Smogtown: The Lung-Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles

by William J. Kelly and Chip Jacobs

Book Overview

The smog beast wafted into downtown Los Angeles on July 26, 1943. Nobody knew what it was. Secretaries rubbed their eyes. Traffic cops seemed to disappear in the mysterious haze. Were Japanese saboteurs responsible? A reckless factory? The truth was much worse--it came from within, from Southern California's burgeoning car-addicted, suburban lifestyle. Smogtown is the story of pollution, progress, and how an optimistic people confronted the epic struggle...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585678600
• ISBN13: 9781585678600
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.6" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

This tale of smog brought tears to my eyes...

Alright for those not from Los Angeles, you might have to use a thomas guide to find those tiny towns, such as Pasadena the writers reference in this tome but be sure, back when smog was a commodity in the valley of haze, finding those towns any other way would've been impossible. Ever walk to school, as a kid in the morning, having forgotten a giant mountain range just to the north actually exists, having lost that memory due to a blanket of brown encrusted air that enveloped them like a cloak of invisibility? That happened day in and out during the 50's thru the 70's along the San Gabriels. Smogtown captures the time and paints, lovingly in a muted gray. Despite the blur the writer's memories remain clear, drawing on their own experience growing up clean-air challenged as well as delving deep into their research. This book is an entertaining bit of education for those either from or not from, sunny Southern California. Be thankful the airs cleaner now but know that things could change in an instant. So get informed and read Smogtown. It'll bring a shortness to your breath.

Smart, enjoyable, engagng

For anyone who has lived in Southern California for some portion of the past few decades, thick and noxious air you could cut with a knife has been at least an occasional companion, a nose-singeing reminder of the downside of living where we do. "Smogtown" benefits from Kelly's insider knowledge and Jacobs' investigative chops. It's also a well written and accessible history populated with vivid characters, political wheeling and dealing and good science. Not nearly enough histories of issues with scientific, political and cultural elements can nimbly tell a sometimes complex and winding tale well. This one succeeds. It is a useful recounting of how Southern California got where it is, what that's meant for the region and its residents, and how it has changed the nation as a whole by helping drive the modern-day environmentalist movement. The book and I share some optimism about the continued progress the region has made to improve conditions since their mid-century nadir. Given the potential consequences otherwise, I hope we're right to be optimistic.

it's getting better

I've been a journalist for decades. I grew up in Smogtown where it was expected, not an exception, to retch when you ran track in high school. The book affirms the bad history and looks to a cleaner air future. The interest in the telling of the story. it's like an airborne version of the movie "Chinatown." All they need is Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, Roman Polanski, and maybe to update it, the air quality maven Mary Nichols.

Interesting read

Coming from a family whose been in California since the 1850's I love reading books on the different regions of California. And being a walk the talk frugal green living person since I was born, I found this book utterly fascinating. To how smog became such a huge problem in such a brief period of time 30's-50' and how some Angelenos could see the smog and some even knew it was the car society that was a big part of the problem, but between the warm weather and outside lifestyle that is the norm in California no one wanted to really see that cars were the big issue and that something needed to be done. And the authors writes what so many of us know, regarding looking outside if you live where you can see the mountains east of Los Angeles come winter, or after a rain, yet once the weather warms up they fade from view. Back in the 60's they pretty much stayed out of site year round. The book is simply a well put together piece of how Los Angeles came to be, how it has evolved and how some people really are trying to get back to the clean air period before the influx of the automobile society.

A wonderful surprise!

I must admit that what first drew me to this book was its cover. When I saw that it was a history of LA pollution, I almost put it down because I was afraid to read more bad news about how the world is falling apart. I am so glad I gave it a chance, though, because this book is amazing! It is scandalous and tightly written, filled with captivating anecdotes and charged with style!