Mister Ron's Basement II - podcast cover

Mister Ron's Basement II

***"The stories are gentler than what passes for humor today, but what's surprising is how current some of them are. Human folly doesn't change much from decade to decade." --John Kelly, Washington Post*** Our mission is to explore the universe of Public Domain American humor, featuring the greatest writers in the world seven days a week - Five days a week lately but seven will return! If you haven't subscribed yet, please do, as ALL 1960+ Episodes are available on iTunes! Your comments are welcome, and emails can be sent to revry@panix.com. **We are now serializing James M. Bailey's 1878 book, 'England From a Back Window' every Monday. Don't Miss it! ** Please post your comments and reviews here on iTunes. Thanks!
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Episodes

Mister Ron's Basement #1422

Thur, Aug 20 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1422 Edgar Wilson Nye's 1888 collection 'Bill Nye's Chestnuts' is bulging full of funny stuff! Nye makes some discoveries in Ornithology, sings songs in strange keys, and deals with a bug problem, all in a very short story, 'Concerning the Swallow.' Time: approx six 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 When in ...

Aug 21, 20096 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1421

Wed, Aug 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1421 Edgar Wilson Nye's 1888 collection 'Bill Nye's Chestnuts' is chock full of nutty stuff! Today we meet a man with a mania in the Wild and Wooly story, 'A Novel Way of Making Clothes.' Time: approx four 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 When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. It's Free! Thank y...

Aug 20, 20094 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1420

Tue, Aug 18 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1420 Edgar Wilson Nye's 1888 collection 'Bill Nye's Chestnuts' is chock full of funny stuff! Today's sad tale is of a man stuck with the occupation of 'youmorist.' Hear all about it in 'The Unhappy Humorist.' Time: approx six and a half 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 When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscr...

Aug 19, 20097 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1419

Mon, Aug 17 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1419 Our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel 'Wired Love' features the First part of Two of Chapter Three, 'Visible and Invisible Friends,' where 'N' becomes ever more friendly with 'C' over the wire, despite interruptions by 'Em.' 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 The Wired Love index is at: http://ronevry.com/http://rone...

Aug 18, 200912 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1418

Sun, Aug 16 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1418 SUNDAY SALAD has unexpectedly found what may well be the Last Stanley Huntley Spoopendyke tale that we will ever get to present in the Basement! Written especially for 'The St. Jacobs Oil Family Calendar for 1883-4' back in 1882, Huntley relates the story of 'Spoopendyke At Death's Door.' Time: approx ten 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...

Aug 17, 200910 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1417

Sat, Aug 15 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1417 Our Saturday Night Special features a long, but wonderful story by Henry Cuyler Bunner from 1887. 'The Zadoc Pine Labor Union' might be construed as a nineteenth century version of 'Forrest Gump,' but it is very different in many ways. This may have been one of H. C. Bunner's most popular stories published during his lifetime. In it, an ignorant hayseed from the Adirondack Mountains makes his way to New Jersey and begins a new life for himself. Enjoy!...

Aug 16, 200943 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1416

Fri, Aug 14 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1416 This week we are spotlighting James M. Bailey, the Danbury Newsman, with selections from his 1877 book, 'They All Do It.' There are men who dispute what they do not understand. In today's story, our hero gets stuck on a high point in 'Mr. Coville Proves Mathematics.' This is definitely one of our funniest tales! Don't miss it! Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.h...

Aug 15, 20096 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1415

Thur, Aug 13 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1415 This week we are spotlighting James M. Bailey, the Danbury Newsman, with selections from his 1877 book, 'They All Do It.' Three mackerel cause havok in today's extremely funny tale, 'A Female Prank.' 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 The James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html When in iTunes, please click...

Aug 14, 20093 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1414

Wed, Aug 12 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1414 This week we are spotlighting James M. Bailey, the Danbury Newsman, with selections from his 1877 book, 'They All Do It.' Today we hear how an old Editor manages to cross the street in 'An Accommodating Reporter.' We also have a short 1896 preface by cartoonist Walt MacDougall. To read the entire piece, 'The National Joke' drop in to John Adcock's fun blog at http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2009/08/national-joke_13.html . Time: approx nine minutes The...

