The Devil in the White City
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America (Crown Publishers, ISBN 0-609-60844-4) is a 2003 historical non-fiction book by Erik Larson presented in a novelistic style. It tells the story of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago from the viewpoint of the designers, including Daniel Burnham, and also tells the story of H. H. Holmes, a criminal figure in that same time often credited as the first modern serial killer.
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Author | Erik Larson |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Historical non-fiction |
Publisher | Crown Publishers |
Publication date | 2003 |
Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
Pages | 447 |
ISBN | 0-609-60844-4 |
OCLC | 54397544 |
Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the film rights in 2010.[1]
Plot
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The Devil in the White City is divided into four parts, the first three happening in Chicago between 1890 and 1893, while part four of the book takes place in Philadelphia circa 1895. The book interweaves the true tales of Daniel Burnham, the architect behind the 1893 World's Fair, and H. H. Holmes, a serial killer who lured his victims to their deaths in his elaborately constructed "Murder Castle".
Adaptation
Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the film rights to the book in 2010. The film version, as originally planned, would have been directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Billy Ray, and produced jointly by Paramount Pictures, Double Feature Films, and DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions.[2][3][4]
In 2019, Hulu began developing a series based on the book. Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese will be the executive producers of the project along with Stacey Sher.[5][6] It was announced in January 2022, that actor Keanu Reeves was in negotiations to star in series and Todd Field would direct the first two episodes.[7]
Honors
- 2003 New York Times best seller (nonfiction)
- 2003 International Horror Guild Award (Nonfiction)
- 2003 San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
- 2003 National Book Award (Nonfiction), finalist
- 2003 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, shortlist
- 2003 Great Lakes Book Award (Nonfiction), finalist
- 2004 Washington State Book Award
- 2004 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award
- 2004 Edgar Award (Best Fact Crime), winner
- 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book, winner
- 2009 ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (History & Cultures)
References
- "Leonardo DiCaprio secures rights to book of first serial killer in the US", The Guardian newspaper (November 2, 2010). Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- "Leonardo DiCaprio Teams With Martin Scorsese for 'Devil in the White City'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
- Fleming, Mike Jr. (December 16, 2011). "Warner Bros Sets Black List Top Scribe Graham Moore For 'Devil In The White City'; Leonardo DiCaprio To Play Serial Killer". Deadline Hollywood.
- McNary, Dave (August 10, 2015). "Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese Reunite for 'Devil in the White City'". Variety. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- "Keanu Reeves reportedly in talks to star in Hulu's adaptation of 'The Devil in the White City'". Web News Observer. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- Otterson, Joe (February 11, 2019). "'Devil in the White City' Series in the Works at Hulu from Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese." Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- Epting, Claire (January 4, 2022). "Keanu Reeves to Star In Scorsese Produced 'Devil in the White City' Series". Screen Crush.