dingbat

News

Podcast: Punch, Brothers, Punch (Mark Twain)

I'm back podcasting after a long post-surgical hiatus. I don't have any new material to read, so instead, I've read one of my favorite comedic Mark Twain stories, Punch, Brothers, Punch. It's a great little essay about a earworming mind-virus, prefiguring Snow Crash by a century and more!

There's more administrivia than usual in this one as I get caught up.


Conductor, when you receive a fare,
Punch in the presence of the passenjare!
A blue trip slip for an eight-cent fare,
A buff trip slip for a six-cent fare,
A pink trip slip for a three-cent fare,
Punch in the presence of the passenjare!

CHORUS

Punch, brothers! punch with care!
Punch in the presence of the passenjare!

Mastering by John Taylor Williams: wryneckstudio@gmail.com

John Taylor Williams is a full-time self-employed audio engineer, producer, composer, and sound designer. In his free time, he makes beer, jewelry, odd musical instruments and furniture. He likes to meditate, to read and to cook.

MP3 Link


5 Responses to “Podcast: Punch, Brothers, Punch (Mark Twain)”

  1. Nolly says:

    And in between this and Snow Crash, The Demolished Man.

  2. Aaron H says:

    And Kuttner's Nothing But Gingerbread Left.

  3. James says:

    What a story! It's sort of like "The Tell-Tale Heart" crossed with Gilbert and Sullivan--I now have an earworm of the verse being sung to the "First Lord's Song" from Pinafore ("Now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navy"). AAAARGH!

  4. Oh my gosh! Now I understand the reference in the last story of Robert McCloskey's excellent "Centerburg Tales" http://www.amazon.com/Centerburg-Tales-Adventures-Homer-Price/dp/014031072X#reader_014031072X
    which I guarantee you will enjoy reading to your daughter.

  5. Todd says:

    I really like the story. I am currently listening to it for the third (fourth?) time.

Leave a Reply

Creative Commons License

Cory Doctorow’s craphound.com is proudly powered by WordPress
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).