--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All the other books ask, 'What's it…" description: "\"All the other books ask, 'What's it like?' What was World War II like for the young kid at Normandy, or what is work like for a woman having a job for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/studs-terkel-3020_black_all-the-other-books-ask-what-s-it-like-w_841718.jpg" --- # All the other books ask, 'What's it like?' What was World… ![“All the other books ask, 'What's it like?' What was World War II like for the young kid at Normandy, or what is work like for a woman having a job for the first time in her life? What's it like to be black or white?” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/studs-terkel-3020_black_all-the-other-books-ask-what-s-it-like-w_841718.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/studs-terkel-3020_black_all-the-other-books-ask-what-s-it-like-w_841718.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/studs-terkel-3020_black_all-the-other-books-ask-what-s-it-like-w_841718.jpg) > “All the other books ask, 'What's it like?' What was World War II like for the young kid at Normandy, or what is work like for a woman having a job for the first time in her life? What's it like to be black or white?” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions that many narratives ignore everyday perspectives, urging inclusion of diverse experiences to understand life fully. **In simple terms:** Stories often miss common people's views. Key Takeaway Seek out ordinary voices. Themes inclusion diversity history empathy storytelling Mood thoughtful empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interviews - documentaries - community projects - education curricula Key Concepts social history oral narrative human experience Questions to Reflect On - Whose stories are missing from mainstream narratives? - How does hearing everyday experiences change your worldview? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black or white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-or-white/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Normandy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normandy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [I always give a little talk before I sign books and ask for questions. I love the Q&A sessions. We have a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/i-always-give-a-little-talk-before-i-sign-books-and-ask-for-questions/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [I believe that good questions are more important than answers, and the best children's books ask questions, and make the readers ask questions. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-believe-that-good-questions-are-more-important-than-answers-and-the/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [I always give books. And I always ask for books. I think you should reward people sexually for getting you books. Don't send a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-always-give-books-and-i-always-ask-for-books-i-think-you-should/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I die there may be a paragraph or two in the newspapers. My name will linger in the British Museum Reading Room catalogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-forester/when-i-die-there-may-be-a-paragraph-or-two-in-the-newspapers-my-name/) [C. S. Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-forester/) > [“A library cannot be made all at once, any more than a house or a nation or a tree; they must all take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/a-library-cannot-be-made-all-at-once-any-more-than-a-house-or-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [There are three infallible ways of pleasing an author, and the three form a rising scale of compliment: 1, to tell him you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-are-three-infallible-ways-of-pleasing-an-author-and-the-three/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The would-be students wish to transcend books. But, ask yourselves: if someone says that books do not contain wisdom, and yet he writes books;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-would-be-students-wish-to-transcend-books-but-ask-yourselves-if/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [I think 'retirement' goes hand in hand with people who make a living by having a 'job.' I don't think we-the .00001 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-retirement-goes-hand-in-hand-with-people-who-make-a-living-by/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [“If there’s one thing worse than not HAVING a job… It’s LOOKING for one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stuart/if-there-s-one-thing-worse-than-not-having-a-job-it-s-looking-for-one/) Laurence Stuart > [You know, I like playing music and playing guitar, and I like to draw, so I thought I would end up just probably barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/you-know-i-like-playing-music-and-playing-guitar-and-i-like-to-draw/) [John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/) > [Success for me is just having a job and have the studio feel confident that I can go out there and make a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/success-for-me-is-just-having-a-job-and-have-the-studio-feel/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [School is just like having a job. You have to show up, you have to do your work, and you have to be around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/school-is-just-like-having-a-job-you-have-to-show-up-you-have-to-do/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [And I love having the job to go to every week. With movies, there's a lot of downtime. I like working, and television really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-martindale/and-i-love-having-the-job-to-go-to-every-week-with-movies-there-s-a/) [Margo Martindale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-martindale/) > [I don't think anything motivates you more than not having a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/i-don-t-think-anything-motivates-you-more-than-not-having-a-job/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 blizzard, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/it-was-in-35-we-had-this-campaign-to-raise-a-million-tax-dollars-in/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-read-somewhere-that-when-a-person-takes-part-in-community-action/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/don-t-be-an-examiner-be-the-interested-inquirer/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/hope-never-trickles-down-it-always-springs-up/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 I'm interviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-never-drove-a-car-i-m-hopeless-that-way-i-press-the-wrong-buttons/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/to-survive-the-day-is-triumph-enough-for-the-walking-wounded-among/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. You didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-ll-never-forget-that-depression-easter-sunday-our-son-was-four/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/all-you-need-in-life-is-truth-and-beauty-and-you-can-find-both-at-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/reading-a-book-should-not-be-a-passive-exercise-but-rather-a-raucous/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-hope-for-peace-and-sanity-it-s-the-same-thing/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to museums, courthouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-total-cost-of-the-federal-arts-project-was-only-23-million-many/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-find-labels-liberal-and-conservative-of-little-meaning-our-language/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 the bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let-alone-his-lame-child-s-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-trouble-with-censorship-is-that-once-it-starts-it-is-hard-to-stop/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) [Explore all 142 Studs Terkel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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