Heat Wave

In "Heat Wave," Eric Klinenberg delves into the catastrophic 1995 Chicago heat wave that resulted in over 700 deaths, revealing the underlying social, political, and institutional factors that exacerbated this urban disaster. Through what he terms a "social autopsy," Klinenberg explores the vulnerabilities of the city and the failure of systems that contributed to the overwhelming tragedy, making it one of the deadliest heat events in American history. This compelling examination highlights not only the intense heat but also the critical societal issues that made the crisis more devastating than expected.