Boring Books for Bedtime Readings to Help You Sleep
288 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 349 ratingsBoring Books for Bedtime is a weekly sleep podcast in which we calmly, quietly read something rather boring to silence the brain chatter keeping you awake. Think Aristotle, Thoreau, and whoever wrote the 1897 Sears Catalog—mostly nonfiction, mostly old, a perfect blend of vaguely-but-not-too interesting.
If you're on Team Sleepless, lie back, take a deep breath, and let us read you to rest.
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Episodes
Mars and Its Canals, by Percival Lowell, Part 3
April 08, 2024 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47 MBLet’s return to this sleep-inducing exploration, and speculation, about the Red Planet. This time, we learn about seasonal fluctuations of the poles and how they do or don’t mirror our own. Which is exactly as interesting as it sounds. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Mars and Its Canals” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/47015 ...
Practical Mind Reading, by William Walker Atkinson, Part 3 (Conclusion)
April 01, 2024 11:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBLet’s find our mental rapport with sleep as we conclude this, uh, scientific guide to mind reading, learn how to find cards and drive a wagon while blindfolded, and discover how naughty charlatans dupe the public. Fake mind readers, you say? Impossible! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Practical Mind Reading” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenbe...
The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith, Part 3
March 25, 2024 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBLet’s spend our way to sleep as we learn more about the concept of value, why pounds are silver instead of gold, and how rent should be charged in corn rather than coin. Truly priceless boredom! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Wealth of Nations” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3300 Music: "earth 2 earth,” by PC III, l...
Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance of 1921, Part 4
March 18, 2024 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45 MBLet’s climb the slopes of sleep as we continue this history-making journey to study the world’s mightiest mountain. This time, our yaks run wild, we eat dumplings, cross quicksand, and take the first photo of a lama. Dreamy adventure awaits! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance, 1921” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gut...
Cassell's Book of Birds, Part 5 - Parrots Continued
March 11, 2024 11:00 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBLet’s fly away to sleep with more about beautiful birds and that fantastic family of feathered friends, the parrots. This time, we marvel at lovebirds, cockatoos, and the curious kakapo. Adorable! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Cassell’s Book of Birds, Volume 1” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48675 Music: "Ocean Tapping...
Science in the Kitchen, by Mrs. E.E. Kellogg, Part 1
March 04, 2024 12:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBLet’s relax and sleep as one of the Kellogg clan takes the fun out of food through a heady combination of 19th-century food chemistry and moralizing about the perils of spices. Lovers of flavor beware! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Science in the Kitchen” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12238 Music: "Boring Books for Be...
The Problems of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell, Part 3
February 26, 2024 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBLet’s calm our minds and relax with more deep thoughts about the nature of reality, what knowledge is, whether the past exists at all, and why the sun may not rise tomorrow. It probably will, though, so not to worry. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Problems of Philosophy” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5827 Music: "B...
Cottages; or Hints on Economical Building, Part 2
February 19, 2024 12:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBLet’s relax with more advice about building cozy cottages, decorating with simplicity and style, and how to dig a well that doesn’t fill with poisonous sewage. Which…seems like a good idea, really. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Cottages; or Hints on Economical Building” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67922 Music: "Heav...
On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin, Part 5
February 12, 2024 12:00 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBIn our annual celebration of Darwin Day, let’s enjoy a relaxing read from this foundational text of science. This time, we finally get to natural selection, what it is, what it isn’t, and why birds are so very, very pretty. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “On the Origin of Species” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1228 Musi...
The Voyage of The Bounty to the South Sea, by William Bligh, Part 2
February 05, 2024 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBLet’s continue the infamous voyage of HMS Bounty, which so far isn’t too exciting. This time, lots of latitude and longitude marking, Fletcher Christian gets a promotion, we see a whale, and the attempt to round Cape Horn is...something less than successful. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Voyage of The Bounty to the South Sea” at Project Gutenbe...
Bicycling for Ladies, by Maria E. Ward, Part 3
January 29, 2024 12:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBLet’s relax and sleep to advice about the latest fad, bicycling! We learn the art of efficient pedaling, passing safely, and climbing a hill with power and ease. Don’t forget to pack your butter sandwiches. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Bicycling for Ladies” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62227 Music: "Heaven Be Here,”...
Astronomy for Young Folks, by Isabel Martin Lewis, Part 8
January 22, 2024 12:00 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBTonight, we relax and sleep with knowledge about Earth’s magnetism, why the sky is blue, how rainbows happen, and the origin of auroras that paint northern and southern skies. Lovely! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Astronomy for Young Folks” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45112 Music: "Exit Exit,” by PC III, licensed un...
