Los Angeles’s long history with the car and urban sprawl (not to mention extensive manufacturing base) has definitely made it into a fertile testing ground for all things smog. As the title suggests, this book walks us through the struggle to understand the origins of smog, its composition, and possible mitigation strategies. Importantly, as the book was published over 15 years ago, it does not delve into more recent matters, such as the public´s embrace of the fully electric car, the surge in fracking, or the subprime mortgage crisis, all of which have since changed the narrative on smog. Although no deep scientific knowledge on the chemistry of smog, nor its physiological effects, is to be gained here, anyone interested in the topic will find this account very revealing, particularly at the sociopolitical level up to the mid-2000’s.
There is an important caveat to note, however. Regrettably this story steers ever so slightly away from impartiality as the authors clearly use it as a platform to subtly preach on the iniquity of industrialization and unrestricted capitalism. By the last chapter, the discussion even veers into the topic of global warming, which is only marginally related to smog, yet conveniently fits with the authors’ moral stance. In essence, there is a judgmental overtone throughout that readers might find presumptuous if all they are looking for is a straightforward account of the story of smog in Los Angeles. Lastly, although just a stylistic element, the authors embellish their prose extensively with cultural references that are so uniquely 20th century American that some non-native readers might find it unnecessarily complicated.
