Four Decades With Studs Terkel

Rating:
Summary: Four Decades with Studs Terkel
Review: I have just purchased my third copy of this tape. I lend it out and it never comes back. It is a wonderful collection of oral interviews covering a wide range of topics and personalities. The interviews are 1st person history; the attitudes and issues of each decade are reflected in the comments. Studs is a knowledgeable interviewer. If you have any interest in 20th century America, I highly recommend it -- get it now, it is getting harder to find.

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL INSIGHTS
Review: ON THESE 3 TAPES, SHOWCASING QUITE SHORT RADIO INTERVIEWS, ST INGRATIATES HIMSELF WITH HIS INTERVIEWEES SO WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT THEY LET DOWN THEIR GUARD AS IN PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS ON THE PORCH.

THEY LET YOU GET INSIGHTS INTO THEIR WORK AND IDEAS THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE ANY OTHER WAY.

WITH AMERICANS, THIS DALE CARNEGIE SCHLOCK WORKS WONDERS. IT IS, AFTER ALL 'THE AMERICAN WAY' AND WITH ALL THE AMERICAN SUBJECTS, ST IS UNIFORMLY RELAXED & WONDERFULLY RELAXING TO LISTEN TO.

WHEN HE TACKLES EUROPEANS, HOWEVER, STUDS STUMBLES: HIS BOWING & SCRAPING WILL GRATE ON A EUROPEAN'S NERVES, BUT HIS INTERVIEWEES TAKE UP THE SLACK ADMIRABLY AND SAVE THE DAY. AMERICAN LISTENERS WILL PROBABLY NOT EVEN NOTICE.

ST IS NO INTELLECTUAL, LET'S FACE IT, BUT HE IS INVARIABLY WELL-PREPARED, HIS MANNERS ARE FAULTLESS AND HE IS A GENUINE 'MAN OF THE PEOPLE' - THE KIND OF AMERICAN WHO, IN DECENT QUANTITIES, MIGHT HAVE MADE AMERICA GREAT, INSTEAD OF JUST BLOATED.

AS IT IS, HE IS A RARE BIRD INDEED.

GRAB THESE TAPES WHILE YOU CAN & DREAM OF WHAT A GENUINELY CONSTITUTIONAL US OF AMERICA MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

THE HALF-DOZEN INTERVIEWS WITH MUSICIANS (AFROS AND ANGLOS) & ARTISTS ARE WORTH THE PRICE BY THEMSELVES.YOU'LL BE SAD WHEN THE LAST INTERVIEW ROLLS THROUGH AND WISH THERE WERE ANOTHER 40 STILL TO COME.

NUDGE, NUDGE WFMT/CHICAGO, WINK, WINK, SAY NO MORE!