Prize-Winning Historian Studs Terkel, Dies at 96

"He lived a long, eventful, satisfying, though sometimes tempestuous, life. I think that pretty well sums it up," said his son, Dan Terkel.

Studs (really, Louis) Terkel was born in 1912 in New York, New York, but at the age of eight, moved with his parents to Chicago, where he spent most of his life.

He once said:

"It's not that Chicago is that great. In fact, it's horrible. But living here is like being married to a woman with a broken nose. There may be lovelier lovelies, but never a lovely so real."

Studs Terkel is perhaps best known for his oral histories, on subjects such as World War II, the Great Depression, and contemporary attitudes toward work.

With his book, "The Good War: An Oral History of World War II," Studs Terkel won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize.

Many call WWII "The Good War" because of all the wars one can think of, it seems that that war had a forthright purpose: the defeat of Fascism and the horror of Hitler. But his book challenged the notion that World War II was a time of unblemished national solidarity, goodwill, and unified purpose, in contrast to the Vietnam War era.

Besides his oral histories, Studs Terkel was also a radio show host. His radio show called The Studs Terkel Program aired on 98.7 WFMT Chicago between 1952 and 1997. Yes, that's right, 45 years.

His wife of 60 years, Ida, died in 1999. Studs Terkel is survived by their son.

A website devote to him can be found here. May he rest in peace.