Series: the memory palace

Produced by Nate DiMeo

Series image

the memory palace is a series of short, surprising history stories from veteran producer, Nate DiMeo. Each episode tells the story of a forgotten moment or figure from the past or asks us to remember the reality behind history's more familiar facts and faces. New episodes posted every ten days or so here, on iTunes, and at thememorypalace.us

the memory palace is a podcast from public radio producer, Nate DiMeo. Each week or two, you get new, pointedly short, surprising stories about the past. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often an wonderful mix of both, each episode aims to be the best kind of day-changing, watercooler story. For history buffs, fact-fans, fans of This American Life, RadioLab, perhaps even, The Writer's Almanac.

Episodes vary between the short (under 6 minutes) to the very short (under 2). Perfect for newscast, Morning Edition, and ATC drop ins. Nate's happy to discuss tailoring length's to best meet programming needs and ramping up production as necessary. Contact him at nate@thememorypalace.us with any questions. Visit thememorypalace.us for archives and the like.

Nate DiMeo reports regularly for national broadcasts of ATC and Morning Edition. He's been an editor and producer at Marketplace, was one of the founding producers of NPR/WBUR's On Point and WRNI's late-and-not-particularly-lamented, One Union Station. He Live is Los Angeles.

Read an interview about the series at the Third Coast Festival website (http://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/behind_scenes_natedimeo.asp).

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the memory palace is a podcast from public radio producer, Nate DiMeo. Each week or two, you get new, pointedly short, surprising stories about the past. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often an wonderful mix of both, each episode aims to be the best kind of day-changing, watercooler story. For history buffs, fact-fans, fans of This American Life, RadioLab, perhaps even, The Writer's Almanac. Episodes vary between the short (under 6 minutes) to the very short (under 2). Perfect for newscast, Morning Edition, and ATC drop ins. Nate's happy to discuss tailoring length's to best meet programming needs and ramping up production as necessary. Contact him at nate@thememorypalace.us with any questions. Visit thememorypalace.us for archives and the like. Nate DiMeo... Show full description


29 pieces

Order by: Default | Newest First | Oldest First
episode 32 (gigantic)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear the fascinating (and sad) story of the first elephant brought to America. And the man who loved her.

Bought by KUT, KXOT Public Radio, and REMIX


  • Added: Jul 06, 2010
  • Length: 00:06:54
  • Licenses: 3
episode 31 (looking up)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which people party like it's 1999 back in 1910. A postcard from the roof of the Waldorf-Astoria 90 years ago. The place to be as Halley's Comet...

Bought by KUT and REMIX


  • Added: Jun 17, 2010
  • Length: 00:04:29
  • Licenses: 2
episode 30 (nee weinberg)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear about a great American imposter: the serial pretender, Stanley Clifford Weyman. An average guy from Brooklyn determined to live a...

Bought by KUT, REMIX, WILL, and KUOW


  • Added: May 12, 2010
  • Length: 00:08:48
  • Licenses: 4
episode 28 (babysitting)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which we hear the story of Don Hornig. A 25 year old scientist asked to babysit the A-Bomb during the night before the Trinity test changed eve...

Bought by KUT, REMIX, WILL, and KUOW


  • Added: Apr 02, 2010
  • Length: 00:04:53
  • Licenses: 4
episode 26 (citius, altius, fortius, horrendius)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which we here the outrageous story of the third olympic marathon--the first event of the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.

Bought by REMIX, KFAI, KUT, and WILL


  • Added: Feb 25, 2010
  • Length: 00:06:56
  • Licenses: 4
you know you're sick
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear the outrageous story Dr. John R. Brinkley, perhaps the greatest and, simultaneously, worst radio pitch man of all time. Made mill...

