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Product: Book
ISBN-10: 1-56584-656-7
ISBN-13: 9781565846562
Publisher: New Press
Country:
Year: November 2000
Size: 13.46 x 21.59 x 3.30cm
Number of pages: 480
Weight: 499gr
Binding: Paperback
ISBN-10: 1-56584-656-7
ISBN-13: 9781565846562
Publisher: New Press
Country:
Year: November 2000
Size: 13.46 x 21.59 x 3.30cm
Number of pages: 480
Weight: 499gr
Binding: Paperback
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Amazon.com Review
First published in 1970, this classic of oral history features the voices of men and women who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s. It includes accounts by congressmen C. Wright Patman and Hamilton Fish, as well as failed presidential candidate Alf M. Landon, who recalls what it was like to be governor of Kansas in 1933:
First published in 1970, this classic of oral history features the voices of men and women who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s. It includes accounts by congressmen C. Wright Patman and Hamilton Fish, as well as failed presidential candidate Alf M. Landon, who recalls what it was like to be governor of Kansas in 1933:
Men with tears in their eyes begged for an appointment that would help save their homes and farms. I couldn't see them all in my office. But I never let one of them leave without my coming out and shakin' hands with 'em. I listened to all their stories, each one of 'em. But it was obvious I couldn't take care of all their terrible needs.The book includes also the perspectives of ordinary men and women, such as Jim Sheridan, who took part in the 1932 march by World War I veterans to petition for their benefits in Washington, D.C., where they were repelled by army troops led by General Douglas MacArthur. Or Edward Santander, who was a child then: »My first memories come about '31. It was simply a gut issue then: eating or not eating, living or not living.« Studs Terkel makes history come alive, drawing out experiences and emotions from his interviewees to the degree few have ever been able to match.
Product Description
Studs Terkel's classic history of the Great Depression.
Studs Terkel's classic history of the Great Depression.
In this unique re-creation of one of the most dramatic periods in modern American history, Studs Terkel recaptures the Great Depression of the 1930s in all its complexity. The book is a mosaic of memories from those who were richest to those who were most destitute: politicians like James Farley and Raymond Moley; businessmen like Bill Benton and Clement Stone; a six-day bicycle racer; artists and writers; racketeers; speakeasy operators, strikers, and impoverished farmers; people who were just kids; and those who remember losing a fortune.
Hard Times is not only a gold mine of informationmuch of it little knownbut also a fascinating interplay of memory and fact, showing how the Depression affected the lives of those who experienced it firsthand, often transforming the most bitter memories into a surprising nostalgia.
reviews
Hard Times 
It could have come in sooner, but it came in great condition. Thank you!
It could have come in sooner, but it came in great condition. Thank you!
The revolution that shoulda, coulda been 
This is the first book I've read on America's experience of the Great Depression of the 1930s. My parents and other relatives and some of my older friends went through it. One man whom I knew, frequently brought it up and with great bitterness and anger, often directing that anger to others around him – especially those who were younger and didn't go through it – while others had little or nothing to say and seemed to brush it aside. Most though, seem to just want to forget it. One fine elderly woman – my grandmother – was incredibly generous and loving to others the rest of her life, because of living through it. It still stuns me to see how these people with similar experiences could react so differently so many years later. The author, being a Chicago man, places a lot of emphasis on the Depression as it hit that city and its citizens. Also he has a definite Left-oriented sort of outlook – and after reading this book it becomes entirely understandable. He frequently brings up the possibilities of revolution during the 1930s when so many ordinary and poor people lost just about everything. But the message comes through clearly that the Americans of those years firstly still had respect for law and order and the government, and secondly they had a kind of optimism or set of positive 'it will pass' illusions that kept them going. Reading how people were treated back then, it is nonetheless a wonder that they really didn't rise up and overthrow the entire capitalist system. If a similar Depression occurred today, it would happen. And that is also the reflection of many voices in this book. I highly recommend this book to everyone. More than anything else, it taught me to understand more clearly how and why different generational values and perceptions were formed from that period – and how they have come to impact succeeding generations.
This is the first book I've read on America's experience of the Great Depression of the 1930s. My parents and other relatives and some of my older friends went through it. One man whom I knew, frequently brought it up and with great bitterness and anger, often directing that anger to others around him – especially those who were younger and didn't go through it – while others had little or nothing to say and seemed to brush it aside. Most though, seem to just want to forget it. One fine elderly woman – my grandmother – was incredibly generous and loving to others the rest of her life, because of living through it. It still stuns me to see how these people with similar experiences could react so differently so many years later. The author, being a Chicago man, places a lot of emphasis on the Depression as it hit that city and its citizens. Also he has a definite Left-oriented sort of outlook – and after reading this book it becomes entirely understandable. He frequently brings up the possibilities of revolution during the 1930s when so many ordinary and poor people lost just about everything. But the message comes through clearly that the Americans of those years firstly still had respect for law and order and the government, and secondly they had a kind of optimism or set of positive 'it will pass' illusions that kept them going. Reading how people were treated back then, it is nonetheless a wonder that they really didn't rise up and overthrow the entire capitalist system. If a similar Depression occurred today, it would happen. And that is also the reflection of many voices in this book. I highly recommend this book to everyone. More than anything else, it taught me to understand more clearly how and why different generational values and perceptions were formed from that period – and how they have come to impact succeeding generations.
