RUSC Literary Challenge

Growing up in the port town of Hannibal on the Mississippi inspired the novels Huckleberry Finn and

After being hustled off to King Arthur's Court, he is imprisoned, tried and sentenced to death. Whilst awaiting his impending execution, it dawns upon him that, as crazy as it seems, he is in 6th century Arthurian Britain, and that since he's traveled through time, he is probably the smartest man on the planet right now. Tom Sawyer. In fact, several of Mark Twain's books were loosely based autobiographical accounts of his own life, but A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is the story of Hank Morgan, a 19th Century mechanic, who after a bump on the head, wakes up inexplicably under an oak tree in medieval Britain, in the year 528AD. 

Using his 'memory' of the next thirteen centuries to his advantage, he sets out to bargain with the King for his release, and uses an upcoming solar eclipse to prove his worth as a powerful and goodly sorcerer.

	A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Part 1 of 3 Since the times of the bards and the troubadours, many tales have been told about King Arthur and his round table. Those days of old when knighthood was in flower. One of the finest stories is not a legend from the dim past, but a tale first told little more than a century ago, by the most typical of American writers, Samuel Clemens. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: June 4, 1948 Duration: 28:53
	A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Part 2 of 3 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is the story of Hank Morgan, a 19th Century mechanic, who after a bump on the head, wakes up inexplicably under an oak tree in medieval Britain, in the year 528AD.  After being hustled off to King Arthur's Court, he is imprisoned, tried and sentenced to death. Whilst awaiting his impending execution, it dawns upon him that, as crazy as it seems, he is in 6th century Arthurian Britain, and that since he's traveled through time, he is probably the smartest man on the planet right now. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: June 11, 1948 Duration: 28:43
	A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Part 3 of 3 In the final instalment, time has gone by, and as good King Arthur's prime minister, Hank Morgan has tried to bring the blessings of the future to the realm, although opposed by the magician Merlin and many knights and nobles. With his loyal assistant, Clarence to help, Hank establishes many of his technological improvements - until he finally makes one enemy too many. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: June 18, 1948 Duration: 29:07

There have been several other dramatizations of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the first of the World's Greatest Novels adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Monday 16th March

For the fifth book of the RUSC Literary Challenge, we bring you one of the true masterpieces of the creative imagination - The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written in 1886.

You might remember in December, I wrote an editorial about a show called Markheim. It was a short story written by Robert Louis Stevenson, about a man named Markheim who discovers the truth of his soul and the strange force that has been propelling him ever forward. It's widely believed that during the revisions of the Markheim story, Stevenson came up with the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

The story begins at the funeral of Dr Henry Jekyll. Well-respected, prosperous, and one of the greatest scientists of the nineteenth century, his belief had been that every man is truly two beings, cursed with the struggle of good and evil within him, and so to explore this theory, he creates a chemical compound to separate this duality.

With no consideration of the potentially horrible consequences, he tests his theory by drinking the potion himself.

What emerges from the experiment is a personality which is the polar opposite of the warm, kind and friendly Dr Jekyll. This new personality is a dark, evil and violent, alter ego whose name is Mr Edward Hyde.

It took the genius of Robert Louis Stevenson to fashion this tale of the dual forces, the powers of good and evil that lies dormant in us all, and the result is so weird, so strange and yet so filled with the eternal conflict of mans immortal soul, that we who hear it stand petrified, because in the tormented character of this strange fantasy, we see ourselves.

I remember reading the novel itself many years ago, and I found it mesmerizing, albeit pretty tough going. However, one of the wonderful benefits of old time radio, is that these kind of tales really are perfect for dramatization!

