Talking to Myself and Everyone

"The elfin, amiable Mr. Terkel was a gifted and seemingly tireless interviewer who elicited provocative insights and colorful, detailed personal histories from a broad mix of people. 'The thing I’m able to do, I guess, is break down walls,' he once told an interviewer. 'If they think you’re listening, they’ll talk. It’s more of a conversation than an interview.'"

William Grimes in The New York Times reports the death of Studs Terkel.