Enjoy a 4-minute slice of the American experience with over 300 stories from the audio archives of The American Storyteller Radio Journal. Stories can be selected by keyword or topic.

Many stories now have a text version available (with more coming soon). Just look for the icon.

Our Top 20 Favorites

Balto	The wonderful story of "Balto" the sled dog, who led his team through a blizzard to deliver desperately needed medicine to the children of Nome, Alaska.  Text version available
Ada	Nelson's favorite story! Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ada Snyder.  Text version available
Idiots	A great story about the Wright Brothers.  Text version available
Four Chaplains	They gave their life jackets to men who had none, and went down with the ship.  Text version available
Molasses	The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919.  Text version available
Looking for Bill	He owned a gas station in McAlisterville PA.  Text version available
Brownie Wise	A look at the life of Brownie Wise, the marketing genius behind Tupperware.  Text version available
Al Capone	The life story of gangster Al Capone.  Text version available
Cashmere	Nelson accidentally washes Jane's cashmere sweater -- he put it in the dryer too...  Text version available
King Charlie	A story about the millionaire who taught Nelson to drive.  Text version available
Sybil Ludington	She changed the course of history as she rode through the night to warn of a British attack.  Text version available
Staircase	A mysterious stranger wanders out of the desert and builds a staircase for the Sisters of Loretto Chapel.  Text version available
Code	WWII - The US needed an "uncrackable" code. Military turned to the tribesmen of the Navajo nation. Using their native tongue, Navajo code talkers would develop the code credited with winning the war.  Text version available
Kippy	The storekeeper in Nelson's boyhood village.  Text version available
Agnes	The most devastating flood in Pennsylvania history.  Text version available
Silent Night	A WWI story.  Text version available
Feud	Hatfields vs McCoys.  Text version available
Johnny Apple	The life of Johnny Appleseed.  Text version available
Mark Twain	The life of Mark Twain.  Text version available
Handshake	Exploring the origins and the meaning of the good old handshake.  Text version available

Complete Story List:

No.	Story Name	Story Description
321	Orville	The Story of Orville Redenbacher
320	Lola Update	You remember Lola the pampered pit bull who was recued from a Home Depot Parking lot? Well, there's more (good) news.
319	Writers Block	Oh, the dreaded writers block.
318	Calvin	A day in the life of a carpenter.
317	My Bank	Nelson's thinks "bankers hours" should be outlawed.
316	NYC	Nelson "attempts" to bring you the history of NYC.
315	Enza	The flu pandemic of 1918.
314	The Bird	Nelson had to swear off the "good stuff" from here on out, it's diet Coke.
313	Peanut	Nelson finally reveals the funniest man in McAlisterville -- a WWII hero.
312	Hector	The life story of chef Hector Boyardee.
311	Howard Hughes	The life of Howard Hughes.
310	Rambles	One expects opportunity to knock lightly, but sometimes it comes with a ball bat.
309	Retirement	Nelson announces his retirement...not really.
308	Chicago Fire	The story and rebirth of one of the greatest cities in the world.
307	Orphan Train	From the city to the country, tens of thousands of homeless children made their way to new homes via the Orphan Trains.
306	49ers	The Story of the Gold Rush of 1849.