It's a fascinating, eerie story, but the Theater Guild on the Air adaptation is truly spine-tingling, and will give the chills to even the most hardened horror fan.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde The story begins at the funeral of Dr Henry Jekyll. Well-respected, prosperous, and one of the greatest scientists of the nineteenth century, his belief had been that every man is truly two beings, cursed with the struggle of good and evil within him, and so to explore this theory, he creates a chemical compound to separate this duality. With no consideration of the potentially horrible consequences, he tests his theory by drinking the potion himself. What emerges from the experiment is a personality which is the polar opposite of the warm, kind and friendly Dr Jekyll. This new personality is a dark, evil and violent, alter ego whose name is Mr Edward Hyde. Series: Theater Guild On The Air Date: November 19, 1950 Duration: 52:29

There have been several other dramatizations of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Theater Guild on the Air adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Wednesday 18th March

On with the sixth of the classics we have included in the RUSC Literary Challenge, and we continue with the haunting, dark theme with the Heart of Darkness, which is without doubt, one of the most memorable, albeit most harrowing, novels I have ever read.

It's written in the first person, and whilst not really an adventure story, it's a story of greed and insanity, and is full of hidden meanings and complex twists in the plot. It is widely considered to be one of the most intricate works of literature ever written.

Authored by Joseph Conrad in 1899, the storyline is loosely based upon his own experiences as the captain of a steamer on the Congo River in Africa. From a young age, he had been determined to become a sailor, and spent fifteen years traveling all over the world. However, in 1889, he was stuck back in Europe with no ship to command, until he was offered the opportunity to captain a ship on the Congo in Africa. He didn't hesitate.

His work on the Congo changed him forever, and even without the health issues he suffered with for the rest of his life, the trip had changed who he was, with his lifelong friend Edward Garnett being quoted as saying, “Conrad’s Congo experiences were the turning-point in his mental life, and their effects on him determined his transformation from a sailor to a writer".

The Heart of Darkness is the story of a steamer captain called Marlowe who is employed by an English trading company, and who is sent to the Congo to travel up river, visiting the traders and bartering for ivory with the locals.

Marlowe soon begins to hear stories about another employee of the same Company as himself, named Kurtz, who is in charge of the inner trading post, as deep into the Congo as you can get. There have been rumors that the station is in jeopardy, and that Kurtz is ill, so Marlowe is given the order to travel to this location find and recover Kurtz, and secure the inner trading post.

I'm sure you'll be as fascinated in the tale from beginning to end as I was, and I hope that you'll forgive me if you struggle with the dialogue in some parts due to the audio quality.

This particular show was directed by Orson Welles on the Mercury Theater on the Air, but as it's from the 1930s and was performed live on air (rather than being transcribed), the audio isn't as good as I had hoped. However, Welles also wrote the screenplay for another radio adaptation of the story for his first program as a producer-star of the CBS radio series, This is My Best, which is also available on RUSC.

Heart Of Darkness Written by Joseph Conrad in 1899, the story is loosely based upon his own experiences as the captain of a steamer on the Congo River in Africa. Whilst not really an adventure story as such, it is a story of greed and insanity, full of hidden meanings and complex twists in the plot. It is widely considered to be one of the most intricate works of literature ever written. The tale begins with the introduction of a steamer captain called Marlowe who is employed by an English trading company, and who is sent to the Congo to travel up river, visiting the traders and bartering for ivory with the locals.  He soon begins to hear stories about another trader employed by the same Company as himself, named Kurtz, and is given the order to find and recover the man, and secure the inner trading post. Series: Mercury Theater On Air Date: November 6, 1938 Duration: 58:35

Another alternate adaptation of better quality, is from NBC University Theater in 1949, which again, is also available on RUSC - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Mercury Theater on the Air adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Friday 20th March

I didn't realise there was such a day as the International Day of Happiness, but according to www.google.com - today, 20th March 2015, is the day!

Whilst reading more about this special day, I came across the poster (just over to the right there) - and I thought how much it resonates with Joy and myself, and with you - our old time radio listening friends!

"Find time to lose yourself in what you love!"

So, I figured we would move on to a literary classic that is a little more light-hearted today, in celebration of the International Day of Happiness - and who better to be cast in a light-hearted show, than our old favorite Mr Jack Benny!

