

Boring Books for Bedtime Readings to Help You Sleep
Sharon Handy
Boring Books for Bedtime is a weekly, ad-free, AI-free 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 balance 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.
If you're on Team Sleepless, lie back, take a deep breath, and let us read you to rest.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 10, 2018 • 46min
The Brehon Laws: A Legal Handbook, Reading 1
Tonight, let's fall asleep to the ancient origins of the Irish legal system, the "brehon laws". As we drift off, we'll also pass by some passive aggressive criticism about British control of Ireland, as only a solemn 19th century scholar of jurisprudence can express it. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Music: "Exit Exit" by PCIII (freemusicarchive.org), licensed under CC BY

Dec 3, 2018 • 52min
Hand Loom Weaving: A Manual for School & Home, Reading 1
In this episode, be lulled by "Hand Loom Weaving: A Manual for School and Home", and more early 20th century educational and moral philosophy than one might expect from a hand loom. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Music: "Ocean Tapping" by PCIII (freemusicarchive.org), licensed under CC BY

Nov 26, 2018 • 51min
Plato's Republic: Introduction & Analysis, Reading 1
In this episode, we relax to the musings of the great Victorian classicist Benjamin Jowett, and his thoughts on Plato's "Republic". It's as perfectly ponderous as you imagine. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Music: "Gentle Whispering" by Lee Rosevere (freemusicarchive.org), licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0

Nov 19, 2018 • 1h 5min
Transatlantic Eastbound Passenger Sailings, 1925
This episode is specially dedicated to those who find lists and repetition relaxing. Instead of a book, we're reading the Joint List of Eastbound Transatlantic Passenger Sailings for December through April 1925. Bon voyage! PS Apologies for mangling ship and city names, and for pronouncing Cobh as "cob" and not "cove" through half of the recording. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Music: "Cosmic Tingles" by Lee Rosevere (freemusicarchive.org), licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0

Nov 12, 2018 • 57min
1872 Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalog, Drugs Department
In this episode, we venture through some of the 700+ pages of the 1872 Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalog, and discover everything there is to know about freight shipping. We also trip into the Drugs Department, which is both quite boring and mildly horrifying. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also support us. Enjoy! Music: "Heaven Be Here," PCIII http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Heaven_Be_Here/Heaven_Be_Here

Nov 12, 2018 • 57min
The Principles of Geology, Reading 1
In this episode, we read the first two chapters of "The Principles of Geology," by famed-but-mildly-ponderous geologist Sir Charles Lyell. Honestly, it was kind of interesting, but try not to notice. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also support us (and earn yourself a very quiet shoutout on the show). Enjoy! Music: "Dream Loop" (DL Music)

Nov 12, 2018 • 27min
Loyalists of America and Their Times, Reading I
In this episode, we'll ramble through a chapter of "The Loyalists of America and Their Times," written by a Canadian, so that's fun. And really rather boring. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also support us. Enjoy! Music: "Heaven Be Here," PCIII http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Heaven_Be_Here/Heaven_Be_Here

Nov 12, 2018 • 44min
The Problems of Philosophy, Reading 1
In this episode, we read the first two chapters of "The Problems of Philosophy," by Bertrand Russell. There's a lot of talk of tables, and more instances of the word "thus" than there really should be. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Enjoy! Music: "Healing Dream", Solfeggioasis

Nov 5, 2018 • 39min
The Book of Household Management, Reading 1
In this episode, we'll be bored by some housekeeping basics from "The Book of Household Management," a classic, and spectacularly detailed, guide from the pen of Mrs. Isabella Beeton. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also kindly support this podcast. Enjoy! Music: "earth 2 earth," PCIII (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/earth2earth/)

Oct 28, 2018 • 48min
A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses, Reading I
In this episode, we read several chapters from "A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses." It's every bit as mind-numbing as it sounds. All Boring Books readings are taken from works in the public domain. If you'd like to suggest a copyright-free reading, catch us on Twitter @boringbookspod or on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/boringbookspod, where you can also support us. Enjoy! Music: "Dream Loop" (DL Music)