305	Napa	It seemed like such a good idea. A daughter helps her mother to improve her tourist cottage business.
304	Dear Dad Mexico	Another in a series of letter's to Nelson's late father
303	Chicken Corn Soup	Nelson's not-so-secret recipe for Chicken Corn Soup.
302	Sheneenian	The era of Sheena the Wonder Dog.
301	Fish Story	A whale of a tale.
300	Rhyne McCormick	The story of musician Rhyne McCormick.
299	Dear Dad US Air	Another in a series of letters to Nelon's late father.
298	Statue of Liberty	The history of the Statue of Liberty.
297	Alec	The story of Alexander Graham Bell.
296	Dear Dad Spring 06	Another in a series of letters to Nelson's late father.
295	Roseto	The story of the little town of Roseto, PA
294	Frank Lloyd Wright	The story of Frank Lloyd Wright.
293	Dear Dad 2006	Another is a series of letters from Nelson, to his late father.
292	Grandma Moses	The story of American artist, Grandma Moses.
291	Shopping Cart	Nelson challenges an old man in a grocery store...to a scooter race.
290	Common Denominator	A motivational story about what it takes to succeed.
289	Lindbergh	The story of Charles Lindbergh and the flight of the Spirit of St. Louis.
288	John A Marcone	An italian cobbler
287	Lou Ann	It was all just a bad dream.
286	Lucky	The life of Lucky Luciano.
285	Looking for Bill	He owned a gas station in McAlisterville PA.   Text version available
284	Question Part 3	Looking at the life of Ben Franklin.
283	Question Part 2	Looking at the life of Ben Franklin.
282	Question Part 1	Looking at the life of Ben Franklin.
281	Corn	The American Storyteller thinks out loud about...corn.
280	Cool Guy	There are cool guys, and then there are guys like Nelson.
279	Dear Dad	Another in a continuing series of letters to Nelson's late dad.
278	Chris Weller	Oh, she had curves.
277	Cashmere	Nelson accidentally washes Jane's cashmere sweater -- he put it in the dryer too...   Text version available
276	Coach	The American Storyteller has a bit of a hard time sitting on a plane.
275	Rachel	How many photo albums can one person have?
274	American Heroes	American heroes are all around us.
273	Shotgun	The American Storyteller was nothing less than a troubled young man...he reflects upon how his life could have been so much different.
272	Dear Dad Fall 2005	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
271	Needle In The Knee	Nelson's shares his life lesson about procrastination.
270	King	Nelson announces his candidacy for King.
269	Idiots	A great story about the Wright Brothers.   Text version available
268	Person 2005	Our person of the year for 2005 is Harold Giuliani.
267	Wine Club	Nelson has a confession to make.
266	Shin Bone	30 years later, Nelson meets up with the guy who bullied him as a kid.
265	Tickbite	A streak of bad luck.
264	Goldielock	The Goldilocks story nobody ever told you.
263	Brownie Wise	A look at the life of Brownie Wise, the marketing genius behind Tupperware.   Text version available
262	Jack Cuvo	Jack Cuvo is illegally targeted by the Easton PA Police Department
261	Emmett Till	Historical account of the murder of Emmett Till.
260	Dolly	Nelson meets an 84 year old hitchhiker.
259	Dear Dad Spring 2005	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
258	Bataan	The story of the "Bataan Death March" of World War II.
257	Origins	Origins of many of the words we use.
256	Germs	Nelson is a germ-a-phobe.
255	Dear Dad #7	Another Letter to Nelson's late father.
254	Miracle League	A baseball league for handicapped kids!
253	Lintball	Nelson is looking for a hobby.
252	Pickle Jar	Your time management problems are over!
251	Handshake	Exploring the origins and the meaning of the good old handshake.   Text version available
250	Roses Main Street Cafe	Nelson finds the best little restaurant.
249	Dear Dad #6	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
248	Molasses	The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919.   Text version available
247	Conundrum	Nelson sucks a ladybug up in the sweeper by accident.
246	Person 2004	Wow! Nelson Meets George B Kitchen.
245	Best / Worst	Nelson will tell you "It's the best/worst thing in the world".
244	Snydersville Diner	Nelson Finds a great roadside diner.
243	Rudolph	The "Real" Story behind Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
242	Winchester House	The "Haunted" Mansion of Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester Rifle Fortune.
241	Jewel Thief	The story of the most celebrated jewel thief in history.
240	Barber Pete	Nelson finds the best barber in the world.
239	Mission Organization	Nelson is just too organized...most of the time.
238	Ranger	Nelson gets a new truck. But what about the old one?
237	War Of 1812 part #2	A look at the War of 1812.
236	War Of 1812 part #1	A look at the War of 1812.
235	Dear Dad #5	Another in a series of continuing stories to Nelson's late father.
234	Best Dad	The story of the best dad that never was.
233	I Remember	Nelson remembers lots of stuff.
232	Marta	Marta Becket, a New York dancer, does the unthinkable. She restores a theater in an old ghost town. It's a business proposition doomed to fail.
