The history of those who shed those other tears, the history of those anonymous millions, is what Terkel wants readers and listeners to come away with. What's it like to be that goofy little soldier, scared stiff, with his bayonet aimed at Christ? What's it like to have been a woman in a defense-plant job during World War II? What's it like to be a kid at the front lines? It's all funny and tragic at the same time.

You know, 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'? It's the same with powerlessness. Absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely. Einstein said everything had changed since the atom was split, except the way we think. We have to think anew.

Most of us, like the assembly line worker, have jobs that are too small for our spirit. Jobs are not big enough for people.

I thought, if ever there were a time to write a book about hope, it's now.

I'm not an optimist. I'm hopeful.

Most of us have jobs that are too small for our spirits.

But once you become active in something, something happens to you. You get excited and suddenly you realize you count.