Aug 13, 20099 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1413

Tue, Aug 11 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1413 This week we are spotlighting James M. Bailey, the Danbury Newsman, with selections from his 1877 book, 'They All Do It.' In today's story, a grieving widower tries to save a buck or two on a coffin in 'A Prudent Sufferer.' Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The James M. Bailey Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/jamesmbailey.html When in iTunes, ...

Aug 12, 20097 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1412

Mon, Aug 10 2009 Our Monday Book Serialization of Ella Cheever Thayer's 1880 novel 'Wired Love' features Chapter Two, 'At the Hotel Norman,' where we meet Nattie the Telegrapher's neighbors. Time: approx twenty-one 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 When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. It's Free! Thank you....

Aug 11, 200922 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1411

Sun, Aug 9 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1411 SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO wildly funny Stanley Huntley pieces today -- The first one, from 1881, brings a widower from Denver into the Brooklyn Eagle office to place a unique obituary ad in 'Wanted it Just Right.' Then, from 1882, a fervent bible thumper corners the Managing Editor in 'The Modern Evangelist' Time: approx nine minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The Stanley Huntl...

Aug 09, 20099 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1410

Sat, Aug 8 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1410 Our Saturday Night Special offers some Nasty Mischief from W. L. Alden's 1897 book, 'The Adventures of Jimmy Brown' -- 'The Old, Old, Story.' Time: approx seven minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html The W. L. Alden Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/alden.html...

Aug 09, 20097 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1409

Fri, Aug 7 2009 Back in 1918, Don Marquis (famous today for his characters Archy and Mehitabel ) collected a book of pieces concerning 'Hermione and Her Little Group of Serious Thinkers.' Today, Hermione ponders a big question and comes up with an upward and onward solution for the future in 'The World is Getting Better.' Time: approx three minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' ...

Aug 08, 20093 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1408

Thur, Aug 6 2009 Back in 1918, Don Marquis (famous today for his characters Archy and Mehitabel ) collected a book of pieces concerning 'Hermione and Her Little Group of Serious Thinkers.' Today, we hear Hermione's entirely reasonable explanation for 'How the Swami Happened to Have Seven Wives.' 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 When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. It's Free...

Aug 06, 20095 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1407

Wed, Aug 5 2009 Back in 1918, Don Marquis (famous today for his characters Archy and Mehitabel ) collected a book of pieces concerning 'Hermione and Her Little Group of Serious Thinkers.' In today's tale, Hermione reveals more than she thinks in 'Understanding, and One's Own Home.' Time: approx five minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. It's Free! Thank you....

Aug 06, 20095 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1406

Tue, Aug 4 2009 Back in 1918, Don Marquis (famous today for his characters Archy and Mehitabel ) collected a book of pieces concerning 'Hermione and Her Little Group of Serious Thinkers.' There really never has been such a unique and fun character such as Hermione, and we will be presenting some of her stories this week. Today's piece is called 'Sincerity in the Home.' Time: approx six minutes The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.htm...

Aug 05, 20096 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1405

Mon, Aug 3 2009 Our Monday Book Serialization begins a NEW Novel today! We are presenting a fun tale of virtual, online romance! Yes, you've heard these kinds of stories before in our modern, cyber-linked information age, but this book was written back in 1880! Journey with us to the past for a tale of two telegraphers who engage in a long-distance romance by wire in Ella Cheever Thayer's 'Wired Love: A Romance of Dots and Dashes.' Today we read Chapter One -- 'Sounds From A Distant "C"'. Time: ...

Aug 04, 200921 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1404

Sun, Aug 2 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1404 SUNDAY SALAD offers TWO Stanley Huntley pieces from 1882 today. The first concerns a census taker and a census answerer who know each other all too well in 'Difficulties of Census Taking.' Then a stranger from Oshkosh accosts a Brooklyn trolley rider in 'Making Himself Sociable.' Time: approx eight 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 Spoopend...

