Boring Books for Bedtime Readings to Help You Sleep

Sharon Handy

  • 56 minutes 59 seconds
    Wintering in the Riviera, by William J. Miller, Part 1

    Let's set sail for warm winter nights with a new (well, "new") travel book. In this first reading, thoughts on speaking the language, the best travel guides, the importance of strong luggage and a corkscrew, and how overpacking and Italian water are best avoided. Bon voyage!

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    Read "Wintering in the Riviera" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/47463

    Music: "Calling to Other Worlds," by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    15 December 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 42 seconds
    An Account of Egypt, by Herodotus, Part 3

    Let's return to the sands of sleep with this absolutely, totally true, not at all exaggerated account of Egypt. This time, a ramble connecting Greek gods to Egypt, a fabled labyrinth and lake all lost to time, and the tale of twelve kings accidentally undone by a hat. How could you doubt it?

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    Read "An Account of Egypt" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2131

    Music: "Cosmic Tingles," by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    8 December 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 53 minutes 33 seconds
    Our Cats and All About Them, by Harrison Weir, Part 4

    Let's fall asleep to more about the masters of relaxation, cats. This time, the unfairly maligned black, the beautiful blue, black-and-white versus white-and-black, the treasured Siamese, and the mystery of tailless cats. Also, an admonition to read cat show rules and a rumination on surrounding yourself with beauty. Good advice!

    Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! All December supporters will be entered into our Annual Holiday Giveaway at the end of the month!

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    Read "Our Cats and All About Them" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35450

    Music: "Heaven Be Here," by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    1 December 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 44 minutes 41 seconds
    Life on a Medieval Barony, by William Stearns Davis, Part 1

    Let's sink into slumber with this dreamy description of life in medieval France circa 1220. This time, the background of the barony in question and the somewhat circuitous route of acquisition by its ruling family. Spoiler alert, not wandering off for years on a crusade seems to help with the whole "keeping your property" thing.

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    Read "Life on a Medieval Barony" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46455

    Music: "Dream Colours," by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    24 November 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 48 minutes 5 seconds
    Farm Engines and How To Run Them, by James H. Stephenson, Part 7

    Let's relax to yet more information about steam engines, their types, and how their valves work, followed immediately by a glowing description of the newfangled gasoline engine that makes all the previous hours of steam engine learning a bit . . . pointless? Well, it helped us sleep, I guess.

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    Read "Farm Engines and How to Run Them" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43867

    Music: "Exit Exit" by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    17 November 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 58 minutes 31 seconds
    Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes, by Robert Louis Stevenson, Part 4

    Let's return to the mountains of France with this wonderful author and his rather opinionated companion. This time, we ponder the phenomenon of waking in the deep dark of night, the pleasure of sleeping outdoors, the prettiness of a barmaid who doesn't give our author the time of day, and the perils of religious fervor. Variety indeed!

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    Read "Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/535

    Music: "earth 2 earth" by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    10 November 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 12 seconds
    The Compleat Angler, by Isaak Walton, Part 1

    Let's cast our lines into the river of relaxation with this classic about the art of fishing. This time, we begin with a conversation between a hunter, a falconer, and an angler about the relative superiority of their professions. But first, an overwrought patron dedication and lengthy, self-deprecating epistle to the reader, in perfect 17th century style. Deliciously dull!

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    Read "The Compleat Angler" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/683

    Music: "Ocean Tapping" by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    3 November 2025, 11:00 am
  • 57 minutes 42 seconds
    1921 Sears Roebuck and Co. Modern Homes Catalog (Part 2)

    Let's celebrate our seventh anniversary with more from this catalog of lovely, affordable homes, a dream indeed, and all certified by a team of women as perfect in every detail. But first, some very thorough assurances that these plans are entirely satisfactory or your money back. Guaranteed!

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    Read "1921 Sears Roebuck & Co. Modern Homes Catalog" at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/honorbiltmodernh00sear/mode/2up?

    Music: "Heaven Be Here," by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    27 October 2025, 11:00 am
  • 55 minutes 30 seconds
    Etiquette, by Emily Post, Part 8 - Servants

    Let's relax with more from this classic of classy behavior, and learn about the roles of servants in a good household. What they do, what they wear, and how to pronounce val-et, which your reader corrects upon reading this. Whoops! Also, once again, we learn that treating workers with respect is the highest mark of class. Facts.

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    Read "Etiquette" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14314

    Music: "Boring Books for Bedtime," by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    20 October 2025, 11:00 am
  • 44 minutes 38 seconds
    Where the Forest Murmurs, by Fiona Macleod, Part 2

    Let's return to relaxation with two more essays about nature from this lovely work. This time, the magical peace of still waters framed by the changing leaves of autumn, and the almost universal reverence for the Pleiades, quiet heralds of November. Enjoy!

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    Read "Where the Forest Murmurs" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/70192

    Music: "Watching Whales on the Moon," by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://leerosevere.bandcamp.com

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    13 October 2025, 11:00 am
  • 53 minutes 39 seconds
    The Evolution of Modern Orchestration, by Louis A. Coerne, Part 1

    Let's sleep to sonorous notes about the history of the modern orchestra. This time, we work our way forward from antiquity, ponder the parallel musical tracks of church and village, and name a lot of instruments that most today have never heard of, like the crwth. Yes, that's a real thing.

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    Read "The Evolution of Modern Orchestra" at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/49747

    Music: "earth 2 earth," by PC III, licensed under CC BY

    If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading for soft-spoken relaxation to help you overcome insomnia, anxiety and other sleep issues, connect on our website, https://www.boringbookspod.com.

    6 October 2025, 11:00 am
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