231	Million Dollar Hotdog	Nelson finds the only hot dogs good enough to be dubbed "Million Dollar Hotdog".
230	Thomas Jefferson	Jefferson was a slave owner "opposed" to slavery. Nelson explores the subject.
229	Chief	Nelson tells a big FIB, but it's a fun FIB.
228	Jefferson Adams	A look at the friendship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
227	Dale Carnegie	Nelson takes the Dale Carnegie course and amazing things happen.
226	Molly Maguires	Coal miners from PA form the first labor union, and are hanged as a result.
225	Jim Thorpe	The story of a little town named Jim Thorpe, PA, and how they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.
224	Monopoly Kid 16 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
223	Monopoly Kid 15 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
222	Monopoly Kid 14 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
221	Monopoly Kid 13 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
220	Monopoly Kid 12 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
219	Monopoly Kid 11 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
218	Monopoly Kid 10 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
217	Monopoly Kid 09 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
216	Monopoly Kid 08 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
215	Monopoly Kid 07 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
214	Monopoly Kid 06 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
213	Monopoly Kid 05 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told
212	Monopoly Kid 04 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
211	Monopoly Kid 03 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
210	Monopoly Kid 02 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
209	Monopoly Kid 01 of 16	A sixteen part story! Simply the best story Nelson has ever told.
208	Will Rogers	Nobody could or would say it like Will Rogers said it.
207	Rachel Posey	The life of Mrs. Rachel Posey.
206	Million Dollar Coffee	No one can make coffee like the "ever lovely Miss Jane" can make coffee! Just ask Nelson.
205	Walter Dunn	Walter Dunn was the oldest man in Nelson's hometown.
204	Alarm Clock	Nelson no longer uses his alarm clock...and for good reason.
203	Superman vs. Batman	We took a survey. Who do people think is cooler -- Batman or Superman?
202	Shirley	Shirley owned the restaurant in Nelson's hometown.
201	Miranda	The origins of "Miranda Rights".
200	Mark Twain	The life of Mark Twain.   Text version available
199	Lola	The story of a rescued pit bull.
198	Helen Keller	The life story of Helen Keller.
197	Dear Dad #4	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
196	Al Capone	The life story of gangster Al Capone.   Text version available
195	Women	A story about the day Nelson figured out women - just a few years back, on Valentine's Day.
194	Seven	Nelson's nephew Zane turns seven, but wants to go back to six.
193	Mother Teresa	The life of Mother Teresa.
192	Wade	Meet a small town dentist.
191	The Man	He simply stopped to ask directions. A powerful story.
190	Johnny Apple	The life of Johnny Appleseed.   Text version available
189	Wire Hangers	A story about coat hangers.
188	Goodling	Nelson visits the family of a late childhood friend.
187	They	You know what "They" say, don't you?
186	Hercules	The slave who was George Washington's personal chef.
185	Letters	Two letters.
184	Doctor	A man sues his doctor for making him wait, and wins.
183	Drug Dealer	A story about gossip.
182	Emperor	An eccentric old gentleman appoints himself Emperor of America.
181	Liberty	Over 200 years ago, slave quarters stood at what is now the entrance to the new Liberty Bell Center.
180	Carport	Who would have ever "thunk" it. Nelson can even make a story out of his carport.
179	Rose	It was the great depression and luxuries were few and far between. The thought of having a rose garden seemed like a folly. It was a dream come true for Grandma Ruth.
178	Dear Dad #3	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
177	King Charlie	A story about the millionaire who taught Nelson to drive.   Text version available
176	Moe	A WWII veteran.
175	Best Day	Nelson returns to the high school where he had been labeled as "hopeless", to speak about finding success in life.
