Studs Terkel

My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.

— Studs Terkel

“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. In the town of Phillips, one evening, during a…

— Studs Terkel

I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her…

— Studs Terkel

Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.

— Studs Terkel

Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.

— Studs Terkel

I never drove a car. I'm hopeless that way. I press the wrong buttons on the tape recorder. But if the person…

— Studs Terkel

To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.

— Studs Terkel

“I’ll never forget that Depression Easter Sunday. Our son was four years old. I bought ten or fifteen cents’ worth of eggs.…

— Studs Terkel

All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.

— Studs Terkel

Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.

— Studs Terkel

I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.

— Studs Terkel

“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to…

— Studs Terkel

I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.

— Studs Terkel

“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls…

— Studs Terkel

The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone…

— Studs Terkel

At a time when pimpery, lick-spittlery, and picking the public's pocket are the order of the day - indeed, officially proclaimed as…

— Studs Terkel

Someone who does an act. In a democratic society, you're supposed to be an activist; that is, you participate. It could be…

— Studs Terkel

“Most people were raised to think they are not worthy. School is a process of taking beautiful kids who are filled with…

— Studs Terkel

I said, "Suppose communists come out against cancer, do we have to automatically come out for cancer?'" I can't take back that…

— Studs Terkel

I think it's realistic to have hope. One can be a perverse idealist and say the easiest thing: 'I despair. The world's…

— Studs Terkel

My doctors were of one mind: unless something was immediately done, I had maybe six months to live. A quintuple bypass was…

— Studs Terkel

“We have two Governments in Washington: one run by the elected people—which is a minor part—and one run by the moneyed interests,…

— Studs Terkel

I suppose if I have an epitaph it would be: "Curiosity Did Not Kill This Cat." I don't see retiring in the…

— Studs Terkel

You know, 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely?' It's the same with powerlessness. Absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely. Einstein said everything had…

— Studs Terkel

The history of those who shed those other tears, the history of those anonymous millions, is what Terkel wants readers and listeners…

— Studs Terkel