Bought by REMIX and KUT


  • Added: Jan 28, 2010
  • Length: 00:05:25
  • Licenses: 2
(the moon in the sun)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which we learn of a series of articles that appeared in the New York Sun in 1835 that purported to tell a true account of recent discoveries of ...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, and KUOW


  • Added: Jan 19, 2010
  • Length: 00:05:23
  • Licenses: 3
episode 23 (400 words for 79th street)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear the incredible (and incredibly sad) tale of Minik Wallace, an inuit boy who, at the age of seven, was taken to Manhattan to be stu...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, KFAI, WILL, and KUOW


  • Added: Dec 11, 2009
  • Length: 00:05:53
  • Licenses: 5
dam!
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear about a beautiful and sort of ridiculous monument at the Hoover Dam that goes to astronomical lengths to commemorate the makers of...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, and WILL


  • Added: Sep 30, 2009
  • Length: 00:03:42
  • Licenses: 3
plummeting approval
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear the story of Sam Patch who went from working in the mills of early 19th century Rhode Island and New Jersey to become America's fi...

Bought by KRUA, REMIX, KUT, KFAI, WILL and more


  • Added: Aug 14, 2009
  • Length: 00:05:02
  • Licenses: 7
the saddest president
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which we hear the tale of Franklin Pierce. One of our worst Presidents, but, hands down, the saddest guy to ever hold the office.

Bought by REMIX, KFAI, and KUT


  • Added: Jun 11, 2009
  • Length: 00:03:21
  • Licenses: 3
horrible deaths
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which we learn about the New York Times' faded inclination to write stories that highlight "horrible deaths"--news of industrial accidents and o...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, and KFAI


  • Added: Jun 09, 2009
  • Length: 00:04:41
  • Licenses: 3
lost pigeons
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which the passenger pigeon dwindles from 5 billion strong in the first quarter of the 19th Century down to one lonely widow in the Cincinnati Zo...

Bought by REMIX and KUT


  • Added: Jun 09, 2009
  • Length: 00:02:54
  • Licenses: 2
high societies
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which we hear three brief tales of societies under the influence: Europeans in the Middle Ages perpetually sauced, an artistic revolution in the...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, and Marfa Public Radio


  • Added: Jun 09, 2009
  • Length: 00:03:14
  • Licenses: 3
the world within the world
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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in which a NYU PhD candidate's studies go off the rails sending him on a lonely quest to prove the world is hollow.

Bought by REMIX, KUT, KUOW, and Third Coast Festival/Re:sound


  • Added: Jun 09, 2009
  • Length: 00:05:21
  • Licenses: 4
the brothers booth
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
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In which the most famous actor in America mounts a comeback after his little brother shoots Abraham Lincoln.

Bought by KUOW, REMIX, and KUT


  • Added: Jun 08, 2009
  • Length: 00:05:16
  • Licenses: 3
"these words, forever"
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which Guglielmo Marconi, the Father of Radio, dreams of a super radio that would allow him to hear every sound ever made. Melancholy ensues.

Bought by REMIX, KUT, KFAI, and KUOW


  • Added: Jun 08, 2009
  • Length: 00:03:17
  • Licenses: 4
oh my! (lions & terriers & bears)
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
A postcard of the Central Park Zoo during the height of the Great Depression.

Bought by REMIX and KUT


  • Added: Jun 08, 2009
  • Length: 00:02:50
  • Licenses: 2
ben franklin death ray
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which all the cool facts about Ben Franklin's life are trumped by the time the British became convinced that he was going to arm the French with...

Bought by REMIX, KUT, and Marfa Public Radio


  • Added: Jun 08, 2009
  • Length: 00:02:21
  • Licenses: 3
itty bitty bombs
Series: the memory palace
From Nate DiMeo
Piece image
in which a vacationing dentist watches bats stream out of Carlsbad Cavern on the day Pearl Harbor is attacked and hatches an outrageous plan to des...

Bought by REMIX and KUT


  • Added: Jun 08, 2009
  • Length: 00:02:54
  • Licenses: 2

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