Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel (PDF)

Description

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Good War: A masterpiece of modern journalism and “a huge anthem in praise of the American spirit” (Saturday Review). In this “invaluable record” of one of the most dramatic periods in modern American history, Studs Terkel recaptures the Great Depression of the 1930s in all its complexity. Featuring a mosaic of memories from politicians, businessmen, artists, striking workers, and Okies, from those who were just kids to those who remember losing a fortune, Hard Times is not only a gold mine of information but a fascinating interplay of memory and fact, revealing how the 1929 stock market crash and its repercussions radically changed the lives of a generation. The voices that speak from the pages of this unique book are as timeless as the lessons they impart (The New York Times). “Hard Times doesn’t ‘render’ the time of the depression―it is that time, its lingo, mood, its tragic and hilarious stories.” ―Arthur Miller “Wonderful! The American memory, the American way, the American voice. It will resurrect your faith in all of us to read this book.” ―Newsweek “Open Studs Terkel’s book to almost any page and rich memories spill out . . . Read a page, any page. Then try to stop.” ―The National Observer

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review Wonderful!….It will resurrect your faith in all of us to read this book. (Newsweek)Open [it] to almost any page and rich memories spill out….Read a page, any page. Then try to stop. (National Observer)Anybody who wants to know where we were and how we got to where we are now—read this book. (Arthur Miller)An invaluable record. (The New York Times)A huge anthem in praise of the American spirit. (Saturday Review) About the Author Born in 1912, Studs Terkel is the bestselling author of twelve books of oral history, including Working, Hard Times, and the Pulitzer Prize–winning “The Good War” (all available from The New Press). He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Presidential National Humanities Medal and the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I liked this book because it made the dry history I learned come alive. This book added perspective and neuance to the topic of

⭐Stud Terkel’s “Hard Times” is a collection of interviews of people who lived during the Great Depression, or were in some way related to people who did.I bought the book expecting to hear stories of people who suffered great deprivation and want during the Depression.But there’s actually not that many hard luck stories here.In fact, lots of the people interviewed for this book were quite successful or otherwise got along fairly well during the Depression.”Hard Times” reads more like a history of the ’30s rather than a riveting account of suffering people. Terkel spends a lot of time talking about the labor movement, for example, hardly a subject unique to any decade. He also talks to people who are just criticizing Roosevelt and the New Deal (ten million remained unemployed all throughout the New Deal until the war; the suicide rate peaked in 1937-38, during Roosevelt’s New Deal, not during the Hoover years).I recently read “Tombstone,” Yang Jisheng, a hair-raising, eye-witness account of the Chinese famine of 1958-1962. In this page-turner, we read about people reduced to cannibalism in which parents told their starving children to eat their bodies after they are dead.But the people who had it tough in the 1930s don’t sound any different from the hard-luck stories you hear in the 21st century. You don’t feel as if the Great Depression was any worse than any of the recent recessions (e.g, 1981-1982, 2008-2009).For a really gut-wrenching account of the American Depression, I think Steinbeck’s “The Grapes Of Wrath” is far more hard-hitting than “Hard Times”.Studs Terkel is from Chicago, so most of the interviewees come from there.Informative and entertaining, but nothing really heart-rending.

⭐I’ve read several books on the Great Depression…I don’t know why it fascinates me, but it does. My grandparents lived through it, and when I found out that my grandpa lost the house he built in Salt Lake City, Utah and most probably the stress of that time caused his early heart attack at age 45 (he lived through it, but it impacted his health)…it caused me to look into the time period. I went after this particular book for some answers when people were debating whether or not this Recession was equal to the Depression. I personally feel when all is said and done, when they look back at this ‘Recession’ the economists may change their minds and their words, and call this another Depression. Even if they don’t, when someone goes back and writes about this time period, they will record problems that people had along the lines not far different of what Terkel found in Hard Times…the only difference will be the way that people handled them…and the lack of government programs with which to ‘catch’ those people who fall through the cracks. Another difference, is back in the Great Depression…people got up off their fat asses and worked, really worked. They also made do with what they had. And they didn’t blame others for their problems (most of them didn’t). The rich did what they always do…some of them committed suicide. Some of them made it through with no problems.The ones that impressed me in the book, were usually the very poor, the disenfranchised, the blacks/African-Americans who used music to get out, of course the young men in CCC, the ones that worked hard and coped. This is a wonderful book. You can hear the words and voices of those speaking. If I taught a history class or even English, I’d have this as required reading…it’s that good.

⭐The book was in excellent condition. Sometimes when I get used books they may advertise “very good” condition but they are very “poor” condition. This book was as advertised and was meticulous.

⭐Studs Terkel interviewed dozens of people for his oral history, “Hard Times.” What you get is a very good overall picture of the Great Depression in America. Terkel interviewed the rich, gangsters, southern sharecroppers, Oakies and Arkies, the rural poor, young and old (in the 1930’s as well as in the 1960’s when he was interviewing people.) The perceptions of the Depression by each is as individual and as varied as America itself. What struck me most, however was the inequitability of the Depression. When I thought of the “Depression” images of soup lines and “Hoovervilles” sprang to mind. And yes, many remembered those as well. But there were several interviewees who never saw a bread line, a shanty town, or felt the sting of economic crash. To my suprise, there were even a few individuals who became RICH as a result of the Depression. Another interesting aspect of the book (which was totally unexpected) was the reflection of the “present” while looking back at the Deperession. Terkel assembled the book in the late 1960’s; as you may imagine, the social turbulence and youth culture of the day was often brought up in the various interviews … fascinating. All in all an interesting and engaging read – if nothing else, it certainly puts things in perspective relative to the “hard times” the nation faced in the 1930’s. The book is not for everyone, but I do recommend it.

⭐This should be a required textbook in every school. I first read it many years ago and it influenced my thinking on social justice, convictions that have remained all my life. Studs Terkel was one of the first to define cox pop recording of the thoughts of real people. A masterpiece.

⭐Great read great writer Good condition

⭐A book everyone needs to read

⭐Brill’

⭐great

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