174	Miss Mary	Nelson goes to vacation Bible school. Of course he gets in big trouble.
173	Byron	Prison break.
172	Suzuki	Young Nelson gets a mini bike.
171	Halloween	A story from Nelson's mischievous childhood.
170	Service	Nelson rants about poor service.
169	Faceman	Bob Barron makes prosthetic faces.
168	Superman	The hilarious story about Nelson, age four, and his Superman suit.
167	Charles Pike	The story of a young inventor.
166	War Of The Worlds	A look at Orson Welles' broadcast of "The War of the Worlds".
165	Bottle	A young boy throws a bottle with a message in the ocean.
164	Wes	An old hermit who had been taunted by neighborhood children leaves millions to build a park for the kids.
163	The Plan	The story of a control freak.
162	Jello	The history of Jell-O.
161	Feud	Hatfields vs McCoys.   Text version available
160	Prison Pups	The fabulous story of how prison inmates are training dogs to aid the disabled.
159	Gala Event	Nelson's mom gets the first microwave oven in town.
158	Jack	A man who talked about the future.
157	Duel	Burr vs Hamilton.
156	Birds & Bees	As a kid, Nelson's dad sat him down for "the talk". Then Nelson told everyone else in town. McAlisterville was in an uproar.
155	Two For One	Two stories in one.
154	Spider	Nelson befriends a spider.
153	Nice People	Nelson meets many nice people on a trip to Nashville.
152	Teacher	A frightening story about a man who shouldn't have been a teacher.
151	Ladybug	A great dog rescue story.
150	Funny Laws	Funny laws still on the books.
149	Young Scientist	As kids growing up, Nelson and his brother were into everything!
148	Sheena	The best dog ever.
147	Gerald	The story of a WWII veteran.
146	Wobbly	Everyone has been saying for years, "That old wobbly barn is going to fall down any day now".
145	Prince	An interesting man who lived in a world of his own.
144	Church Bloopers	Hilarious bloopers from church bulletins.
143	Jersey Leonard	Kindness in a small town.
142	Gene Seymour	The story of a hero who almost lost his job for saving someone's life.
141	Critter Rescue	Two animal rescue stories.
140	Town Names	Funny town names.
139	Booker	Booker T. Washington
138	Bruce 2 of 2	A great story of forgiveness.
137	Bruce 1 of 2	A great story of forgiveness.
136	Famous Lady	The US Flag.
135	Bride Beware	He told her the diamond was real.
134	Father Bill	The story of a thrifty Catholic priest.
133	Frozen Dead Guy	Nederland, Colorado holds a festival every winter called "Frozen Dead Guy Days".
132	Spielberg	Steven Spielberg's life story.
131	A-plus	A young man takes his school to court to have his A turned into an A plus.
130	Tomato Jim	The story of an honest mechanic.
129	Ada Update	An update on story #49 - Ada.
128	Gas Station	Nelson remembers his days as a boy working in a gas station.
127	Wings	The origin of the Wings of Kindness Foundation.
126	Feast	Nelson's family gathers on the mountain for the annual seafood feast.
125	Stuff #4	Trivia
124	Bubbles	Nelson, age five, meets a pretty girl.
123	Who Says	A great story about determination.
122	Curse	A lady from Nelson's home town places a curse on him.
121	Smithson	The origins of the Smithsonian Institute.
120	Gertrude	A profile of the life of Gertrude Janeway, who married a civil war veteran, many years her senior.
119	Choice	George Washington's choice changed the course of American history.
118	Letter To Santa	Not appropriate for young listeners.
117	Garlic Salad	Nelson's recurring dream.
116	Silent Night	A WWI Story.   Text version available
115	Snow	Nelson loves snow...
114	Dr Sarno	An MD from New York City helps millions with back pain.
113	Hook	An interesting truck driver.
112	Real Names #1	The real names of celebrities.
111	Ruth	Nelson's grandma.
