My goodness, what a wonderful book!<\/p>\n
And how strange to be walking around the very neighborhood that is the focus of this study. The book turns, as the subtitle reads on \u201cmurder, magic and madness at the fair that changed America.\u201d While I was occasionally annoyed at a nonfiction book that could tell the reader what people were thinking and feeling moments before they died, the scope and depth of this book more than makes up for such small lapses. And so beautifully written\u2026<\/p>\n
In addition to the principal characters, Daniel Burnham, the architect who conceived of and drove the World\u2019s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and H. H. Holmes a serial murderer who committed many of his crimes scant blocks from the fair, a host of important figures in our national psyche walk on stage for a line or two or a page or two.<\/p>\n
For instance Larson tells of an encounter between a clergyman who supported the policy of shutting the fair on Sundays and Susan B. Anthony who thought it unnecessary, and in fact limited the possibility of attendance for those who only had Sunday\u2019s off from work. The parson challenged her asking would she \u201cprefer having a son of hers attend Buffalo Bill\u2019s show on Sunday (which stood next to the fair but was not a part of it, and therefore was open on Sundays) instead of church?<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Yes, she replied, \u2018he would learn far more\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the pious this exchange confirmed the fundamental wickedness of Anthony\u2019s suffragist movement. When Cody learned of it, he was tickled so much that he immediately sent Anthony a thank-you note and invited her to attend his show. He offered her a box at any performance she chose.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the start of the performance Cody entered the ring on horseback, his long gray hair streaming from under his white hat, the silver trim of his white jacket glinting in the sun. He kicked his horse into a gallop and raced toward Anthony\u2019s box. The audience went quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe halted his horse in a burst of dirt and dust, removed his hat, and with a great sweeping gesture bowed until his head nearly touched the horn of his saddle.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnthony stoodand returned the bow and \u2014 \u2018as enthusiastic as a girl,\u2019 a friend said \u2014 waved her handkerchief at Cody.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe signficance of the moment escaped no one. Here was one of the greatest heroes of America\u2019s past saluting one of the foremost heroes of its future. The encounter brought the audience to its feet in a thunder of applause and cheers.\u201d<\/p>\n
So lovely.<\/p>\n
A great read\u2026<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As I was getting ready for my Chicago sojourn, Jan, the literary one in our family, told me I really would enjoy reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, as most of it takes place in what is now called Hyde Park, the neighborhood where Meadville Lombard stands. I said, okay. But […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n