A Short History of the World, by H.G. Wells, Part 7
January 15, 2024 12:00 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBIn tonight’s relaxing read, we cover the philosophies of Buddha, Confucius, and Lao Tse, then swing back to the origins of the Roman Empire, all in less than an hour. Short history indeed! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “A Short History of the World” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35461 Music: "Cosmic Tingles,” by Lee Ro...
Our Cats and All About Them, by Harrison Weir, Part 2
January 08, 2024 12:00 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBLet’s fall asleep to more about nature’s supreme relaxers—cats! This time, we learn about the trainability of cats, the traits of three longhair breeds, and a tale about a deaf cat with a happy ending. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Our Cats & All About Them” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35450 Music: "Heaven Be Here,...
Manual of Egyptian Archaeology and Guide to Antiquities, Part 6
January 01, 2024 12:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBLet’s kick off 2024 with another sleepy stroll across the sands of time to ancient Egypt. This time, we unravel the labyrinth of Saqqara, see how pyramids changed, and head to the vaunted Valley of the Kings. Dreamy! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Manual of Egyptian Archaeology” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14400 Musi...
Where the Forest Murmurs, by Fiona Macleod, Part 1
December 25, 2023 12:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBLet’s set aside the commercial noise of the holidays and relax with this walk through the forest, appreciate the glories revealed by winter, and consider the turning of the year through the rhythms of life. Lovely! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Everyone who supports us in December will be entered into our multi-prize Holiday Giveaway at the end of the month. Hurrah! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/...
The 1945 Sears Christmas Book, Part 2
December 18, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBLet’s head back to 1945 and see what’s on everyone’s Christmas list from Sears. This time, toys for the little scientist, holiday decorations, sporting gear, magazines, and the dream of every young man . . . slacks! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Everyone who supports us in December will be entered into our multi-prize Holiday Giveaway at the end of the month. Hurrah! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com...
Frye's Practical Candy Maker, by G.V. Frye, Part 2
December 11, 2023 12:00 - 53 minutes - 49 MBLet’s fall into a sweet sleep with more from the world of fine candy-making. This time, we learn to craft classy treats like Coconut Potatoes, Boston Chips, Baby Cream, and Strings of Comfort. I am not making any of those up. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Everyone who supports us in December will be entered into our multi-prize Holiday Giveaway at the end of the month. Hurrah! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymea...
A Select Collection of Valuable and Curious Arts, Part 1
December 04, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBLet’s relax with detailed instructions for the arts of gilding, silvering, and the making of curious inks and secret messages, all of which involve more muskrats, honey, and wolf’s teeth than one might expect. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Everyone who supports us in December will be entered into our multi-prize Holiday Giveaway at the end of the month. Hurrah! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcM...
Sailing Alone Around the World, by Captain Joshua Slocum, Part 1
November 27, 2023 12:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBLet’s wrap up Listener Request Month with the chronicle of the first solo sailing voyage around the world. Sail to sleep aboard the Spray as our captain builds his ship and starts an adventure most only dream of. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Sailing Alone Around the World” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6317 Music: "O...
The Railway Travellers' Handy Book, Part 1
November 20, 2023 12:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBLet’s continue Listener Request Month with this delightfully thorough guide to train journeys. From reading a timetable to choosing the right portmanteau and hiring someone to throw gravel at your window, every practicality is considered. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Railway Travellers’ Handy Book” at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/...
The Architecture of Country Houses, by A.J. Downing - Part 1
November 13, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBLet’s continue Listener Request Month with this guide to country buildings, by which I mean a treatise on the morality of housing, the meaning of beauty, and the art of proportion. Whatever it is, it’s relaxing! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Architecture of Country Houses” at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/architectureofco00d...
The Aeneid, by Virgil, Translated by John Dryden, Part 1
November 06, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBLet’s kick off Listener Request Month with this classic, our first full “verse” offering. Scheming gods, shipwrecks, and heroic speeches, it’s everything you want from an epic you just pretended to read in school. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Aeneid” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/228 Music: "Boring Books for Bedt...
The Book of Werewolves, by Sabine Baring-Gould, Part 2
October 30, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49 MBLet’s slip into spooky sleep with more about the origins of the werewolf, including Scandinavian berserkers and greedy nobles. Your brain will quietly howl with boredom. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Book of Werewolves” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5324 Music: "Dream Colours,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC B...
