The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

He marries many times and assumes fake names.

He purchases the lot across the street and constructs a macabre and imposing building which he decides to turn into a hotel once he hears of the imminent World's Fair it is in this hotel he carries out numerous seductions and murders of young women. There he establishes a pharmacy after buying out an elderly woman.

He turns to insurance fraud to make money, though it seems that he actually does have random amounts of money. His good luck and undeniable charm inure him to many people. Though he performs in a lackluster fashion, he opens a practice. He attends high school, becomes a teacher, and goes to medical school. He grows up a clearly intelligent but strange boy, and odd things happen to those around him. Mudgett was born to a religious family in New Hampshire. After the Fair his health and mental state worsen precipitously, and he is committed by his family to the McLean Asylum, where he dies. Despite his struggles, he is an important contributor to the success of the Fair. Throughout the book, Olmsted is temperamental and endures periods of depression and illness while he tackles both the Fair and outside work. Having previously worked on New York City's Central Park and taking great pride in his profession, Olmsted agrees to help with the driving goal of validating his work. Frederick Law Olmstedįrederick Law Olmsted is a talented and well-established landscape architect whom Burnham and Root hire to assist them in the creation of the fair. Before construction can begin on the fair, Root contracts an illness and ultimately dies in 1891. His characteristics provide a perfect complement to Burnham, as he lacks the business and social skills of his partner. Root is the more talented architect of the two and is admired for his intelligence. John Root is the partner of Daniel Burnham in their architectural firm and in the endeavor of designing and constructing the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. He faces numerous obstacles but can be said to have carried out his task successfully and memorably. Creating an incredible Fair and improving the reputation of the city of Chicago is a monumental task, one he accomplishes with a strong sense of determination and tenacity. Of the two partners, Burnham is the more skilled businessman and acts as the public relations expert for the both of them. Based in Chicago, he and his partner John Root are given the responsibility of designing and overseeing the construction of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, officially the World's Columbian Exposition. Daniel Burnham is one of America's most skilled 19th and early 20th century architects.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson