H. H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil *Kindle
The full, untold story of serial killer made famous in Erik Larson’s international bestseller The Devil in the White City. Here is the horrific true tale of America's first and most notorious serial killer and his diabolical killing spree during the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, now updated with a new afterword discussing Holmes' exhumation on American Ripper. H. H. Holmes is the first comprehensive book examining the life and career of a murderer who has become one of America’s great supervillains. It reveals not only the true story but how the legend evolved, taking advantage of hundreds of primary sources that have never been examined before, including legal documents, letters, articles, and records that have been buried in archives for more than a century. Table of contents: Chapter One: Mudgett Chapter Two: Swindler Chapter Three: Victims Chapter Four: A World’s Fair Hotel Chapter Five: Holmes Goes West Chapter Six: Philadelphia Chapter Seven: On the Run Chapter Eight: Mudgett Again Chapter Nine: Caught Chapter Ten: The Calm Before the Storm Chapter Eleven: Exposed Chapter Twelve: Holmes Mania Chapter Thirteen: Dog Days of August Chapter Fourteen: The Trial Chapter Fifteen: After the Judgment Chapter Sixteen: The Confession Chapter Seventeen: The Hanging Chapter Eighteen: Aftermath Chapter Nineteen: Evolution of a Legend Appendix A: Victims Appendix B: Aliases Used by Herman Webster Mudgett Though Holmes has become just as famous now as he was in 1895, a deep analysis of contemporary materials makes very clear how much of the story as we know came from reporters who were nowhere near the action, a dangerously unqualified new police chief, and, not least, lies invented by Holmes himself. Selzer has unearthed tons of stunning new data about Holmes, weaving together turn-of-the-century America, the killer’s background, and the wild cast of characters who circulated in and about the famous “castle” building. This book will be the first truly accurate account of what really happened in Holmes’s castle of horror, and now includes an afterword detailing the author's participation in Holmes' exhumation on the TV series, American Ripper. Read more
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Why Must Read H. H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil?
I must throw in my two cents here. Unlike many of the readers I find the relentless facts thrown out to be quite interesting. The way the author documents what is known about Holmes is excellent. I also agree with those who find his arrangement of these facts to be rather dry but at the same time I find them fascinating. One thing that does throw me, though, is that the author asserts from the start that Holmes did not kill nearly as many people as he is credited with, and later casts doubt on the fact that he could be considered a serial killer at all, and that furthermore when he threatens a man who had complained about debris from his building (Holmes had a pistol and a knife!) and was only saved by a policeman that this is "uncharacteristic" of Holmes. By this point in the book no less than five people had been killed by Holmes, and in its broadest definition serial killer denotes someone who kills either for pleasure or financial gain -- clearly Holmes was at least a sociopath, and the fact that he had no compunction about killing children leads one to believe he was no doubt a serial killer for all practical purposes. It seems the author strains mightily to demythologize Holmes to the point of trying to ignore the fact that he was pretty much a monster of sorts. Worth the read for anyone interested in Mudgett aka H.H. Holmes.
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