American working-class hero dies
Studs Terkel. Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
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Saturday, 01, Nov 2008 10:56
Americans are mourning the loss of one of their most respected writers and broadcasters following the death of Studs Terkel.
The winner of a Pultizer Prize for his 1985 book The Good War documenting the experiences of Americans during the second world war, passed away at his Chicago home yesterday aged 96.
His son Dan Terkell, who spells his name differently, said in a statement his father had lived a "very long, full, satisfying though somewhat impetuous life".
As well as being a prolific author Terkel was also well-known as a presenter of syndicated radio shows and as a champion of activists, with working-class causes his primary concern.
He was blacklisted from working in television during the 1950s but survived with a flourishing career, earning a reputation as a first-class interviewer with his oral histories.
These included his 1970 work Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression and his 1974 book Working.
It is a mark of his impact on US society that Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign team has released a statement commenting on his death.
"His writings, broadcasts, and interviews shed light on what it meant to be an American in the 20th century," the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying.
"He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, all who loved him, and all whose lives were enriched by the American stories he told."