Smogtown

“A zany and provocative cultural history” of LA’s infamous air pollution and the struggle to combat it from the 1940s to today ( Kirkus ). 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. Smogtow