Louis "Studs" Terkel (born May 16, 1912) is a United States writer and broadcaster.
Terkel was born in New York City, but at the age of ten, he moved with his family to Chicago, Illinois, where he spent most of his life.
He attended the University of Chicago, and received a law degree in 1934, but chose not to pursue a career in law.
Instead, he joined the WPA Writers Project, working in radio, ranging from voicing soap opera productions, announcing news and sports, presenting shows of recorded music, as well as writing radio scripts and advertisements.
Terkel published his first book Giants of Jazz in 1956. He followed it with a number of other books, most focusing on the history of the USA, relying substantially on oral history.
He also serves as a Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at the Chicago Historical Society.
Studs Terkel got his nickname because he reminded people of the fictional character Studs Lonigan, of James T. Farrell 's trilogy. Terkel has never learned to drive.
Studs Terkel won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for his book The Good War, about World War II.
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Last updated: 10-15-2005 18:28:49
