Cover of The Devil In The White City

Book · 2003 · Social life and customs

The Devil In The White City

by Erik Larson · Brought up by 6 people on 5 podcasts

The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson has been mentioned in 7 episodes across 5 podcasts (3 episodes recommend it and 4 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Josh Clark (2 episodes), Naomi Gleit (1 episode) and Doug Brunt (1 episode) on Stuff You Should Know (2 episodes), The Megyn Kelly Show (2 episodes) and How I Write (1 episode).

episodes
7
podcasts
5
people
6
episodes recommend it
3

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The Devil in the White City which I still haven't read but everyone said it's just amazing. It's by Eric Larson and it's on the list as far as popular histories go. It is easily in the top five.
Josh Clark · Stuff You Should Know · Mar 2026 Listen at 22:11

Questions about The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson

Who recommends The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson on podcasts?

Josh Clark (2 episodes) and Naomi Gleit (1 episode) have recommended The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson on podcasts. In all, 6 people brought it up across 5 podcasts (2 people recommended it).

Which podcasts mention The Devil In The White City the most?

Stuff You Should Know (2 episodes), The Megyn Kelly Show (2 episodes), How I Write (1 episode), Lenny's Podcast (1 episode) and The Book Review (1 episode).

Is The Devil In The White City recommended, or only discussed?

The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson was recommended in 3 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 4 episodes, as of 2026-09-18.

What do people say about The Devil In The White City?

Josh Clark on Stuff You Should Know (2026-03-05): "The Devil in the White City which I still haven't read but everyone said it's just amazing. It's by Eric Larson and it's on the list as far as popular histories go. It is easily in the top five."

When was The Devil In The White City last mentioned on a podcast?

The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson was last recommended on Stuff You Should Know by Josh Clark on 2026-09-18.

What they say about it

Grouped from 7 episodes
  • Praises Erik Larson's writing“king of narrative nonfiction”
    2

The best things said about it

4 of 7 · every mention
Recommended
The Eric Larson books, they're a very compelling and page-turning way to learn about history.
Naomi Gleit Lenny's Podcast · Oct 2024
Discussed
I read Devil in the White City by Eric Larson and which was kind of like I was reading it somewhat to prep myself to write.
Steven Johnson How I Write · Feb 2024
Discussed
The Devil in the White City which is a book that goes into the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago but it also talks about the murderer the serial killer Dr HH Holmes.
Gilbert Cruz The Book Review · Jan 2024
Discussed
Eric Larson is sort of the king of narrative nonfiction these days with books like Devil in the White City.
Doug Brunt The Megyn Kelly Show · Nov 2022

Where and when it comes up

6 people who brought it up

Most recommendations first

Why people recommend it

The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson is a gripping work of narrative nonfiction that intertwines the history of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with the chilling crimes of serial killer Dr. H.H. Holmes. On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended the book to his co-host as a top-tier popular history, noting that it vividly reproduces historical menus from expo planning dinners. Naomi Gleit also endorsed the book on Lenny's Podcast, praising Larson's style as a compelling and page-turning method for learning history through narrative nonfiction. Steven Johnson mentioned on How I Write that he read Larson's book to prepare himself for writing in a historical narrative mode for his own projects. Gilbert Cruz discussed the work on The Book Review to illustrate Larson's broader bibliography and its connection to the famous world's fair and its infamous architect of murder. Megyn Kelly and Doug Brunt discussed the book on their respective shows, with Brunt highlighting Larson as a master of narrative nonfiction whose style directly influenced contemporary writing approaches. Across these podcast appearances, the book is celebrated for its meticulous historical detail, atmospheric storytelling, and ability to bring a complex historical era to vivid life.

Every mention

7 quotes from 7 episodes · 6 passing or ad reads below
Josh Clark Have you ever read Devil in the White City? No, man. I still have not read that. You should read it. It's p… 2
Recommended
“Have you ever read Devil in the White City? No, man. I still have not read that. You should read it. It's pretty good. But one of the things that the book does is it reproduces menus from these dinners that they had when they were planning the expo.”
Recommended
“and there was a great great book called The Devil in the White City which I still haven't read but everyone said it's just amazing. It's by Eric Larson and it's on the list as far as popular histories go. It is easily in the top five.”
Naomi Gleit I really love narrative non-fiction. So I like the Eric Larson books, they're a very compelling and page-tu… 1
Recommended
“I really love narrative non-fiction. So I like the Eric Larson books, they're a very compelling and page-turning way to learn about history. I recently read Devil in the White City”
Doug Brunt the way Eric Larson is sort of the king of narrative nonfiction these days with books like Devil in the Whi… 1
Discussed
“the way Eric Larson is sort of the king of narrative nonfiction these days with books like Devil in the White City and dead wake”
Gilbert Cruz most people probably know him for one of his more famous books which is the Devil in the White City which i… 1
Discussed
“most people probably know him for one of his more famous books which is the Devil in the White City which is a book that goes into the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago but it also talks about the murderer the serial killer Dr HH Holmes”
Megyn Kelly I know you love that Eric Larson book, right? The Devil in the White City, is that what it was? 1
Discussed
“I know you love that Eric Larson book, right? The Devil in the White City, is that what it was?”
Steven Johnson and so I remember thinking that I remember um before I wrote ghost map I read uh Devil in the White City by… 1
Discussed
“and so I remember thinking that I remember um before I wrote ghost map I read uh Devil in the White City by Eric Larson and which was kind of like I was reading it somewhat to prep myself to write it was the first book that I'd written in kind of historical narrative mode”
Other mentions (6: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“I read Devil in the White City recently. I'm on an Eric Larson kick which is about the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893 I believe.”
Passing
“And he goes, so, um, the—the man and wife who—funny, crazy story—the guy who bought this house, he built this dream house with his wife, and then like a year later he gets hit by a streetcar at the World Fair in Chicago and never like dies; never lives in the house; like, like The Devil in the White City,”
Passing
“like like the Devil in the White City World Fair”
Passing
“Eric larsson's new book Dead wake which is a look back at the Lucitania sinking and Eric Larson of course famous for the Devil in the White City and other kind of historical narratives”
Passing
“so the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago the White City where The Devil in the White City is set um that was a huge um kind of like uh introduction of women inventures in the United States to the world”
Passing
“He's a guy who's written, he wrote like Devil in the White City and a couple of other books that people have probably read.”

Portraits from Wikimedia Commons: Megyn Kelly, MattGagnon / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).