The History of Bread, by John Ashton, Part 4
October 23, 2023 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBLet’s relax with more carby goodness as we learn about naughty bakers, how flour is made, and the terrible reputations of millers. Also, charts of chemical percentages, and I mangle some Chaucer. What *can't* bread do? Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The History of Bread” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53219 Music: "Pea...
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes, by Robert Louis Stevenson, Part 2
October 16, 2023 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBLet’s continue this sleepy journey through the mountains of France and encounter cantankerous farmers, lovely vistas, and the legendary Beast of Gevaudan, which ends rather anti-climactically, as legends so often do. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes ” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/535 ...
The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, Part 2
October 09, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 48.5 MBLet’s drift off to more from this classic of politics. If you aren’t backstabbing and being backstabbed, are you even governing? Not in 16th-century Europe, apparently! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Prince” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1232 Music: "Dream Colours,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed under CC BY, https://le...
Studying Art Abroad and How to Do It Cheaply, by Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Part 1
October 02, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBThis week, we pack a trunk and head to Europe to practice art on a budget, learn where to live economically, who to study with, and the importance of taking your oldest underwear. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Studying Art Abroad and How to Do It Cheaply” at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/studyingartabroa00nier Music: "Pea...
Ten Acres Enough, by James Miller, Part 3
September 25, 2023 11:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBLet’s run away to the country and relax with more from this guide to the simple life, which seems to involve an inordinate amount of weeding. Also, blackberries of unusual size! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Ten Acres Enough” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48753 Music: "Changing Colours,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed un...
Etiquette, by Emily Post, Part 5
September 18, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBLet’s relax with more from Mrs. Emily Post as she advises us on making calls, the art of social climbing, and the niceties of leaving one’s card. Truly a calling card for sleep! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Etiquette” at Project Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/14314 Music: "Boring Books for Bedtime,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed under...
How to Produce Amateur Plays, by Barrett H. Clark, Part 1
September 11, 2023 11:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBLet’s relax and sleep with advice on staging a play, including roles behind the curtain, choosing actors, and blocking the action, courtesy of a scene from Oscar Wilde. The drama! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “How to Produce Amateur Plays” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39973 Music: "earth 2 earth,” by PC III, licens...
The ABC of Relativity, by Bertrand Russell, Part 3
September 04, 2023 11:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBLet's relax with some sleep-inducing science and learn why space-time is neither space nor time, but so much more. If you’re not entirely sure what the “more” is, never mind. You’ll be asleep anyway. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The ABC of Relativity” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67104 Music: "Boring Books for Bedti...
Our National Parks, by John Muir, Part 3
August 28, 2023 11:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBLet’s continue our relaxing hike through Yellowstone National Park, marvel at geysers and hot springs, imagine prehistoric forests, and appreciate the beauty off the beaten path. Dreamy! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Our National Parks” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60929 Music: "Watching Whales on the Moon,” by Lee ...
The Book of Household Management, by Mrs. Isabella Beeton, Part 10 - Soups and More Soups
August 21, 2023 11:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBLet’s learn more from Mrs. Beeton about vegetable soups and their ingredients, all of which will be ruined by hours-long boiling. Also, the Prince of Wales is honored with tiny turnip balls. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Book of Household Management” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10136 Music: "Boring Books for Bed...
The Hive and the Honey-Bee, by Rev. L.L. Langstroth, Part 3
August 14, 2023 11:00 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBTonight, let’s relax with more from the fascinating world of bees and learn all about murderous queens, busy workers, growing larvae, and lazy drones. It’s all sweet honey for your sleepy mind. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Hive and the Honey-Bee” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24583 Music: "earth 2 earth,” by PC I...
Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance of 1921, Part 3
August 07, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBLet’s continue our sleepy sojourn to Everest and enjoy the flowers of Tibet, pursue timid gazelles, visit monasteries, endure a mutiny and a tragedy, and fire some drunken cooks. Adventurous! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance, 1921” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39421 Music: "Boring Boo...
Ecclesiastical History of Britain, by The Venerable Bede, Part 1
July 31, 2023 11:00 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBLet’s relax with the spread of Christianity in Britain, penned by a saint who was actually there. But first, a preface, an intro, and a biography of the blessed Bede! We do get to the history eventually, but you’ll probably be asleep. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Ecclesiastical History of Britain” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/eb...
Hand-book on Cheesemaking, by George Newell, Part 1
July 24, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBLet’s relax and sleep to more 19th-century know-how, and learn how to set up a cheese factory, get milk to curdle, and appreciate our buddy, lactic acid. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! All supporters in July will be entered into a giveaway for a custom episode of Boring Books for Bedtime made just for you. Yay! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Hand-book on Cheese Making” at Projec...
