Hard Times

By Studs Terkel

Deal Ends: Tue 28th April

"Hard Times doesn't 'render' the time of the Depression or historicize about it—it is that time, its lingo, mood, its tragic and hilarious stories." —Arthur MillerFirst published in 1970, Studs Terkel's bestselling Hard Times has been called "a huge anthem in praise of the American spirit" (Saturday Review) and "an invaluable record" (The New York Times). With his trademark grace and compassion, Terkel evokes a mosaic of memories from those who were richest to those who were destitute: politicians, businessmen, artists and writers, racketeers, speakeasy operators, strikers, impoverished farmers, people who were just kids, and those who remember losing a fortune.Now, in a handsome new illustrated edition, a selection of Studs's unforgettable interviews are complemented by images from another rich documentary trove of the Depression experience: Farm Security Administration photographs from the Library of Congress. Interspersed throughout the text of Hard Times, these breathtaking photographs by Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Jack Delano, and others expand the human scope of the voices captured in the book, adding a new dimension to Terkel's incomparable volume. Hard Times is the perfect introduction to Terkel's work for new readers, as well as a beautiful new addition to any Terkel library."An invaluable record . . . the talk of people who remember and those who only heard; of those who suffered and those who didn't; of those who lost everything and those who had nothing to lose; and of those who were part of the problem, those who tried to solve it, and those who were caught in between." —The New York Times 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: 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. Review Wonderful!....It will resurrect your faith in all of us to read this book.Anybody who wants to know where we were and how we got to where we are now-read this book. -- Arthur MillerOpen [it] to almost any page and rich memories spill out....Read a page, any page. Then try to stop.A huge anthem in praise of the American spirit. From the Inside Flap Terkel's classic work, with a new introduction by the author. "HARD TIMES doesn't render the time of the Depression or historicize about it - it is that time, its lingo, mood, its tragic and hilarious stories..." - Arthur Miller. About the Author Studs Terkel (1912-2008) was the bestselling author of twelve books of oral history, including Hope Dies Last, Working, Race, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Good War” (all available from The New Press). He was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including a Presidential National Humanities Medal and the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.