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Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago

eric klinenberg

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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.

328 pages, Paperback

First published July 12,2002
Literary awards
society of midland authors award, 
Places
chicago illinois, 

This edition

Format
328 pages, Paperback
Published
July 15, 2003 by University Of Chicago Press
ISBN
9780226443225
ASIN
0226443221
Language
English

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eric klinenberg

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Profile Image for Kimberly .
DevLog
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Read this for class. Damn, these sociological dissections of disaster are pretty fabulous (from the ones I've reviewed so far). Dealt with systemic neglect of marginalised communities within Chicago. I found it fascinating how a state's prior management (or lack of) of their city could result in such destructive consequences.
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doubletaco
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Klinenberg has completed an extensive examination of the 1995 heat wave in Chicago by looking into the social and cultural conditions, the political ramifications and tne institutional aspects of the disaster.

The many deaths were mainly the old and the poor, living alone, who endured a culture of fear (fear of criminal activity in their area) and lack of safe public spaces. These individuals died alone, unprotected and uncared for. All these conditions formed this disaster.

The areas with the least number of deaths weren't distinctive because of ethnic or racial makeup. They weren't affected by ecological depletion, collapse of local infrastructure and commerce, population decline, and high levels of violent criminal activity.

City government failed to see/understand the threat on people's lives. The police and fire departments were over-worked and there was no ability to coordinate services or even recognize the situation existed. Top city officials tried to gloss over the event as much as possible.
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Whothatbe
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I actually quite like a book that is so clear about its framework, methodology, etc. Reminds me of my debate days, or whatever.
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am_4
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Interesting topic, but reads like a dissertation for the first few chapters. Then he really makes you think about how these "natural" disasters are framed in public debate by government entities, who are engaged in CYA, and media, which thrives on controversy and human interest. Because of these often complementary interests, the deeper, more complex issues are rarely voiced in public forums.

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DocWut
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I was very worried that this book would fall into Kunstler "Long Emergency" territory and just keep repeating the same message over and over, but it did not. This was a great read. Each chapter takes you into a new aspect of the heat wave of 1995, each more disturbing than the last. If you haven't totally lost your faith in politicians and government, this book will get you there and encourage you to add journalists to your list of deplorable human beings.
A great book for non-Chicagoans, too. You don't have to know anything about the city or the heat wave to appreciate this book.
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SirCrepes
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I decided to write a paper on social and political dysfunction before, during, and after natural disasters. This was a perfect book to help me in my research, so I used the 1995 heat wave as my case study for my paper.

This book was very interesting, and it shed light on the dysfunction that is rampant in urban America that leads to tragedies like the Chicago heat wave, or Katrina. The poor, the elderly, and the isolated are forgotten about in society which directly contributes to their demise during a disaster. Plus, the modern forms of governance are not built in a way that can support those who do not actively seek services - which the most vulnerable people often do not.

It's a heavy read, but not too dense. I really recommend it if you want to look at urban dysfunction in the face of a tragedy because this book lays it all on the line. You can see where certain aspects are found in cities across America, and not just specific to Chicago. Definitely a must read for anyone who is in to social justice, governance, or disaster planning.
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renairenairenai
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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The first half of this book, detailing the 1995 Chicago Heat Wave that killed 739 people, is actually quite fascinating. The majority of the deaths were isolated elderly people who lived in poverty-ridden areas, and Klinenberg does an excellent job detailing the social causes for their deaths. The elderly poor victims often had no surviving family members in the area to check on them and were socially isolated, often due to high crime in their neighborhoods. Living on meager social security checks, they could not afford air conditioners or the cost of running them, and did not open their windows for fear their homes would be invaded. Living check to check means that they could not afford to lose any possessions because they would not be able to replace them, so they would not take the risk. Instead, they overheated and died in their prison-like apartments.

One contrast that I found especially interesting was between my own neighborhood of Little Village on the West Side of Chicago, and the neighborhood immediately adjacent- North Lawndale. Little Village, a Mexican neighborhood, had a very low rate of heat-related illness, whereas North Lawndale, an African-American neighborhood, had many deaths. The social explanation for this discrepancy related to the Mexican cultural emphasis on family and looking out for the elderly, which resulted in providing care that was not provided in North Lawndale.

However, after the first third or so of the book, I found it very dull - much like reading a thesis paper, with few real life examples and many generalizations about the political structure of Chicago and the media presentation of the disaster. Some people might find that stuff interesting, but I ended up skimming the last half of the book. Overall, though, it's a worthwhile read - as well as a warning of tragedies that may await many cities in America in our warmer future.
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