Our 250th Episode! Sears Roebuck and Co. Modern Homes Catalog, Part 1
July 17, 2023 11:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MBLet’s take a relaxing shop through some of Sears’ lesser-known offerings—houses! From Craftsmans to cottages or an entire apartment building, it can all be delivered to you, guaranteed. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! All supporters in July will be entered into a giveaway for a custom episode of Boring Books for Bedtime made just for you. Yay! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Browse a lib...
The Natural History of Pliny the Elder, Part 2
July 10, 2023 11:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBLet’s return to Pliny’s relaxing opus and learn about the seasons, planting schedules, and the best time to buy a winter cloak so you don’t get price gouged. It’s all written in the stars! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! All supporters in July will be entered into a giveaway for a custom episode of Boring Books for Bedtime made just for you. Yay! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read all...
Pyrotechnics - The History and Art of Firework Making, Part 1
July 03, 2023 11:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBLet’s relax and sleep with quiet thoughts on a loud art, including speculation on Eastern origins, deadly Greek fire, and every mention of fireworks in Europe for a thousand years (no, really). Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! All supporters in July will be entered into a giveaway for a custom episode of Boring Books for Bedtime made just for you. Yay! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read...
On Horsemanship, by Xenophon, Part 1
June 26, 2023 11:00 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MBBy listener request, let’s relax and sleep with this guide to the purchasing, care, and training of horses in Ancient Greece. To sum up, hooves are everything, and kindness counts. Good advice! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “On Horsemanship” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1176 Music: "earth 2 earth,” by PC III, licens...
The Art of Money Getting, by P.T. Barnum, Part 1
June 19, 2023 11:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MBLet’s hear from the world’s greatest showman how to live a wealthy, happy life. Sleepy spoiler alert: do things you’re good at, don’t envy others, and spend less than you make. Talk about boring! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Art of Money Getting” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8581 Music: "Watching Whales on the ...
Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres, Showing That The Earth Is Hollow, Part 3
June 12, 2023 11:00 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBLet’s continue with this sleepy theory about the Earth and how fish migrations absolutely, positively prove that it must be hollow. What other explanation could there be? None, says Symmes! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/54329 Music: "Boring Books for ...
Spices, Their HIstories, by Robert O. Fielding (Part 3–Conclusion)
June 05, 2023 11:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBLet’s finish our tour of the sleepy world of spices, learn about grains of paradise (my favorite medieval spice), and reveal the connection between saffron and…crocodiles? Sure, why not. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Spices, Their Histories” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60192 Music: "Heaven Be Here,” by PC III, lice...
American Pomology, by Dr. J.A. Warder, Part 2
May 29, 2023 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBLet’s relax and sleep with more about apple history, creating hybrids, and the validity of Van Mons’ theories of propagation. Yeah, I don’t know either, but I guess he was big in Belgium. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “American Pomology: Apples” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/37596 Music: "Healing,” by Lee Rosevere, li...
Our Cats and All About Them, by Harrison Weir, Part 1
May 22, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49 MBLet's relax with a subject near and dear to your reader’s heart—cats! Drift off to the intelligence of felines, the first cat show, and drama at the Cat Club. Scandalous! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Our Cats & All About Them” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35450 Music: "Heaven Be Here,” by PC III, licensed under CC ...
The Ethics of Aristotle, Part 2
May 15, 2023 11:00 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBLet’s return to Aristotle’s classic on the purpose of life. What’s it all for, anyway? No real answers here tonight, alas, but at least he can help us sleep through the confusion. Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “The Ethics of Aristotle” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8438 Music: "Boring Books for Bedtime,” by Lee Rosev...
Wild Flowers Worth Knowing, by Neltje Blanchan, Part 3
May 08, 2023 11:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBLet's return to the flower-filled fields of sleep and learn about insect-charming orchids, blistering buttercups, and pinks of the killing kind. Nature is a cruel mistress! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “Wild Flowers Worth Knowing” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8866 Music: "Changing Colours,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed...
A Short History of the World, by H.G. Wells, Part 6
May 01, 2023 11:00 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBIn more from this sleepy history, we take a tour of the glories of Greece and Persia, the brief blaze of Alexander, and the intellectual legacy of the Golden Age. Dreamy! Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/boringbookspod Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/d5kcMsW Read “A Short History of the World” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35461 Music: "Cosmic Tingles,” by Lee Rosevere, licensed und...