Praise for Chip Jacobs

Smogtown

“[A] remarkably entertaining and informative chronicle of the birth and—so far—inexorable evolution of smog.…This book is just amazing, a gripping story well told.”

—Booklist (starred review and one of the top
environmental books of the year)

“Style delivers substance in true Hollywood fashion, with character-driven plots draped in glamour and sensation…the history of smog has never been so sexy.”

—Los Angeles Times

“[An] environmental page-turner.”—Kirkus Reviews

The People’s Republic of Chemicals

“[The authors] do an outstanding job of showing the causes and effects of the interdependency between American consumers and Chinese manufacturers. The result is a well-rounded portrait.”

—Foreword Reviews (five-star review and among best
climate change solution books)

“The Smogtown authors return with a look at China’s air pollution problem, and it is a doozy.…The prose is sharp, vivid, and direct, leading readers through hard-hitting chapters…a surprisingly enjoyable read.”

—Booklist (starred review and one of the top
sustainability books of the year)

Strange As It Seems

“Jacobs…is an exceptional storyteller, and his lively look at the extraordinary career of Gordon Zahler…is a peculiar page-turner. Zahler…achieved success on the margins of show business despite a spinal injury…Jacobs…craft[s] an imaginative biography about this unusual figure, who carved out a distinct place in post–WWII Hollywood.”

—Publisher’s Weekly

“This amazing book is all heart.…Chip Jacobs blends the skills of an investigative journalist, the glitz of Hollywood, and the smooth storytelling of fiction to weave a profile of his larger-than-life uncle that will leave you crying, laughing, and gasping in wonder, often on the same page. Bravo!”

—Denise Hamilton, bestselling author of The Jasmine Trade

The Ascension of Jerry

“Brilliant.…A delightfully off-kilter true-crime tale.…Jacobs’ ear for a good story is pitch perfect….The Ascension of Jerry isn’t an old song in a new key, but an entirely new song about crime, fear, and a weird kind of redemption that could only happen in the general vicinity of Hollywood.”

—Ron Franscell, bestselling author of The Darkest Night

“This is not just another Hollywood Whodunit. In the end we find it is really about one man’s search and struggle to find his own personal truths and redemption. Well written and highly recommended.”

—Steve Hodel, bestselling author of Black Dahlia Avenger

“A terrific book—I couldn’t put it down.”

—Stephen Jay Schwartz, bestselling author of
Hollywood vs. The Author and Boulevard