Smogtown

The smog didn't come from the outside-it came from within.

On July 26, 1943, a mysterious haze blanketed downtown Los Angeles. Office workers rubbed their eyes, traffic cops vanished into the fog, and rumors swirled of enemy sabotage. But the truth was far more insidious: the smog was a byproduct of Southern California's own booming, car-obsessed, suburban lifestyle.

In this gripping history, journalists Chip Jacobs and William J. Kelly trace the rise of Los Angeles's air pollution crisis-from its murky beginnings to its explosive political and environmental consequences. Smogtown is a tale of civic ambition, corporate denial, scientific manipulation, and the everyday people caught in the toxic cloud.

Brimming with compelling anecdotes, historic photos, and sharp cultural insight, Smogtown is both a cautionary tale and a journalistic classic-essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of environment, politics, and urban life.

Inside you'll find:

• A vivid chronicle of L.A.'s smog battles from the 1940s through the 21st century
• Profiles of the bold reformers, bureaucrats, and polluters who shaped the fight
• Shocking health consequences and environmental costs
• Revelations about how L.A.'s smog story mirrors global environmental struggles