‘Interviews With’

We’ve all been harassed by telemarketers who call us at home trying to sell us things we don’t want or need. They have almost single-handedly given salespeople a bad name. But, have you ever wondered what it’s like for them to do what they do for a living, and why they chose to […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Swearing is quoted in this article.
How did women act when they broke the glass ceiling and made it into the men’s working world in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
Barbara Herrick, who was an award-winning writer and producer of TV commercials, mostly about food and cosmetics, […]

Some people think it’s easy to be a receptionist. After all, what do they do all day long but sit in a nice, clean, quiet reception area and answer the phone from 9 to 5, right?
The monotony, the constant interruptions, and the lying imposed on receptionists by their bosses can be as demoralizing as […]

Steve Hamilton was a professional baseball player in the U.S. major leagues for twenty years. He played relief pitcher for the Washington Senators, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs.
In 1971, he was interviewed by Studs Terkel for his book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Mild swearing is quoted within.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a professional athlete? Sure, they have their fame, their fortune, and their adoring fans. But, is there a down side to playing your favorite sport for a living?
When Eric Nesterenko was interviewed by […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Swearing is quoted in this article.
Ray Wax is an excellent example of what not to do in business. Studs Terkel interviewed him for his book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974).
Wax was blessed with […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Some mild swearing is quoted.
This is the inspirational true story of a poor boy with brains, guts, and big dreams who became the president of four corporations that he founded—all by the age of 26.
Studs Terkel interviewed this young man, Ken Brown, for his book Working: […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Some mild swearing is quoted.
What exactly does the president of a giant corporation do? How do you become one? And, what does it feel like once you’re there? Was it all worth it?
Studs Terkel found out when he interviewed such a man for his book […]

Note: Reader discretion is advised. Profanity, violence, and explicit sex acts are quoted in this article.
Little boys used to all want to grow up to be policemen or firemen. In Working (1974), Studs Terkel interviewed a man who did both.
Tom Patrick became a New York City fireman after he spent […]

In the 1960s, when Studs Terkel interviewed housewife Therese Carter for his book Working (1974), women were ambivalent about their roles as stay-at-home mothers.
But, despite her doubts, Mrs. Carter is proud of her special contribution to society by providing a loving home for her husband and their three children.
Her family lives in a […]