Books Awesomeness Never Gets Old
posted by May 16 at 13:32 PM
onStuds Terkel turned 96 today. If you’ve never read Terkel’s oral biographies, start with Working—it’s available at just about every used bookstore in the city, for super-cheap—and then read everything else. He’s among the last of a breed—I will always regret never being able to meet Mike Royko—of talented journalists who brought real heart to their work.
Plus, his name is Studs. And he’s 96. That alone is cause for celebration.
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His mind is definitely showing signs of old age (listen to some recent interviews), but he can still bat some old stories out of the ballpark.
Somebody forced me to read "The Good War" when I was in high school, and I still remember it fondly. It's all oral history of Americans who fought or worked in the US during WWII. Great stuff... harrowing and stirring.
Terkel understands more about American life in the 20th century than anyone who ever lived. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Happy birthday, sir.
My first exposure to Studs Terkel was on my Dad's amazing, and now almost impossible to find, "Studs Terkel interviews Big Bill Broozy" recording. He was so gruff and earthy, and yet so knowledgeable. It made a big impression. I finally saw him years later on stage in Washington DC, interviewing Daniel Schorr when Schorr's most recent memoir had just been published. The two old men trading barbs about Nixon and fond reminiscences of Nelson Algren was just a hoot.
Terkel is a national and personal treasure. His own memoir was published at the end of last year, and one of these days I'll get around to reading it. Happy Birthday to all of us.
One of the most enriching/depressing parts of being an American is reading Studs Turkel and knowing that is some roundabout way you are part of those stories.
If you do not love him then your head is a little too far up your ass.
I gotta say he's looking a little Jimmy Durante in the picture, so bonus points for that.
I would also highly recommend "Hard Times", Terkel's 1970 oral history of The (20th Century's) Great Depression.
I co-starred with him in John Sayles' film "Eight Men Out" 20 years ago. He was fabulous then, and still is. I HIGHLY recommend reading "Working" as the script for the stage show.
God(s) bless Studs.
Don't feel bad about neer meeting Royko. From what I've heard (from spending many a night at the Goat) he was a real prick. A bitter drunk. And his politics went to the right as he got older.
Studs is awesome.
That's all I can really say. Just an amazing storyteller.
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