This is probably not considered to be one of the literary classics, however, anything that was written over one hundred years ago, which can still make folks laugh today, is a classic in my eyes - and I hope yours too!

The story is called Brewster's Millions, written by George Barr McCutcheon (originally published under the pseudonym, Robert Greaves) and it was broadcast in 1939 by Lux Radio Theater.

The story deviates somewhat from the original, but the plot's the same. Here's how it begins...

Jack B Brewster has just inherited a cool million from his uncle Ned and recovers from the shock to discover that his late grandfather has also left him six million dollars!

However there are certain terms and conditions to the will devised to spite his uncle Ned whom his Grandfather despised. 

Brewster has to spend the entire million by the end of the year, have no worldly possessions whatsoever, no cash in his pocket and no more than one suit of clothes. No one must know why he is spending his uncle’s money, he must not spend it recklessly and he must remain single. To break any of the conditions will be to invalidate his Grandfathers will.

There is another version available on RUSC, broadcast by the Old Gold Comedy Theater, which is equally as fun.

I do hope that you'll enjoy listening to either adaptation of Brewster's Millions and that we've spread a little happiness today.

If you want to create more happiness in the world around you, why not share a show with a friend or family member - or give a loved one a gift subscription to RUSC! Lots of people love old time radio shows once they've discovered them, so don't keep RUSC a secret. Tell everyone you know :-)

Brewster's Millions Jack B Brewster has just inherited a cool million from his uncle Ned and recovers from the shock to discover that his late grandfather has also left him six million dollars! However there are certain terms and conditions to the will devised to spite his uncle Ned whom his Grandfather despised. Brewster has to spend the entire million by the end of the year, have no worldly possessions whatsoever, no cash in his pocket and no more than one suit of clothes. No one must know why he is spending his uncle’s money, he must not spend it recklessly and he must remain single - and to break any of the conditions will be to invalidate his Grandfathers will. Series: Lux Radio Theater Date: February 15, 1937 Duration: 58:40

There have been several other dramatizations of Brewster's Millions which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Lux Radio Theater adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Sunday 22nd March

A powerful gripping tale written by Emily Brontë - a girl whose life was as bleak as the sombre Yorkshire Moors where the story is laid.

Her short thirty years was spent in almost cloistered simplicity on the moorlands of Yorkshire, England, yet Emily Brontë's rich and sombre imagination created its own world, and one of the most compelling novels in the English language. 

Wuthering Heights was published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell and is a novel based on a tragic love story, and one bitter man's quest for revenge. 

Set on the moors of Haworth in the North of England during the 19th century, it's really a book of two halves, and is definitely one of those "you'll either love it or you'll hate it" novels, with several of the characters being unlikeable. In fact, some are downright monstrous!

Mr Earnshaw is the master of Wuthering Heights, the farmhouse where the story begins. He is a kindly man, with a bit of a reputation for adopting waifs and strays, after returning from London or Liverpool with surprising additions to the family. 

One of these is Nelly Dean, who became the Earnshaw's trusted housekeeper, but the most upsetting arrival to the household, was a dirty, black haired boy who Mr Earnshaw had picked up from the streets of Liverpool.

Christening the boy Heathcliff, Mr Earnshaw's desire was for him to grow up as a brother to his two children Catherine and Hindley. However, as he grew older, tensions grew between him and his adopted brother Hindley, who had hated him from the very beginning...

Quite the opposite, Catherine has always loved Heathcliff, and as children they were inseparable. But, as an adult she gave up her love and married the prosperous Edgar Linton for wealth and standing in society, even after admitting to Nelly Dean that Heathcliff is the one who she truly loves. Heathcliff overhears some of this conversation, but only the part where Cathy admits that it would degrade her to marry him, and so runs away in despair.

He later returns to live at Wuthering Heights, now a wealthy and educated man, and Cathy is filled with hope that they will rekindle their friendship. She soon learns that things between them have changed, and Heathcliff's mind is set upon destroying all who have wronged him...

