Book Review: Twilight at the World of Tomorrow

When I think of the world's fair, I think of Judy Garland and "Meet Me in St. Louis." Or I think of Chicago - the White City. I was unaware of the 1939 NY World's Fair. In Twilight at the World of Tomorrow, James Mauro highlights the fair as a symbol of the "transformation from acute optimism to fear and dread." While this narrative nonfiction treats an interesting topic, mixing true crime with stories of grandiose dreams, the book didn't suck me in as much as, say, Candice Millard's nonfiction. I was interested to learn that they built the fair in the cleaned up area The Great Gatsby mentions (the giant ash heaps under Dr. E's vigilant eyes). But I grew tired of hearing constant emphasis on the monetary failures of the fair.

It took half the CDs to understand what the subtitle referenced. This subtitle: Genius, Madness, Murder, at the 1939 World's Fair on the Brink of War sounds exciting. It details Einstein, foreign dictators, and terrorist bombing. I guess I was never fully drawn into affection or even concern for any of the individuals mentioned. Grover Whalen, the vain driving force behind the fair. The cops who attempted to disarm the bombs. Even Einstein. Never felt invested in any of them. So, while the book adequately covered a specific moment in time, my interest remained moderate.

I wonder if my mother-in-law would find the tale more interesting. She was alive then. Somehow I doubt her family made the trek from Indiana to NY to attend this world's fair. Indeed, not enough people did - the main thrust of the book.