The Ridiculously Ambitious History of the World's Fair, Part One: A Crazy Plan, and Crazy Success

The book tells the dual stories of Daniel H. Burnham, who led the construction of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims. Burnham faced numerous challenges in building the 'White City', while Holmes constructed his 'Murder Castle', a hotel with secret rooms, torture chambers, and other sinister features. The narrative explores the contrast between the grandeur of the fair and the dark deeds of Holmes, set against the backdrop of late 19th-century America.

In 'Einstein's Dreams', Alan Lightman imagines the dreams Albert Einstein might have had in the months leading up to his submission of the special theory of relativity in 1905. The book consists of 30 chapters, each representing a dream that explores a different mechanism of time and its effects on human experience. These dreams range from time standing still, to time rushing quickly at the edges but standing suspended at the center, to time being cyclical and repetitive. The novel also includes interludes that return to Einstein's waking life, offering insights into his personal struggles and his relationship with his friend Michele Besso. The book is a blend of science, philosophy, and fiction, exploring themes of time, free will, and the human condition.