Chicago Tribune

In the footsteps of Studs Terkel, Mark Larson gives us his own ‘Working’

Author Mark Larson with his new book, "Working in the 21st Century," at his Chicago home on Feb. 15, 2024.

Following in the footsteps of a legend can make for a tough trip, but here now is Mark Larson, putting in my hands a copy of his new book, “Working in the 21st Century: An Oral History of American Work in a Time of Social and Economic Transformation,” which is directly tied to Louis “Studs” Terkel — the author, radio host, actor, activist and Chicago symbol who has been dead since Halloween in 2008 but who remains part of the city’s fabric for keeps.

It was in his 1974 book “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do,” a huge bestseller, that Terkel made the

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