Coming Of Age by Studs Terkel

Pulitzer Prize Winner Studs Terkel's Oral History on Aging, Wisdom, and 20th-Century America

In Coming of Age: The Story of Our Century by Those Who've Lived It, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and legendary oral historian Studs Terkel delivers a moving collection of firsthand interviews reflecting on the American experience. First published in 1995, the book captures the voices, memories, and accumulated wisdom of extraordinary elders ranging in age from 70 to nearly 100.

Terkel weaves together a tapestry of personal testimonies gathered from dozens of diverse men and women. The collection features insights from prominent historical figures—including economist John Kenneth Galbraith, civil rights pioneer James Farmer, activist Maggie Kuhn, and legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen—alongside ordinary trade unionists, artists, factory workers, and community leaders. Together, these octogenarians and nonagenarians share reflections on growing up during the Great Depression, enduring two world wars, witnessing the Civil Rights Movement, confronting old age, and maintaining hope for future generations.

Why You'll Love This Book

Celebrated for its warmth, human empathy, and historical depth, Coming of Age is a moving tribute to human resilience and the living history of the twentieth century. Readers who appreciate American social history, oral narrative, and classic works by Studs Terkel (such as Working, "The Good War", and Hard Times), as well as books by Howard Zinn (A People's History of the United States), David McCullough, and Erik Larson, will find this volume inspiring.