Mark Larson: Working in the 21st Century

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Studs Terkel’s iconic oral history Working, author Mark Larson offers a contemporary perspective in his latest book Working in the 21st Century: An Oral History of American Work in a Time of Social and Economic Transformation, recently listed by Esquire magazine as one of the “Best Books of 2024 (So Far).”Working in the 21st Century asks why we show up, or don’t, to the jobs we’ve chosen, and how the upheaval of the past few years has changed how we perceive the work we do. Going beyond the simple question of why we work, Larson’s interviews also ask each respondent the paradoxically simple and complex question of what it means to be themselves in the society and system they live in, and asks each of us to examine the same question.

Drawing from his own interviews and experiences as a Terkel interviewee, Larson will present clips from recorded interviews with a diverse range of workers. Joining him will be Betty Bogg, CEO of Evanston’s Connections for the Homeless, one of the interviewees in the book. Larson is also the author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater, released in 2018.

Join us at Bookends & Beginnings for a free author talk and Q&A. If you can't make the event, you can still pre-order a signed copy; preorders get 10% off. The MiniBar will be open for drinks and light refreshments during the event.

Host or Publisher Bookends & Beginnings