110	Rocket	Nelson's terminally ill brother builds a rocket.
109	Calendars	What some people will do the raise money for charity.
108	Agnes	The most devastating flood in Pennsylvania history.   Text version available
107	Dear Dad #2	Another letter to Nelson's late father.
106	Facts	Trivia.
105	Ford Sign	Nelson sells an old sign on Ebay for over $4000.
104	Lady In Red	The John Dillinger story.
103	Man In Black	The funeral director in Nelson's boyhood village.
102	Doc	Old Doc Yoder was Nelson's doctor when he was a kid.
101	Dandelion	An interesting lady.
100	The Rain Dancer	A strange man comes to town.
99	Lucky Penny	A WWI story.
98	Kippy	The storekeeper in Nelson's boyhood village.   Text version available
97	Clarence	16 year old Nelson has a run in with a cop named Clarence.
96	Haney	What stress can do to a person.
95	Nothing	Nelson couldn't find anything to write about on this day so he wrote about "nothing".
94	Hell	John Colter discovers the Yellowstone area. Other mountain men called it "Colter's Hell".
93	Clippings	A story about self-esteem.
92	Piney Woods	A black man is about to be lynched, but he convinces his would be murderers to spare his life.
91	Old John	An interesting old man.
90	Valera	She had no family and when she died, she left millions to her little village.
89	The Box	An Abraham Lincoln story.
88	Carpet	As a kid, Nelson spills spaghetti on his mom's new carpet. In a panic, he sucks it up with the sweeper.
87	Kirkland	A Civil War story.
86	Rocky	Rocky receives the National Hero Dog Award.
85	Nathaniel	Nat King Cole.
84	Four Chaplains	They gave their life jackets to men who had none, and went down with the ship.   Text version available
83	Edward	King Edward of England abdicates the throne so as to marry a commoner.
82	Bobby the Dog	The story of a very loyal little dog.
81	Andrew	President Andrew Johnson.
80	Ukrop	A story about the Ukrop grocery store chain.
79	Landlord	A landlord tries to push a tenant around.
78	Language	A look at the American dialect.
77	Cool Broad	As a youth, Nelson has a run-in with the law. He must appear before the Honorable Marian S. Mertz.
76	Numbers	Trivia about numbers.
75	Basement	Nelson finds an Italian restaurant hidden in the basement of a country store.
74	Love	A Civil War story.
73	Nelson	How Nelson got his name.
72	Grandma	Nelson talks about his grandma.
71	Jakes Diary	A reading from the diary of a Civil War soldier.
70	Scrapple Man	The Scrapple Man delivers in the dark of the night.
69	30 Years 2 of 2	A man is sent to prison for a murder he didn't commit.
68	30 Years 1 of 2	A man is sent to prison for a murder he didn't commit
67	Steve	Steve Jobs of Apple Computer.
66	Incident	We can't even begin to describe what happens...
65	You	Nelson demonstrates how important his listeners are to him.
64	Vashti	A woman who took in many, many foster children.
63	Milton	The life story of candy maker Milton S. Hershey.
62	Joanne	Nelson's friend JoAnne, a lady who uses a wheelchair, carries the Olympic Torch.
61	Forgotten War	The Korean War.
60	Leiby 4 of 4	Nelson liberates an old lady from a nursing home and takes her to visit the mansion where she was a housekeeper. She hasn't seen the place in 50 years.
59	Leiby 3 of 4	Nelson liberates an old lady from a nursing home and takes her to visit the mansion where she was a housekeeper. She hasn't seen the place in 50 years.
58	Leiby 2 of 4	Nelson liberates an old lady from a nursing home and takes her to visit the mansion where she was a housekeeper. She hasn't seen the place in 50 years.
57	Leiby 1 of 4	Nelson liberates an old lady from a nursing home and takes her to visit the mansion where she was a housekeeper. She hasn't seen the place in 50 years.
