Erik Larson

Erik or Eric Larson may refer to:

See also

Erik Larson (author)

Erik Larson (born January 3, 1954) is an American journalist and author of nonfiction books. He has written a number of bestsellers, such as The Devil in the White City (2003), about the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and a series of murders by H. H. Holmes that were committed in the city around the time of the Fair; The Devil in the White City also won the 2004 Edgar Award in the Best Fact Crime category, among other awards.

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, Larson grew up in Freeport, Long Island, New York.

He studied Russian history at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated summa cum laude in 1976. After a year off, he attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, graduating in 1978.

Career

Journalism

Larson's first newspaper job was with The Bucks County Courier Times in Levittown, Pennsylvania, where he wrote about murder, witches, environmental poisons, and other "equally pleasant" things. He later became a features writer for The Wall Street Journal and TIME magazine, where he is still a contributing writer. His magazine stories have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, and other publications.

Erik Larson (figure skater)

Erik Larson is a former American competitive figure skater. He captured the gold medal in Colorado Springs, at the 1985 World Junior Championships.

In 1985 Larson was coached by 1960 Squaw Valley Olympic bronze medalist Barbara Ann Roles Williams, and he became the first American figure skater to win a World Junior Championship title in the United States. He was inducted into The San Diego Hall Of Champions with the likes of Olympic Champion swimmer Greg Louganis, short stop Alan Trammell of the Detroit tigers, French open winner Michael Chang and the 1984 Olympic volleyball team. While training at The Broadmoor in 1989 in Colorado Springs under the Carlo Fassi and child star Janet Champion, he invented "The Larson Spin". That same year at the 1989 U.S. Nationals, Larson placed 3rd in the short program and became an alternate for the World Championships. At the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival in St. Paul Minnesota, Erik also captured the gold ahead of 1985 U.S. National Junior Men's Champion Mr. Doug Mattis.