Down And Out In 1930's America
As I have done on other occasion when I am reviewing more than one work by an author I am using some of the same comments, where they are pertinent, here as I did in earlier reviews. In this series the first Studs Terkel book reviewed was that of his »The Good War«: an Oral History of World War II. Strangely, as I found out about the recent death of long time pro-working class journalist and general truth-teller »Studs« Terkel I was just beginning to read his »The Good War«, about the lives and experiences of, mainly, ordinary people during World War II in America and elsewhere, for review in this space. As with other authors once I get started I tend to like to review several works that are relevant to see where their work goes. In the present case the review of Hard Times: An Oral History Of The Great Depression serves a dual purpose. First, this book serves as Studs attempt to reflect on the lives of working people (circa 1980 here but the relevant points could be articulated in 2008 and thus can serve as a cautionary tale as well) from Studs' own generation who survived that event, fought World War II and did or did not benefit from the fact of American military victory and world economic preeminence, including those blacks and mountain whites who made the internal migratory trek from the South to the North. He includes other stories, like that of the society photographer Zerbe who took the Depression with blinkers on and never missed a beat and was barely aware that it had occurred or that of the lumpen proletarian extraordinaire Kid Pharaoh , who do not easily fit into any of those patterns but who nevertheless have stories to tell. And grievances, just, unjust or whimsical, to spill. Secondly, always hovering in the background is one of Studs' preoccupations- the fate of his generation- `so-called »greatest generation«. Those stories, as told here, are certainly a mixed bag. I have mentioned elsewhere my own disagreement with the popular media title for this now fast dwindling generation. I do not want to repeat that analysis here but, for the most part, the stories here confirm at least part of my thesis that the members of this generation, at the end, had some qualms about the lessons they took from the hard, hard struggles of the 1930's. That was really the period of their `fifteen minutes of fame'. One thing that I noticed immediately after reading this book, and as is true of the majority of Terkel's interview books, is that he is not the dominant presence but is a rather light, if intensely interested, interloper in these stories. For better or worse the interviewees get to tell their stories, unchained. In this age of 24/7 media coverage with every half-baked journalist or wannabe interjecting his or her personality into somebody else's story this was, and is, rather refreshing. Of course this journalistic virtue does not mean that Studs did not have control over who got to tell their stories and who didn't to fit his preoccupations and sense of order. He has a point he wants to make and that is that although most »ordinary« people do not make the history books they certainly make history, if not always of their own accord or to their own liking. Again, kudos and adieu Studs.
As I have done on other occasion when I am reviewing more than one work by an author I am using some of the same comments, where they are pertinent, here as I did in earlier reviews. In this series the first Studs Terkel book reviewed was that of his »The Good War«: an Oral History of World War II. Strangely, as I found out about the recent death of long time pro-working class journalist and general truth-teller »Studs« Terkel I was just beginning to read his »The Good War«, about the lives and experiences of, mainly, ordinary people during World War II in America and elsewhere, for review in this space. As with other authors once I get started I tend to like to review several works that are relevant to see where their work goes. In the present case the review of Hard Times: An Oral History Of The Great Depression serves a dual purpose. First, this book serves as Studs attempt to reflect on the lives of working people (circa 1980 here but the relevant points could be articulated in 2008 and thus can serve as a cautionary tale as well) from Studs' own generation who survived that event, fought World War II and did or did not benefit from the fact of American military victory and world economic preeminence, including those blacks and mountain whites who made the internal migratory trek from the South to the North. He includes other stories, like that of the society photographer Zerbe who took the Depression with blinkers on and never missed a beat and was barely aware that it had occurred or that of the lumpen proletarian extraordinaire Kid Pharaoh , who do not easily fit into any of those patterns but who nevertheless have stories to tell. And grievances, just, unjust or whimsical, to spill. Secondly, always hovering in the background is one of Studs' preoccupations- the fate of his generation- `so-called »greatest generation«. Those stories, as told here, are certainly a mixed bag. I have mentioned elsewhere my own disagreement with the popular media title for this now fast dwindling generation. I do not want to repeat that analysis here but, for the most part, the stories here confirm at least part of my thesis that the members of this generation, at the end, had some qualms about the lessons they took from the hard, hard struggles of the 1930's. That was really the period of their `fifteen minutes of fame'. One thing that I noticed immediately after reading this book, and as is true of the majority of Terkel's interview books, is that he is not the dominant presence but is a rather light, if intensely interested, interloper in these stories. For better or worse the interviewees get to tell their stories, unchained. In this age of 24/7 media coverage with every half-baked journalist or wannabe interjecting his or her personality into somebody else's story this was, and is, rather refreshing. Of course this journalistic virtue does not mean that Studs did not have control over who got to tell their stories and who didn't to fit his preoccupations and sense of order. He has a point he wants to make and that is that although most »ordinary« people do not make the history books they certainly make history, if not always of their own accord or to their own liking. Again, kudos and adieu Studs.
