On The Podcast This Week – A Christmas Carol

On this program this week we will hear the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. It should come as no surprise that this is a holiday classic, but what might be a shocker is that we have never played this tale in the ten years of Ron’s Amazing Stories. That changes this Thursday. So why are we playing A Christmas Carol? Well, on December 23rd we will be presenting a follow-up to the story with a twist that you will only be able to hear on Ron‘s Amazing Stories. Sylvia Shults and I are going to take and turn this story on its head with real-life ghost stories and much, much more. So, be here that week to hear what should be a very different look at A Christmas Carol.

A Christmas Carol is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843. It recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. Published on the 19th of December, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve, and by the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released.

Dickens wrote the story during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past Christmas traditions, including carols, and newer customs such as Christmas cards and Christmas trees. He was influenced by the experiences of his own youth and by the Christmas stories of other authors, including Washington Irving and Douglas Jerrold. Most critics reviewed the novella favorably. He went on to write four other Christmas stories in subsequent years. In 1849 he began public readings of the story, which proved so successful he undertook 127 further performances until 1870, the year of his death. A Christmas Carol has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages.

Such an amazing story and you can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio, or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link

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RAS #520 – SciFi’s Greatest Question

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this week we have a classic science fiction story that has this humble beginning, The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door … Does that Sound intriguing? We also review a clever book by Scott McCormick, and we have two crazy listeners stories that should send chills down your spine. We end the show with a brand new Christmas edition of Johnny Is It True? Check it out!

Featured Story – Knock

Knock by Fredric Brown is our featured story for this episode. The last man on Earth following an alien invasion becomes an exhibit in a zoo set up by the invaders to showcase the flora and fauna of the conquered planet. It is based on the short story first published by Brown in Thrilling Wonder Stories magazine, in December 1948. Our version comes from the X Minus One radio series which first aired on X Minus One on May 22, 1951

Other Stories Include – 38 Special Mystery, Rivals Frenemies Who Changed The World, How Do You Spell That Again, The Ghost Of The Abandoned Railway, Johnny Is It True – Christmas Edition, and Knock

Ron’s Amazing Stories Sponsored by: Audible – You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories and Gladdy’s Goodies – Good Treats for your dog to eat.

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Upcoming Podcast and Just Who Was Charles Dickens?

Ron’s Amazing Stories has an upcoming podcast that will look at the Charles Dickens classic The Christmas Carol in a whole new way. If you are not familiar with the story, it is about a mean-spirited and selfish old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas. One cold Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts to show him the error of his ways. We are going to take that classic Christmas story and turn it on its head. How are we going to do that? It will be the topic of a brand new Ghost Stories With Sylvia. Sylvia and I are going to combine real-life ghost stories with Dicken’s storytelling! I can honestly say I don’t know what will happen. I do hope that you will join us for this event. Be watching the website, Facebook and Twitter for date and time.

Now let’s talk about Charles Dickens.

Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English writer. He created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters, including Ebenezer Scrooge, and is one the greatest novelists of the Victorian era. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school at the age of 12 to work in a factory after his father was incarcerated in a debtors’ prison. After that, he began his literary career as a journalist. Dickens edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories, and non-fiction articles. He lectured and performed readings extensively, was a tireless letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children’s rights. Dickens’s literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers, a publishing phenomenon that sparked Pickwick merchandise and many spin-offs. Within a few years, Dickens had become an international celebrity, famous for his humor, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His 1843 novella A Christmas Carol remains especially popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre.

About Sylvia Shults: Sylvia is a Librarian, Author, and Ghost Hunter. She has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of the weird and strange. Her non-fiction works include Ghost of the Illinois River, Fractured Spirits, Fractured Souls, 44 Years in Darkness, Hunting Demons, The Spirits of Christmas, and her latest release Days Of The Dead. All of her books are available on Amazon and you can find out more on her home page.

Sylvia’s Links: Facebook, Twitter, Blog Site, Amazon Author’s Page

This Week’s Podcast: On the show this week we will play a classic OTR episode of X-Minus One. It is based on the idea that you are the last person on earth and there is a knock on the door. One of science fiction’s greatest questions is: Who is at the door? Tune in this Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link

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RAS #519 – The Roads Must Roll

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this time we review the audiobook Ready Player One, have a story about a helpful green mist, and a ghost boy who haunts a child’s bedroom. Then we will listen to a science fiction story from Robert A. Heinlein titled The Roads Must Roll. We’ll end the show with a story about Halley’s Comet passing in 1910. So grab your favorite beverage and press that play button.

Featured Story – The Roads Must Roll

Our featured story is titled The Roads Must Roll and was originally published in the June 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. It tells the story of a group of technicians working “down inside”, among the very noisy great rotors which keep the roads moving. Things go bad and the world faces not being able to transport goods, people, or anything else for that matter. Will society grind to a halt or will Larry Gaines save the day? This is a radio adaptation of the story created by X Minus One that first aired on January 4, 1956.

Other Stories Include – The Eye Of The Beholder, Ready Player One, Random O’Malley, Oak Park Ghost, The Roads Must Roll, and The Comet Tale.

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