Sat, Dec 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1535 Mister Ron is snow-bound in his Basement today, and in commemoration, our Saturday Night Special story from 1886 is called 'Bill Nye on Polar History.' Time: approx nine minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Bill Nye Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/billnye.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read it here...
Dec 19, 2009•9 min
Fri, Dec 18 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1534 We are wrapping up a week of Gelett Burgess's light look at social mores from 1902, 'The Romance of the Commonplace,' with an analysis of what makes something funny, which is quite unique in its perspective. It is called 'The Sense of Humor.' Time: approx ten and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the ...
Dec 19, 2009•11 min
Thur, Dec 17 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1533 This week, we are reading from Gelett Burgess's oblique peek at social mores from 1902, 'The Romance of the Commonplace.' In today's piece, Burgess bravely attempts to examine, from a male's point of view, 'Women's Fashions.' Time: approx eleven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read i...
Dec 18, 2009•11 min
Wed, Dec 16 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1532 This week, we are reading from Gelett Burgess's oblique peek at social mores from 1902, 'The Romance of the Commonplace.' Today's piece is not one of our funniest, but is definitely one of our best, and most thought-provoking! Try to follow Burgess's thoughts as they reach out via an amazing tangent spurred on by 'Black Coffee.' You'll probably want to listen to this one twice. Time: approx ten minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be fou...
Dec 17, 2009•10 min
Tue, Dec 15 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1531 This week, we will be reading from Gelett Burgess's oblique peek at social mores from 1902, 'The Romance of the Commonplace.' Today we discover the rules, and how they may be fashionably broken, of 'Dining Out.' Time: approx nine and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read it here...
Dec 16, 2009•9 min
Mon, Dec 14 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1530 Poor Quimby always gets things wrong, including a marriage proposal, in Chapter Thirteen of our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel, 'Wired Love, 'The Wrong Woman.' Time: approx fifteen minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Wired Love index is at: http://ronevry.com/http://ronevry.com/wiredlove.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a l...
Dec 15, 2009•15 min
Sun, Dec 13 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1529 SUNDAY SALAD offers a letter of good advice from a father to his son who has come of age, presented with sparkling wit by Stanley Huntley from 1881, 'A Modern Chesterfield to His Son.' Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html John Kelly of The Wash...
Dec 14, 2009•5 min
Sat, Dec 12 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1528 Our Saturday Night Special story comes from Max Adeler's 1874 book, 'Out of the Hurly-Burly.' In it, Adeler complains about the inaccuracy of the official weather forecasts and offers a novel solution in 'The Improved Weather System.' A. B. Frost Time: approx ten minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Max Adeler Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/maxadeler.html Joh...
Dec 12, 2009•10 min
Fri, Dec 11 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1527 We have featured funny stories by Thomas L. Masson and will continue to do so in the future, as there are many good ones still available. However, this week, we have been reading some of his fun poetry , from the book 'In Merry Measure' published in 1904. Today we offer a pair of poems about wives and their husband's reactions to their actions -- 'His Wife' and 'His Limit.' Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found a...
Dec 12, 2009•6 min
Thur, Dec 10 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1526 We have featured funny stories by Thomas L. Masson and will continue to do so in the future, as there are many good ones still available. However, this week, we are reading some of his fun poetry , from the book 'In Merry Measure' published in 1904. What happens when a young miss withholds her kisses for too long? Find out in the poem 'To A Fair Saint.' Then three card sharps learn about playing poker with another young miss who knows 'nothing' about...
Dec 11, 2009•4 min
Wed, Dec 9 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1525 We have featured funny stories by Thomas L. Masson and will continue to do so in the future, as there are many good ones still available. However, this week, we are reading some of his fun poetry , from the book 'In Merry Measure' published in 1904. Today we hear a remarkable 'Chant of a Grateful New Yorker' and learn the Secret of Life in 'What It Is.' What more could you ask for? Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Cat...
Dec 10, 2009•4 min
Tue, Dec 8 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1524 We have featured funny stories by Thomas L. Masson and will continue to do so in the future, as there are many good ones still available. However, this week, we will be reading some of his fun poetry , from the book 'In Merry Measure' published in 1904. Today we have two pieces dealing with time (time pieces, if you will). 'Fifteen Minutes to Spare' and 'Only Six Months More.' Please enjoy these. Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full...
Dec 09, 2009•5 min
Mon, Dec 7 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1523 Life gets confusing for everyone in Chapter Twelve of our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel, 'Wired Love,' 'Crosses on the Line.' Time: approx seventeen and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Wired Love index is at: http://ronevry.com/http://ronevry.com/wiredlove.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the...
Dec 08, 2009•18 min
Sun, Dec 6 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1522 SUNDAY SALAD features TWO pieces today -- the first one is an unsigned news story from 1880 about a vicious escaped monkey, with a strong dose of facetiousness and quotes from Poe -- all trademark Huntley elements, making us suspect that it was indeed written by Stanley Huntley, but we will never be able to prove it. It is entitled 'A Thrilling Story Revealed.' Listener comments on this story are especially welcomed. The second piece is a poem by Huntl...
Dec 07, 2009•6 min
Sat, Dec 5 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1521 Our Saturday Night Special story is by M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) from 1884. An old suspicious couple take to a long train ride uneasily in 'Goin' Somewhere.' Time: approx nine minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/quad.html The M. Quad (C. B. Lewis) Mister Bowser Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/mrbow...
