The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

One time I read about a person who, when going to visit a new city, tries to read a novel set in that city. I think this is a great idea, and I have wanted to try it, since reading this idea. So when I saw that the IRA conference would be held in Chicago, I looked for a book set in Chicago. A student in one of my classes recommended this book, and I also recommend it to you! The book is technically not a novel, because it's actually nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. There are two simultaneous storylines, one about the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, and one about a serial killer who uses the setting of the World's Fair to put his terrible plan into action. These two seemingly different "stories" become interwoven in an intriguing way.

During my visit to Chicago, I was interested in seeing some of the fabulous buildings described in the text. Unfortunately, many of the buildings were no longer standing, except one. Seeing this one building did help me connect to the text, and I also buildings and streets that were named after people described in the book, which helps it "come to life".