	Wuthering Heights - Part 1 of 4 A short thirty years was spent in almost cloistered simplicity on the moorlands of Yorkshire, England, yet Emily Brontë's rich and sombre imagination created its own world, and one of the most compelling novels in the English language. The story begins with Mr Lockwood, a rich man from the south of England who is renting a neighbouring property, who decides to call upon his closest neighbour and landlord, Mr Heathcliff. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: January 2, 1948 Duration: 29:10
	Wuthering Heights - Part 2 of 4 The story continues with Mr Lockwood's fascination with the cold, inscrutable Heathcliff, and his determination to hear the story of the past inhabitants of Wuthering Heights. Luckily, Nelly Dean, the old and trusted housekeeper of the Earnshaw household, is happy to tell Mr Lockwood the story of the life of Cathy, Heathcliff and Hindley. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: January 9, 1948 Duration: 29:17
	Wuthering Heights - Part 3 of 4 Nelly Dean, the housekeeper at Thrushcross Grance, has continued her history of the neighbours of Wuthering Heights and its forbidding master Heathcliff, and of Cathy Earnshaw, who married Edgar Linton and moved from the Heights to the Grange. And not forgetting Isabella Linton, Edgar's sister, who became quite enamoured of the fearsome Heathcliff when he returned to the moorland country... Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: January 16, 1948 Duration: 29:17
	Wuthering Heights - Part 4 of 4 In the final episode, the strange tale which surrounds Wuthering Heights comes to its conclusion from the housekeeper Nelly Dean. Cathy and Edgar's daughter has just entered the world, followed by the birth of Heathcliff and Isabella's son shortly afterwards. Heathcliff's daily tormenting of his wife has finally led to her fleeing to make a new life in the south of England. Series: Worlds Greatest Novels Date: January 23, 1948 Duration: 29:25

There have been several other dramatizations of Wuthering Heights which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the first of the World's Greatest Novels adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Tuesday 24th March

The word classic is easily used, but Farewell To Arms, written in 1929, deserves no lesser epithet.

Love and war - the two special ingredients any writer needs to put together a best seller, and against the mud and dirt of the Italian front in the First World War, Ernest Hemingway managed to tell a story of a love that overcame the dirt and misery of battle.

He formed the basis of this novel from his own harrowing experiences as a World War I ambulance driver in Italy, but if you have ever read an Ernest Hemingway novel, you'll know that he invented a new way of describing physical experiences in his writing, which, instead of overcomplicating the stories, made them easy to read, and brought them alive in your own imagination. He was once quoted as saying:- 

In late 2013, I wrote a short article about the Ford Theater adaptation of A Farewell to Arms, so I hope you'll forgive me for writing about this classic again in 2015.

I really wanted to include it in the RUSC Literary Challenge, as although this story is a magnificent romance it is also an unforgettable commentary on men and women at war. It's one of those unforgettable tales which truly touches your heart.

This faithful adaptation of the Hemingway original, tells the bitter-sweet tale of Lieutenant Frederic Henry of the Italian Ambulance Corps in the first world war. Lieutenant Henry finds himself romancing a young volunteer nurse, Catherine Barkley, working in a services hospital.

The backdrop of war-torn Europe is brought into vivid focus as we hear how the simple act of falling in love is diminished by the horrible reality of fighting a war. After an injury and a spell in hospital Lieutenant Henry receives visits from Catherine. Their love blossoms, and as it does the reality of the danger they live with drives them towards a doomed plan of survival which does not have room for war.

In the end though it is not war that is their undoing but life itself, and therein lies the tragic irony of this tale - that perhaps however far and fast we may run from danger, nothing is ever sure, and there are few paths that can guarantee safe passage.

The story begins in the thick of the action in an ambulance on it’s way to the field hospital. Clark Gable is up front with the driver and on arrival at the hospital he comes face to face with the brunette of his dreams.

