The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Click on book cover for details from GoodReads.

"Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America"
Quite a tagline to live up to. 
I just kept wondering which of the 3M's is meant for the architects and builders of the White City. I think all three fit them just fine.
The Devil in the White City tells three simultaneous stories that took place in Chicago, circa 1893. The construction of, and the drama surrounding, the World Fair and the people who envisioned it. Holmes, a serial killer who lured victims to his World Fair Hotel. And a deluded man obsessed with Mayor Harrison.
Larson's storytelling helps make these historical events very palatable. I am usually not very apt to reading nonfiction, but this read almost as fiction- full of suspense and intrigue. I really thought the story of Holmes would be what I enjoyed the most, but it was the building of the World Fair and what went into getting it ready that I found most interesting. 
Really enjoyed this. Perfect read for RIP X. Glad it got picked for Book Group! 
I am hosting our meeting next week. Can't wait to hear if everyone else enjoyed it, too. Those of you who have read it, any ideas for food tie-ins? We like to take ideas from the book, but this one doesn't offer up much in ideas. Cracker Jacks and Pabst Blue Ribbon is what I have so far. :)

Next book: The Quick by Lauren Owen   Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Time to block

This summer was filled with lots of shawl knitting. First for the Through the Loops Mystery Shawl KAL and then Bay Area Knitter's Mystery Shawl KAL. 

Fun knits and beautiful FO's. Well, they will be once I block them. They have been sitting on my desk waiting patiently to be completed. 

I am loving the greens. They feel perfect for fall. Unfortunately, the 90 degree weather here in the Bay Area is not feeling like fall. 

We are in need of rain and cooler temps ASAP. 

RIP X Read Along: The Quick by Lauren Owen

Went to the library last week and picked up a copy of The Quick by Lauren Owen for the Group Read. I am excited to get started. Kind of fun that it is set in the same time period as the book I just finished. 

"London, 1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society, and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Unnerved, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine city that greets her, she uncovers a secret world at the margins populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of one of the country’s preeminent and mysterious institutions: The Aegolius Club, whose members include the most ambitious, and most dangerous, men in England.
 
In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fiction’s most dazzling talents."
Happy Reading! _________________________________________

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

"A Tiffany Aching Adventure"

Armed with a frying pan and the help of some little, but fierce, blue men in kilts, Tiffany Aching is on a mission to find her brother and return him home.

She will have to battle monsters, enter another world and attempt to steal her brother back from the faerie queen. As a witch, she has some advantages, but she has just discovered she is one, so it's all a bit new to her. 

Fun book. Love the Nac Mac Feele's. Their speech takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get it- so much more enjoyable. 

This was a really great book to get to reread for book group. Again, I had to miss the meeting, but really hope the others enjoyed it just as much. I have read all the Tiffany Aching books, and now feel the need to read all the other books in the DiscWorld series. Now to figure out where to start.

July Book Club Selection ( a little late with my review)

August Selection: Horns by Joe Hill (my review from 2011)
September/October Selection: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 

My little girl is 5!!!

I can't believe it has been five years with this little one! Going by way too fast. 

Day 1 of RIP X

Current Read: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

I had a chiropractor appointment in the city today. Decided to go for a walk in Golden Gate Park and read my book over lunch at the boathouse on Stow Lake. Just need to remember to get home in time to pick up the little girl from school.