Hope Dies Last: Farewell Studs Terkel

My first thought on reading the AP news that Studs Terkel had died was: "I'll bet he's mad as hell at not hanging on until the election results were in." Since that moment, I've seen that I wasn't alone in that thought; many others, including Barbara Wold of the indispensable blog Democracy for New Mexico, have had the same thing flash through their minds. (My second thought was, "I bet he and Molly Ivins are having a few laughs right now.")

Barbara is a Chicago native for whom Terkel was part of the everyday background of her younger life. She includes the Chicago Tribune Terkel story in her farewell post, as well as a terrific photo of Studs as a man of the people. The LA Times also had a lengthy piece on Terkels' life and works yesterday and I'm sure there will be plenty more. But I think Barbara's words in her own tribute perfectly, lovingly, and succinctly sum up this extraordinary guy:

He was an unapologetic lefty, progressive and fearless. He lived for knowledge and stories, which he shared with the world. He was what used to be called a "raconteur." He lived big and wide and passionately and thoroughly, and he saw the humor and the pain in it all. He loved life, as it is and as it should be.

Technorati Tags: Chicago, democracyfornewmexico, Studs Terkel

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