playing with Holmes.

4.            How was Holmes able to fool so many people?  What was it about him that drew women in particular to him?  On page 36 the author wrote that he “broke prevailing rules of casual intimacy.”   Would he be able to avoid detection for so long in today’s culture?

a.            How was it that so many people were able to go missing without any trace?

5.            Would you have been one of the first to ride the Ferris Wheel?

6.            Were you able to visualize or comprehend the scope of the Fair?   Do you think something like that could be accomplished today?

7.            Discuss Barnham’s motto, “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.”

8.            Were you surprised that so many new products, innovations and important people were either introduced at the Fair or somehow connected with the Fair?

Important people and events connected to the World’s Fair

Augustus St. Gaudens, sculptor Elias Disney – son Walt – carpenter and furniture maker Westinghouse Electric Company – won contract to illuminate exposition Francis J. Bellamy – Pledge of Allegiance Bloom’s three-bar tune Burnham’s concession to carpenters and ironworkers – contract became model for future – gave strength to labor movement Frank Lloyd Wright – junior partner with Louis Sullivan, architect for Transportation Building New products introduced at fair: Zipper Shredded Wheat Automatic dishwasher Music transmitted long distances Moving pictures Cracker Jacks Claim checks for children left at the  Children’s Building