Aug 03, 20098 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1403

Sat, Aug 1, 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1403 We have returned to our new server at libsyn.com with NEW stories! Our Saturday Night Special story tonight is by Robert Benchley. It's pretty self-explanatory -- from 1922, 'Reading the Funnies Aloud.' Time: approx seven minutes Your comments are welcome! Send emails to revry@panix.com. The Mister Ron's Basement Full Catalog can be found at: http://ronevry.com/Mister_Rons_Full_Catalog.html When in iTunes, please click on 'Subscribe' button. It's Free...

Aug 02, 20097 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1402

Fri, Jun 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1402 Here is the final chapter of 'Major Dunwoody's Leg' (Part Four of Four) from 1882 by Max Adeler, wrapping up a MONTH of Adeler stories! Your comments are welcome! Send emails to revry@panix.com. Time: approx nineteen and a half 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...

Jun 20, 200919 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1401

Fri, Jun 19 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1401 Meanwhile, we are presenting a masterpiece of satire by Max Adeler, from 1882, over four days. It features quirky mechanical limbs, political corruption, horrendous artwork, byzantine bureaucracy, complicated romance, scalping, thievery, and more twists and turns than a pretzel! If you haven't heard parts One and Two yet, go listen to them, then come back for this. It will be here. Here is 'Major Dunwoody's Leg' (Part Three of Four). Time: approx twel...

Jun 19, 200912 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1400

Wed, Jun 17 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1400 This is the 1400th Episode of Mister Ron's Basement! This has been an amazing journey of exploration of the world of (mostly) forgotten American humor from long ago! Above all, the letters of encouragement I have received from listeners have made this labor of love (there sure isn't any money in it) worthwhile! Thanks! Here today, then, is the second part of four from Max Adeler's satirical masterpiece of 1882. It features quirky mechanical limbs, pol...

Jun 17, 200921 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1399

Tue, Jun 16 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1399 We are presenting a masterpiece of satire by Max Adeler, from 1882, over the next four days. It features quirky mechanical limbs, political corruption, horrendous artwork, byzantine bureaucracy, complicated romance, scalping, thievery, and more twists and turns than a pretzel! Here then is 'Major Dunwoody's Leg' (Part One of Four). Time: approx twenty-four minutes NOTICE: This week's Four-Part story will be our last one until we have finished moving o...

Jun 16, 200924 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1398

Fri, Jun 12 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1398 From 1873, we present a Max Adeler story concerning a man's hat with holes in it and what was done to it by 'One of Those Stupid Servant Girls.' Time: approx four 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...

Jun 12, 20094 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1397

Fri, Jun 12 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1397 Max Adeler relates the tale of an intrepid neighbor ascending into the unknown reaches of the atmosphere via balloon, in the 1874 story, 'The Ozone Belt.' 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 Max Adeler Catalog of Stories is at: http://ronevry.com/maxadeler.html...

Jun 12, 20094 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1396

Thu, Jun 11 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1396 Today's Max Adeler story from 1872 is a true flight of fancy, yet makes perfect sense -- sort of. It's called 'Adam and That Umbrella.' Time: approx four 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...

Jun 11, 20094 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1395

Wed, Jun 10 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1395 We begin a THIRD week in a row of Max Adeler stories with an investigation of an educator's strange teaching methods in the 1876 story, 'A Teacher's Trials.' Time: approx eight 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...

Jun 10, 20098 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1394

Mon, Jun 08 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1394 For Mark Twain Monday, we present Chapters 43 - 'The Battle of the Sand-Belt', 44 - 'A Postscript by Clarence', and 'A Final P.S. by M.T.' This concludes our presentation of 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court,' which has taken us almost fourteen months to read! The complete index of the book's chapters can be found at the link below. For the time being, we are preparing The Basement for the Big Move to a NEW Server in August. Between now and...

Jun 08, 200935 min

Mister Ron's Basement #1393

Sun, Jun 07 2009 Mister Ron's Basement #1393 SUNDAY SALAD features ONE Stanley Huntley story today -- it's a short one from 1882 about a little man on the Fulton Ferry Boat, called 'Didn't Care to Make Trouble.' Time: approx three 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...

Jun 07, 20093 min
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