56	TJ	A little girl named TJ grew up during the Great Depression.
55	White House	First Lady, Dolly Madison escapes into the nearby woods as the British burn the White House during the War of 1812.   Text version available
54	Old Ladies Man	Nelson's dad loved to make old ladies smile.   Text version available
53	Piper	A bagpiper goes ashore with Allied troops at Normandy.   Text version available
52	Six	Nelson remembers what it was like to be six.   Text version available
51	Admiral	Nelson's father rescues a prisoner of war during WWII.   Text version available
50	Stuff #3	Trivia.   Text version available
49	Ada	Nelson's favorite story. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ada Snyder!   Text version available
48	Time	A look at how we keep time.   Text version available
47	Dogood	The life story of Ben Franklin.   Text version available
46	Code	WWII - The US needed an "uncrackable" code. Military turned to the tribesmen of the Navajo nation. Using their native tongue, Navajo code talkers would develop the code credited with winning the war.   Text version available
45	Cityboys	City boys come to Juniata County and pick a fight.   Text version available
44	Can Man	Nelson meets an old man who makes ends meet by picking up aluminum cans.   Text version available
43	Bigfoot	The Mayor of Nelson's home town is the son of Bigfoot! At least that's what Nelson says.    Text version available
42	Hero	A story about Nelson's biggest hero, Abraham Lincoln.   Text version available
41	Stuff #2	Trivia.   Text version available
40	Grandpa	Nelson talks about his Grandpa, and his introduction to the "old man on the hill."   Text version available
39	George	George Washington   Text version available
38	Civil War	Civil War discussion.   Text version available
37	Squirt Gun	From Nelson's days as a school bus driver.   Text version available
36	Staircase	A mysterious stranger wanders out of the desert and builds a staircase for the Sisters of Loretto Chapel.   Text version available
35	Trucker	Nelson helps out a truck driver stranded in a blizzard. They become life-long friends.   Text version available
34	General	Nelson's father is chosen from hundreds of soldiers to have Christmas dinner with the General and his family during WWII.   Text version available
33	Melissa	Nelson meets a girl on a plane.   Text version available
32	Chelsea	Because of a rare disorder, she could not smile until surgery made it possible.   Text version available
31	Billy	President William McKinley.   Text version available
30	Schools	Another look at school violence.   Text version available
29	Chinese Food	Nelson becomes friends with a great Chinese family. Listen to the story of how Nelson got the moniker "The American Storyteller."   Text version available
28	Bdays	Birthdays.   Text version available
27	Nic 2 of 2	A story about organ donation.   Text version available
26	Nic 1 of 2	A story about organ donation.   Text version available
25	Town	Nelson talks about the town he lives in.   Text version available
24	Hobo	Nelson meets a 90 something year old hobo.   Text version available
23	TR	The life story of Teddy Roosevelt.   Text version available
22	Miss Carleen	A nice lady with a "heart of gold".   Text version available
21	Tubman	Harriet Ross Tubman of the Underground Railroad.   Text version available
20	Dee	As a boy Nelson loved her but never had the courage to tell her.   Text version available
19	Bobby	Not appropriate for all ages. You will laugh out loud.   Text version available
18	Stuff #1	Trivia.   Text version available
17	Dear Dad	A letter from Nelson to his late father.   Text version available
16	Whitey	A fellow in Nelson's home town in the 1970's.   Text version available
15	America	From its beginnings.   Text version available
14	Rosa	The courageous Rosa Parks story.   Text version available
13	Harry	He was a "poor looking" hermit with millions. Nelson knew him better than anyone.   Text version available
12	Elmer	A young man who overcame serious self-esteem issues and went on to become a US Senator.   Text version available
11	Bus Christmas	The very first story Nelson ever "wrote" - even before The American Storyteller series.   Text version available
10	Uncle Roy	He was shot down behind German lines and escaped!   Text version available
9	Jefferson	A wonderful story about Thomas Jefferson.   Text version available
8	Merle	The story of an Army Ranger left for dead during the Korean War.
7	Callie	Old Callie Arnold owned a country store when Nelson was a kid.   Text version available
6	Artist	The story of Mike Platzer, a quadriplegic who paints with a brush in his mouth.   Text version available
5	Old Salts	A group of elderly gentlemen sail a rusted WWII warship from Greece to the US, and turn it into a floating museum.   Text version available
4	Funny Man	Nobody knew! The funniest man in town was a World War II hero, with 5 Bronze Stars for bravery.   Text version available
3	Sybil Ludington	She changed the course of history as she rode through the night to warn of a British attack.