Los Angeles history -- smog

I stumbled across a blog devoted to air pollution called Smogtown, written by Chip Jacobs and William J. Kelly, authors of a forthcoming book by the same name. Overlook, their publisher, says: "Smogtown is the story of pollution, progress, and how an optimistic people confronted the epic struggle against aerial poisons barraging their hometowns. With wit, verve, and a new look at history through never-before-compiled sources, it highlights the bold personalities involved, the corporate-tainted science, the terrifying health costs, the Buck Rogers-like attempts at cleanup, and how the smog battle helped mold the modern-day culture of Los Angeles. There are scofflaws too and plenty of dirty deals, plus murders, suicides, spiritual despair, and an ever-present paranoia about a mass disaster." The book goes on sale Oct. 2, according to Amazon.