When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- Sherlock Holmes (1.3.47)
- Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe (1.3.23)
- L. Frank Baum (5.1.1)
Historical References
- This is a work of nonfiction in which author Erik Larson used only primary sources to recreate. All of the figures presented have been constructed from such as letters, journals, memoirs, and photographs. Noteworthy figures include Daniel Burnham, Frederick Olmsted, John Root, Carter Harrison, D. H. H. Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, Helen Keller, Buffalo Bill, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, and Nikola Tesla—all in attendance at the fair.
Pop Culture References
- Several inventions that we know today debuted at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Inventions with a tremendous impact on pop culture include: Cracker Jacks, Shredded Wheat, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, the Ferris Wheel, Wrigley's spearmint gum, the automatic dishwasher, and, of course, zippers.