Farewell To Arms World War 1 drama taken from Ernest Hemingway's best selling novel of the same name. It begins in the thick of the action in an ambulance on it’s way to the field hospital. Clark Gable is up front with the driver and on arrival at the hospital he comes face to face with the brunette of his dreams. Love and war, the two special ingredients any writer needs to put together a best seller. Series: Lux Radio Theater Date: April 5, 1937 Duration: 58:43

There have been several other dramatizations of A Farewell To Arms which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Lux Radio Theater adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Thursday 26th March

The tenth book in the RUSC Literary Challenge was written by perhaps, the most influential writer in the last century. In fact, some of the terms he coined such as big brother, cold war, thought police, room 101, are all now a part of the English language because of him.

The author I speak of is, of course, George Orwell, and he wrote the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) in 1949. 

I'm sure you noticed the date there? 1949! Already well into the golden era of radio, I think it goes some way to showing how immediate the critical and popular acclaim was for the novel - with NBC University Theater broadcasting their own adaptation of the book the same year that it was published!

The name George Orwell is actually a pseudonym for Eric Arthur Blair, and his life was, in my opinion, absolutely fascinating - albeit incredibly strange. Much like his novels I guess...

After receiving advice early in his career to write his novels using his own experiences, that's ultimately what he did - but these weren't experiences which just 'happened' to him. These were experiences that he 'made' happen. 

In fact, to make sure his experiences were true to life, he put himself right in the thick of it, deciding that to enable him to write about those less fortunate, he would discover for himself the world of poverty, by venturing into the East End of London, and then Paris, dressing as a tramp.

The story Nineteen Eighty-Four is, in a nutshell, pretty strange to say the least! It is the tale of a dystopian society in the future, where everyone is being watched, individualism is persecuted, and the country has been transformed into a totalitarian state.

The adaptation from the Theater Guild on the Air begins on a bright, cold, April day in the year 1984, and the clocks are striking 13. The new way of telling the time of day is the least of the changes in the world. Following a period of war and revolution, the world has been divided into three super dictatorships; Oceania, Eurasia and East Asia, and all three have the same objective - to conquer the rest of the world, and remake human existence according to their theories and formulas.

After the recent World Wars I and II, the terror of communism or totalitarian domination in any form meant that the novel resonated with readers worldwide. In fiction, George Orwell created a picture of what the world could have been like should the totalitarian forces succeed with their plan to become the Earth's masters.

1984 George Orwell's great novel 1984 deals with the most terrifying subject of the news today, the threat to all free men of communism or totalitarian domination in any form. In fiction Orwell creates for us a picture of what life might be should the totalitarian forces succeed with their plan to become the earth's masters. It is fiction that projects in to a kind of prophetic reporting of the future. It is our blessing that we can see it so and thus alert ourselves. Adapted by S. Mark Smith Series: Theater Guild On The Air Date: April 26, 1953 Duration: 51:57

There have been several other dramatizations of 1984 which are available to download or stream online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Theater Guild on the Air adaptation to our Free Downloads page.

Sunday 29th March

For the penultimate RUSC Literary Challenge editorial, I have doubled up a couple of classics, simply because after reading / listening to them, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the two.

Little Women was written by American author, Louisa May Alcott, in 1868, whilst Pride and Prejudice was written by English author, Jane Austen, in 1813.

I remember reading Louisa May Alcott's classic back when I was full of teenage angst and certainly didn't take it seriously. It was not cool for a boy to be interested in a goofy story about women... However it must have sunk in somewhere, as when I listened to Pride and Prejudice, I was reminded of it. 

There are many similarities between the two novels, and although I'd always believed Louisa May Alcott's story to be strongly autobiographical, I wonder if she'd maybe been inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which had been published many years before.

Both of the families were lower middle class, with several daughters who are going through the transition from being young girls to women. At the time of writing both novels, there were still distinct gender constraints, and it was a certain belief widely subscribed to by mothers at the turn of the 18th century that they must do all they can to find suitable husbands for their daughters as soon as they came of age. 

