Louis "Studs" Terkel

“
"Studs"

Louis Terkel arrived here as a child from New York City and in Chicago found not only a new name but a place that perfectly matched--in its energy, its swagger, its charms, its heart--his own personality. They made a perfect and enduring pair.

Author-radio host-actor-activist and Chicago symbol Louis "Studs" Terkel died Friday afternoon in his home on the North Side. At his bedside was a copy of his latest book, "P.S. Further Thoughts From a Lifetime of Listening," scheduled for release this month. He was 96 years old.

"Studs Terkel was part of a great Chicago literary tradition that stretched from Theodore Dreiser to Richard Wright to Nelson Algren to Mike Royko," Mayor Richard M. Daley said Friday. "In his many books, Studs captured the eloquence of the common men and women whose hard work and strong values built the America we enjoy today. He was also an excellent interviewer, and his WFMT radio show was an important part of Chicago's cultural landscape for more than 40 years."

Beset in recent years by a variety of ailments and the woes of age, which included being virtually deaf, Terkel's health took a turn for the worse when he suffered a fall in his home a few weeks ago.

"My father lived a long, satisfying and fulfilling but tempestuous life," his son, Dan Terkel, said Friday. "It was a life well lived."

It is hard to imagine a fuller life.....

”

“Scooped again, tilt....

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/50530,3.php”

“He was a great guy - he deserves his own thread.”

“Yes --- no disrespect to Rev, but I thought Studs deserved higher billing.   ; )

.... and an article from the Tribune.

”

“who?”

“Tilt....

I was gonna claim a scoop and then decided.,.... nah... he needs his own...

For those who don't know, he was a major voice in the genre of oral history and really did some ground breaking work in the recovery of the common people's voice in the world. Things like the CNN iReports owe a distinct debt of gratitude to Studs Terkel for reclaiming the power and prestige of the common folk. Charles Kauralt's "On the Road" would not have been the success it was without Studs blazing the trail.”

“Studs Terkel was the great American interviewer. He had a humility and a respect and affection for people that allowed him to have people tell their stories in a deep and rich way. He lived to be 96. In his collections of interviews over much of his life time he has really chronicled American history.

One of his better known books is "Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression." He also had radio interview show that lasted close to 1/2 a century.”

“I was just looking for a quote from him to put on the quote for the day thread, here's two from Wikipedia Wikiquote:

"For the first book, I interviewed one mother of four little kids, skinny, pretty, bad teeth — meaning no dental care — and the kids are jumping around, 'cause they want to hear their mamma's voice played back... and so I play it back, and she listens to what she said on the tape and she says, 'Oh my God,' she says. ' I never knew I felt that way before' ... That's pretty hot stuff, isn't it? That's hot stuff. That's the stuff."

"With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, 'Studs, you're an optimist.' I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because what's the alternative to hope? Despair? If you have despair, you might as well put your head in the oven."”

“One quote from the Tribune piece absolutely killed me.   He was already in his mid-50s and a publisher was trying to convince him to write a book.   Stud's reaction:

        "I told him he must be out of his mind!"

When I read that, I actually heard Studs saying it, and it really cracked me up.  I don't know how many times I heard him say that in interviews with Charlie Rose, in numerous C-SPAN appearances, BookTV, ....

It seems he talked to lots of crazy people over the years....   crazy in the best possible sense....   The way Studs always said it with that twinkle in his eye.

”

“
One reason Terkel gets people to talk so openly with him is that he's not an academic or a cross-examiner. He comes across as this guy sitting down with you to have a good, long talk. Pick up one of his books, and now you're sitting next to the guy. You can't stop reading. Studs has an interviewing technique I admire: He combines astonishment with curiosity. He can't believe his ears. He repeats with enthusiasm what his subject just said, and the subject invariably continues and expands and wants to make his own story better. So many people have great stories, if only they could find an audience.

        – Roger Ebert

”

“Terkel was a guest on The Diane Rehm Show(WAMU 88.5 Washington) in 1996, a show I listened to intently.

The next day Terkel was a guest on a Baltimore NPR talk show for an hour.
I called and spoke with Studs about being a stay-at-home dad.
last edited: 11/02/08 8:19:11 AM”

“Cool.”