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Folks, it's a scorcher out there in Chicagoland, and I've got the perfect prescription: air conditioning, a cold drink, and a good book.

Somewhere between votes, hearings, and pretending the Capitol's AC is doing its job, here are some page turners I’ve been squeezing in this summer:

1. A Fever in the Heartland , Timothy Egan.

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The true story of how the KKK took over Indiana's statehouse in the 1920s and how one woman's courage brought it all crashing down. A gut-punch of a reminder that the Midwest isn't immune to extremism, and neither is democracy.

2. The Devil's Element , Dan Egan.

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A chemistry nerd's dream: the wild history of phosphorus, the element that feeds the world and is quietly poisoning our lakes. (Yes, I read books about elements for fun.)

3. Power and Progress , Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson.

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A 1,000-year history of technology positing that innovation doesn't automatically make our lives better. We have to bend it to our will, not the other way around. Consider it required reading for anyone who thinks AI can regulate itself.

4. Autocracy, Inc. , Anne Applebaum.

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How the world's dictators and strongmen have built a mutual-aid network to prop each other up. Heavy subject, sharp writing, and an important reminder of what we're fighting against.

5. The Wager , David Grann.

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No politics here, I promise. Just shipwrecks, mutiny, and survival on the high seas in the 1740s. Sometimes you need a book that reminds you things used to be a whole lot worse.

6. The Boys of Summer , Roger Kahn.

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A classic for a reason. Kahn's story of the '50s Brooklyn Dodgers is really a story about growing older, and a snapshot of a simpler, less cynical time in America.

That's my list. What's on yours? I'm always looking for the next one.

Books are a nice escape, but there’s no escaping the stakes of my congressional race or the fight for the House majority at this critical moment. If you can, chip in $5, $10, or $25 to help me keep fighting for IL-06 through the Summer Slump and beyond. [[link removed]]

Chip In! [[link removed]]

Stay cool out there,
Sean Casten
PAID FOR BY CASTEN FOR CONGRESS
Casten for Congress
P.O. Box 132
Downers Grove, IL 60515-0132
United States
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