The Working Tapes – A Preview

Radio Diaries

In the early 1970’s, author Studs Terkel went around the country with a reel-to-reel tape recorder interviewing people about their jobs.

The result was a book called “Working.” It became a bestseller and even inspired a Broadway musical… something rare for an oral history collection. “Working” struck a nerve, because it elevated the stories of ordinary people and their daily lives.

But until now, few of these interviews have ever been heard before.

For decades, the reel-to-reel tapes were packed away in Terkel’s home office. Over the past year, Radio Diaries, along with Project&, combed through them to produce a new radio series.

“Working: Then & Now” runs from Sept 25 – October 2 on NPR, and in upcoming episodes of the Radio Diaries Podcast. This episode is a sneak peek of the Working Tapes.

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