Dec 06, 2009•9 min
Fri, Dec 4 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1520 We have been reading some of the lighter pieces by famed Canadian poet Robert W. Service, from his 1907 book 'The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses.' Our last Service poem for the week is one of his most memorable, 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew.' Don't miss this one! Time: approx seven and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written...
Dec 05, 2009•7 min
Thur, Dec 3 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1519 We are reading some of the lighter pieces by famed Canadian poet Robert W. Service, from his 1907 book 'The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses.' Service discusses the inevitability of paying for one's actions in 'The Reckoning.' Time: approx three minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read...
Dec 04, 2009•3 min
Wed, Dec 2 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1518 We are reading some of the lighter pieces by famed Canadian poet Robert W. Service, from his 1907 book 'The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses.' Today's poem makes it's point quickly, and ought to put a smile on your face. It's called 'Grin.' Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about th...
Dec 03, 2009•4 min
Tue, Dec 1 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1517 At the request of cartoonist Jay Lynch ( http://www.mindspring.com/~jaylynch/ ), we will be reading poems by Robert W. Service this week, all from his 1907 book 'The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses.' Service was a Canadian, who spent many of his formative years in the Yukon, though not as a prospector, as many who read his poems come to believe. While working in a bank, he met a man named Sam McGee, and used that name in what many consider his most...
Dec 02, 2009•8 min
Mon, Nov 30 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1516 Part Two of Two of Chapter Eleven ('Miss Kling Telegraphically Baffled') of our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel, 'Wired Love,' in which Nattie and Clem set up a telegraph wire between their rooms, and try to avoid a scandal with the sniffling Miss Kling. Time: approx seventeen and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Wired Love index is...
Dec 01, 2009•18 min
Sat, Nov 28 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1514 SUNDAY SALAD has a short but clever story of a fight and an ecclesiastical witness by Stanley Huntley from 1880 -- 'A Cautious Witness.' Time: approx five and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the...
Nov 30, 2009•5 min
Sat, Nov 28 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1514 Our Saturday Night Special story concerns that which makes this season so special -- Wallace Irwin's 1911 tale, 'Peace on Earth in the Shopping District.' Time: approx twelve and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read it here. Help Keep Mister Ron's Basement alive! Donate One Dol...
Nov 29, 2009•12 min
Fri, Nov 27 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1513 Happy Thanksgiving! If you would like to hear some Thanksgiving stories we have presented in past episodes, just click here. Jonathan F. Kelley's 1856 posthumously published collection of his newspaper writing, 'The Humors of Falconbridge,' brought him the nationwide popularity he never received during his lifetime. Today we offer a short, but fascinating glimpse into The Future! as seen from the 1850s, entitled 'What's Going to Happen.' Time: approx ...
Nov 27, 2009•3 min
Thur, Nov 26 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1512 Happy Thanksgiving! If you would like to hear some Thanksgiving stories we have presented in past episodes, just click here. Jonathan F. Kelley's 1856 posthumously published collection of his newspaper writing, 'The Humors of Falconbridge,' brought him the nationwide popularity he never received during his lifetime. 'Knocking Down' is the practice of a bartender stealing from the till, which is an important part of today's tale of two bartenders, 'Ge...
Nov 27, 2009•10 min
Wed, Nov 25 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1511 Jonathan F. Kelley's 1856 posthumously published collection of his newspaper writing, 'The Humors of Falconbridge,' brought him the nationwide popularity he never received during his lifetime. When the Doctor comes to your house and saves you from dying, there's only one reason to complain -- his bill! Here it is explained in a short but sweet tale called 'A Severe Spell of Sickness.' Time: approx three and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Ful...
Nov 26, 2009•3 min
Tue, Nov 24 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1510 Jonathan F. Kelley's 1856 posthumously published collection of his newspaper writing, 'The Humors of Falconbridge,' brought him the nationwide popularity he never received during his lifetime. Today's Falconbridge story concerns a lawyer with awful handwriting who decides to become a phony doctor and sell pills. It's called 'Pills and Persimmons.' Time: approx thirteen minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/...
Nov 25, 2009•13 min
Mon, Nov 23 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1509 Part One of Two of Chapter Eleven ('Miss Kling Telegraphically Baffled') of our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel, 'Wired Love,' in which Nattie and Clem discover the key to each others' hearts is in a -- well -- a key! Time: approx twelve minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Wired Love index is at: http://ronevry.com/http://ronevry.com/wiredlov...
Nov 24, 2009•12 min
Sun, Nov 22 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1508 SUNDAY SALAD offers an early Huntley story for the Brooklyn Eagle from 1879. In this tale we get an impromptu art criticism session at a gallery. It's called 'A Lively Connoisseur.' Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntley and Spoopendyke Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/Spoopendyke_Stories.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has...
Nov 23, 2009•6 min
Sat, Nov 21 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1507 Our Saturday Night Special story adds to last week's theme of phonographs with a particularly odd science-fictional fantasy by Edward Bellamy from 1889. It's called 'With the Eyes Shut.' Time: approx forty-seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html John Kelly of The Washington Post has written a lively piece about the Basement. You can read it here. Help Keep Mister Ron's Base...
Nov 21, 2009•47 min
Fri, Nov 20 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1506 This week, we have been reading stories about that new-fangled invention, The Phonograph. From Scribner's Monthly back in 1880, we find reference to what was then a two hundred year old Cyrano de Bergerac story that must have fascinated readers just discovering the phonograph. It's called 'The Phonograph in the Moon Two Centuries Ago.' Time: approx four and a half minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Miste...
Nov 21, 2009•5 min
