Few nonfiction books have captured readers' imaginations quite like The Devil in the White City.
The bestselling work by Erik Larson has been ranked the "best nonfiction" book on Goodreads, based on reader votes. The recognition underscores its enduring appeal, as readers continue to revisit its gripping blend of history and true crime.
Originally published in 2003, the book tells the intertwined stories of two very different men set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. One is visionary architect Daniel Burnham, who led the effort to design and build the fair, creating a dazzling symbol of innovation and ambition.
The other is H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who used the influx of visitors to the city as cover for his crimes. As the fair brought millions to Chicago, Holmes operated in the shadows, committing a series of chilling acts that would later make him one of the most infamous figures in American history.
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)Larson's storytelling stands out for its ability to weave these parallel narratives together, creating a sense of tension that reads more like a novel than traditional nonfiction. His attention to detail and vivid descriptions bring both the grandeur of the World's Fair and the darkness of Holmes' crimes to life. For Larson, characters are key.
"The way it starts, for me, is you read the broad stuff, the big survey histories and so forth," Larson said in a 2024 interview. "You kind of circle in, getting closer and closer to the nub of things by going into what I call the intimate histories—the published diaries, documents, letters—and all the while you're looking for the right characters. Then you have an idea of who these characters might be; you come down to a half-dozen characters, one of whom could be central to the story."
The book became a massive success upon release and has remained a staple of nonfiction reading lists, praised for its unique structure and compelling subject matter.
"There's always a way to tell an old story in a new way," Larson said in a 2022 interview. "That's my feeling. And it's a good thing I feel that way, because at the rate that people have started doing narrative nonfiction, I sometimes feel like there’s nothing new to write."
With its latest recognition on Goodreads, The Devil in the White City continues to stand as a defining work in the genre, one that proves real-life stories can be just as gripping as fiction.
Related: Best-Selling Author’s Novel Ranked ‘Best Book of This Century’ on Goodreads
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