Terkel's genius is in letting others speak. This book is an amalgam of his other books, all "written" by average Americans who have had ordinary, yet unique, American experiences. It blends the best of his other works, including stories of the American workforce from CEO's to auto assembly line workers; oral histories of the Depression from people who remember bread lines and hunger pangs; thoughts on the division between poor and rich from the "haves" and the "have nots"; remembrances of WWII from front line soldiers and the loved ones they left behind; and reflections on racism from Black, White, and mixed race people. This book makes for excellent bedtime reading, as it is separated into five to ten page vignettes. At times, it can be infuriating, at others, it can move you to tears. This is an authentic record of being American in the twentieth century, put together by a man who shows great sympathy and affection for his subjects.