In Mrs Bennett's case, suitable means wealthy. From the outset of the novel, it is clear that it is her single goal in life to set up each of her five daughters with the first wealthy, single man who happens to cross their path.

In Mrs March's case, she also encourages marriage, but advocates an emotional connection, rather than a hefty purse as the recipe for happiness in her four daughters' futures.

For the daughters of both tales, it's a tale of love, family, sisterhood, friendship, and the importance of upbringing which truly develops their individual characters and morality.

Pride and Prejudice One of the greatest love stories of all time, Pride and Prejudice is ageless, for it's hard to imagine a brave new world in which a mother with several daughters will not attempt to find husbands for them. The play is best remembered for the romance of its outspoken heroine, Elizabeth Bennett, whose love for the handsome Mr Darcy hurdles all obstacles. Series: Theater Guild On The Air Date: November 18, 1945 Duration: 56:37

Little Women Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg March are the principle characters in this classic story. Their shy romances and courage in adversity have endeared them to generations of Americans. Little Women is classified as fiction but it is pretty common knowledge that Miss Alcott was writing about her own family and of course in the case of the resolute auburn haired Jo she was writing about herself. This is a very fitting play for Christmas because in tender fashion it’s a simple and eloquent argument for kindness and goodwill. Katherine Hepburn plays the part of Jo reprising her 1933 film role. Series: Theater Guild On The Air Date: December 23, 1945 Duration: 59:17

There have been several other dramatizations of both Little Women, and Pride and Prejudice which are available to download or listen to online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added the Theater Guild on the Air adaptations to our Free Downloads page. 

Wednesday 1st April

It's the final chapter in the RUSC Literary Challenge, but we're finishing with two of my all time favorite childhood books!

Written by Mark Twain, these books had me captivated from the first page. I have fond memories of playing with friends as a child, and always quarrelling over who would play the lead characters in our own adventures...

The mischievous twelve year old boy in our first story had such a wild and vivid imagination that it led to lots of exciting and daring tales.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written in 1876 and it begins in St Petersburg, Missouri, in a graveyard in the dead of night. 

Unlikely friends, Tom Sawyer, the spirited middle class young boy, and Huckleberry 'Huck' Finn, the dirty and frequently homeless son of the town drunk, witness a murder from the darkness, and know that the half breed, 'Injun' Joe has framed his drunken friend Muff Potter for the murder of young Doctor Robinson, that he himself committed. 

Scared of retribution from Injun Joe, will Tom tell what he knows or will he 'keep mum' as he swore he would to Huck that fateful night?

The sequel, published in 1885, was called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and it is ultimately considered to be Mark Twain's masterpiece. The story is told in the first person, by Huck, and follows his life after he escapes his drunken and abusive father's capture, helping an escaped slave called Jim along the way. It's an emotional tale, with many highs and lows in their perilous adventures travelling down the great Mississippi river together on a raft.

Without realising it at the time, the novel taught us young kids so much about society, growing up and moral integrity.
I hope that you've enjoyed the RUSC Literary Challenge as much as I have! I'm pretty sad that it's come to an end, as there are so many more novels I have discovered along the way, but who's to say we can't use them in a future challenge!