gives voices to those who lived through the Depression
As a former grad student in History, I found this book fascinating. Author Studs Terkel interviews people who lived through the Depression and gets their takes on that difficult period. We hear the experiences and memories of those who lived through it from multiple points of view. The book was published in 1970 and much of the research was accordingly done during the second half of the '60s which was also quite a turbulent time in the United States. Accordingly, a question which Terkel most frequently asks his subjects is how people would react to a Depression at that time. Most thought little of the ability of those coming of age or boomers during the '60s to weather the travails of the Depression. Many also thought that a worse Depression was coming. That would seem not to have been the case although it would seem that since the publication of this book, the economic standing of the large majority of Americans has actually decreased. With the current economic troubles in the United States (and the world), it was interesting to read of the difficulties experienced by many people during the Depression. It was also very interesting to read of the strong anti-Roosevelt-ism among many business magnates and the highest ranks of the upper-middle class. It was also intriguing to read of the belief of some that the Depression did not extend past 1936. Having not studied much Depression history in nearly 20 years, at least not in any great depth, and certainly not having heard people offering their own accounts of their experiences during the Depression, this book was tremendously enlightening. Terkel interviews old retired farmers. He interviews men who were factory workers during the Depression. He interviews those who worked in social services attempting to alleviate some of the pains of the Depression. As mentioned, he interviews business magnates. He interviews many who were help during the '30s-many of whom were black. By virtue of his speaking to such a wide variety of people, one does not believe that one has a limited understanding of the range of experiences had by people during this time period. We see history from the point-of-view of those with a wide variety of economic backgrounds. This allows the reader to see the subjectivity of history and introduces points of view (the poor, women, black and Latino people) which one might not read of in a textbook. The stories and their specificity of recall are fascinating. This really is a gem of a book. It expands the range off thinking about the '30s and I am sure opened avenues of thinking to historical researchers who wanted to broaden the scope of recollections about the Depression. If you think you're only getting a limited perspective about the experiences of the '30s, please read this book.
As a former grad student in History, I found this book fascinating. Author Studs Terkel interviews people who lived through the Depression and gets their takes on that difficult period. We hear the experiences and memories of those who lived through it from multiple points of view. The book was published in 1970 and much of the research was accordingly done during the second half of the '60s which was also quite a turbulent time in the United States. Accordingly, a question which Terkel most frequently asks his subjects is how people would react to a Depression at that time. Most thought little of the ability of those coming of age or boomers during the '60s to weather the travails of the Depression. Many also thought that a worse Depression was coming. That would seem not to have been the case although it would seem that since the publication of this book, the economic standing of the large majority of Americans has actually decreased. With the current economic troubles in the United States (and the world), it was interesting to read of the difficulties experienced by many people during the Depression. It was also very interesting to read of the strong anti-Roosevelt-ism among many business magnates and the highest ranks of the upper-middle class. It was also intriguing to read of the belief of some that the Depression did not extend past 1936. Having not studied much Depression history in nearly 20 years, at least not in any great depth, and certainly not having heard people offering their own accounts of their experiences during the Depression, this book was tremendously enlightening. Terkel interviews old retired farmers. He interviews men who were factory workers during the Depression. He interviews those who worked in social services attempting to alleviate some of the pains of the Depression. As mentioned, he interviews business magnates. He interviews many who were help during the '30s-many of whom were black. By virtue of his speaking to such a wide variety of people, one does not believe that one has a limited understanding of the range of experiences had by people during this time period. We see history from the point-of-view of those with a wide variety of economic backgrounds. This allows the reader to see the subjectivity of history and introduces points of view (the poor, women, black and Latino people) which one might not read of in a textbook. The stories and their specificity of recall are fascinating. This really is a gem of a book. It expands the range off thinking about the '30s and I am sure opened avenues of thinking to historical researchers who wanted to broaden the scope of recollections about the Depression. If you think you're only getting a limited perspective about the experiences of the '30s, please read this book.
sign o' the times
Love Studs Terkel. If only for his name. This is an excellent book for these economic times and it puts it all into perspective.
Love Studs Terkel. If only for his name. This is an excellent book for these economic times and it puts it all into perspective.
keywords
- 1929
- 1933-1945
- American history – from c 1900 -
- Depressions
- Depressions – 1929 – United States – Personal narratives.
- History
- History – American
- History – U.S.
- History – United States – 20th Century
- History – United States – General
- Inter-war period, 1918-1939
- Oral History
- Personal narratives
- Regional History
- Social conditions
- SOCIAL SCIENCE – General
- Sources
- U.S. History – Depression & New Deal (1929-1938)
- United States
- United States – 20th Century/Depression
- United States – General
- USA
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Studs Terkel
New Press; 1997
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