SKU: 96804195525

Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago

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Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in ChicagoOn Thursday, July 13, 1995, Chicagoans awoke to a blistering day in which the temperature would reach 106 degrees. The heat index, which measures how the temperature actually feels on the body, would hit 126 degrees by the time the day was over. Meteorologists had been warning residents about a two day heat wave, but these temperatures did not end that soon. When the heat wave broke a week later, city streets had buckled; the records for electrical

On Thursday, July 13, 1995, Chicagoans awoke to a blistering day in which the temperature would reach 106 degrees. The heat index, which measures how the temperature actually feels on the body, would hit 126 degrees by the time the day was over. Meteorologists had been warning residents about a two-day heat wave, but these temperatures did not end that soon. When the heat wave broke a week later, city streets had buckled; the records for electrical use were shattered; and power grids had failed, leaving residents without electricity for up to two days. And by July 20, over seven hundred people had perished-more than twice the number that died in the Chicago Fire of 1871, twenty times the number of those struck by Hurricane Andrew in 1992--in the great Chicago heat wave, one of the deadliest in American history.

Heat waves in the United States kill more people during a typical year than all other natural disasters combined. Until now, no one could explain either the overwhelming number or the heartbreaking manner of the deaths resulting from the 1995 Chicago heat wave. Meteorologists and medical scientists have been unable to account for the scale of the trauma, and political officials have puzzled over the sources of the city's vulnerability. In Heat Wave, Eric Klinenberg takes us inside the anatomy of the metropolis to conduct what he calls a social autopsy, examining the social, political, and institutional organs of the city that made this urban disaster so much worse than it ought to have been.

Starting with the question of why so many people died at home alone, Klinenberg investigates why some neighborhoods experienced greater mortality than others, how the city government responded to the crisis, and how journalists, scientists, and public officials reported on and explained these events. Through a combination of years of fieldwork, extensive interviews, and archival research, Klinenberg uncovers how a number of surprising and unsettling forms of social breakdown--including the literal and social isolation of seniors, the institutional abandonment of poor neighborhoods, and the retrenchment of public assistance programs--contributed to the high fatality rates. The human catastrophe, he argues, cannot simply be blamed on the failures of any particular individuals or organizations. For when hundreds of people die behind locked doors and sealed windows, out of contact with friends, family, community groups, and public agencies, everyone is implicated in their demise.

As Klinenberg demonstrates in this incisive and gripping account of the contemporary urban condition, the widening cracks in the social foundations of American cities that the 1995 Chicago heat wave made visible have by no means subsided as the temperatures returned to normal. The forces that affected Chicago so disastrously remain in play in America's cities, and we ignore them at our peril.

For the Second Edition Klinenberg has added a new Preface showing how climate change has made extreme weather events in urban centers a major challenge for cities and nations across our planet, one that will require commitment to climate-proofing changes to infrastructure rather than just relief responses.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 05/06/2015
ISBN: 9780226276182
Pages: 328
Weight: 1.06lbs
Size: 8.94h x 6.13w x 0.85d
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SKU: 96804195525

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Samuel Roberts
Alexandria, US
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Great shelves, strong, secure, sturdy, decent size, unbeatable price.
Color: White, Number Of Shelves: 4, Size: 15.7in
Easy installation fits where we wanted them. Stable strong secure snug fit. Cleans easily with dust wipe. I would recommend buying these.
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Clara
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★★★★★ 3
The shelves sag away from the wall overtime
Color: White, Number Of Shelves: 2, Size: 15.7in, Color: White, Number Of Shelves: 2, Size: 15.7in
Although the wood quality and finish of the shelf are clean and well-made, the main issue is that the shelves begin to sag over time while holding around 10 pounds, even though the product listing claims they can support up to 20 pounds. They may perform better on a brick wall, but on drywall you should be cautious. To fix the problem, I had to purchase floating shelf brackets for support, which solved the sagging issue. However, this defeats the purpose of the “floating” aesthetic. Since the shelf is in my bedroom, I can overlook it, but I personally wouldn’t install these in a common area if I wanted a clean floating look.
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Color: Rustic Brown, Number Of Shelves: 4, Size: 15.7in
Love these shelves so easy to put up so beautifully made and really enjoy the way they set on my wall very sturdy also!
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Jason
Belleville, US
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Looks nice, easy to install
Color: Rustic Brown, Number Of Shelves: 2, Size: 22in
This shelf is lightweight, looks nice, and was easy to install. It comes with a little level to help you install it properly. There are plenty of mounting holes to choose from, so it is easy to screw it directly into a stud, or to just use holes that are convenient for you. It comes with a plethora of mounting hardware. I mounted mine a bit high up and chose to mount it upside down so that I wouldn't see the three screws that hold the shelf to the mounting bracket.
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Cheap, looks good and works good
Size: 13"-32", Style: Dual Arms
Mostly painless install, packaging was subpar but everything works well. Holds a 27" monitor and a 24" monitor very well. Adjustable angles and hinges allowing for customization for your needs. Seems to be very sturdy and hasn't dropped since making sure everything is tight. Overall, worth it compared to more expensive options.
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