	Huckleberry Finn This is an adaptation of the story, written by Mark Twain, of Huckleberry Finn. Following his adventures including; the death of Saga, and, of course, the voyage down the Mississippi on probably the most celebrated raft the world has ever known. Series: Campbell Playhouse Date: November 26, 1939 Duration: 53:29
	Tom Sawyer Part 1 Thomas "Tom" Sawyer is the title character of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by acclaimed author Mark Twain. This first part of two adapted radio shows follows the adventures of Tom and his friend Huckleberry (Huck) Finn. This story revolves round the murder of Dr. Robertson who lies dead in a graveyard in the dark of night and the framing of an innocent man. Huck and Tom who witness it all from the darkness know that Indian 'injun' Joe is framing his drunken friend Muff Potter for the murder he himself committed. Scared of retribution from Joe, will Tom tell what he knows or will he 'keep mum' as he swore he would to Huck that fateful night? Series: American Novels Date: July 18, 1947 Duration: 27:09
	Tom Sawyer Part 2 Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry (Huck) Fin try treasure hunting in an old house late at night and find themselves trapped under some straw when two men arrive... Again the intrepid pair lie silent in the dark as the plot unfolds before them. Who is the man in disguise? Could it be 'Injun' Joe back for revenge and hidden treasure? Listen to part two of this adapted tale to find out what happens and what connects 'Injun' Joe to Tom's prolonged excursion into a local cave.  Series: American Novels Date: July 25, 1947 Duration: 29:16

There have been several other dramatizations of both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn which are available to download or listen to online from the RUSC website - and for anyone who isn't yet a member of RUSC, I have added a couple of adaptations to our Free Downloads page.

Right now, I'm working on the Challenge quiz, so make sure to look out for it next week! 

Friday 3rd April

Phew! It has been a very busy few weeks, but I hope that you've really got your teeth into the task I challenged you with.

Now for the last stage... You guessed it - it's quiz time! 

It's taken me a while to put it together, but the RUSC Literary Challenge Quiz is finally ready, and you can complete it online by clicking on the link below:-

https://www.rusc.com/puzzle.aspx 

And to make it even more exciting... The lucky winner of the quiz will receive one year's free membership to RUSC! This is a quiz to test your knowledge of the literary classics we included in the Challenge over these past weeks. Let's see just how many of the editorials you read, and how many of those wonderful literary classics you listened to! 

But first of all, let me take you back to the Challenge itself and what it involved...

The objective was pretty simple... To become a literary genius by spending one month, learning about a handful of literary classics.

These were all dramas, produced as old time radio shows, and at the end of the month, you would have 'read' more literary classics, than most people would have read in a lifetime, doing something that you already loved doing - listening to old time radio shows!

Both Joy and I have thoroughly enjoyed the Challenge, and we've had some terrific feedback from our RUSC friends. I hope that it has been a fun exercise for you too?

If you'd like to refresh your memory before completing the quiz, head back to the top of this page, which contains all of the literary classics from the Challenge:-

https://www.rusc.com/rusc-literary-challenge.aspx

And here's the link to the quiz again:-

https://www.rusc.com/puzzle.aspx 

The quiz is open to absolutely everyone, so why not share it with a friend or family member. I'm sure that there are lots of people out there who have no idea the pleasures they're missing out on. Everyone loves old time radio shows once they've discovered them, so don't keep RUSC a secret. Tell everyone you know :-)

Happy listening my friends,

Why should yo​u become a member of RUSC?

The RUSC Members' site is jam packed full of everything old time radio related. There are already over 30,000 of the best old time radio shows in standard MP3 format which you can download or listen to online, and my wife Joy and I add new shows six days a week, with a brief review so that you know what you're listening to.

There are many reasons why our members truly enjoy RUSC. For some, it is the amazing variety of shows available - many of which are hard-to-find anywhere on the Web - but on RUSC it's a cinch with our online search.

For others, it's the ease of use, the daily updates, the superb sound quality or the one-click downloading of shows to your PC or Mac. Or maybe it's the ability to be able to queue up shows and play them at your leisure that provides hours of uninterrupted listening. RUSC even remembers which shows you've already listened to or downloaded, so you don't have to! No more wasting time listening to the same show twice...

And that's not all, RUSC members also have access to RUSC mobile for listening on-the-move, regular editorial updates, RUSC Radio Stations (which plays through a gigantic list of old time radio shows in whatever genre you select), fun crosswords and quizzes, videos, and not to mention that all of the shows include heaps of detail, such as running time, size, stars and broadcast information.

Membership is just $7.50 per month (or even less if you choose the quarterly or annual membership).

Join now at www.rusc.com/join.aspx