Reading Edward Rothstein’s sour commentary on Studs Terkel in the New York Times on November 2 I was surprised that Rothstein, presumably a sophisticated thinker, seems to believe one can separate one’s political views from a historical narrative, even from oral history.

“It is, in fact, impossible to separate Mr. Terkel’s political vision from the contours of his oral history,” he wrote.read more

A 2004 Progressive magazine interview with Studs Terkel.read more

We lost a great human being when Studs Terkel died on Friday at 96.

A man of great wit and intelligence and erudition, he didn't lord it over people. Instead, he was one with the people. He loved the human comedy, and saw in each individual, and especially the unsung, the poetry and music of their lives.

In his book "Working," he clued us in to his philosophy with this little rumination on the tape recorder:read more