Let the intrigue of Renaissance Italy lull you into a peaceful slumber as we follow Bellarion, the clever yet unwitting hero, who stumbles into a noblewomanâs gardenâonly to find himself tangled in a plot far beyond his understanding. Rafael Sabatiniâs lush prose, read in a slow pace, transforms this tale of mystery and fortune into the perfect bedtime escape. Close your eyes, wander the moonlit paths of this enchanting garden, and let the whispers of conspiracy fade into dreams. Sleep well, and...
Jun 29, 2025â˘38 min
Drift into serenity with Ralph Waldo Emersonâs timeless essay Nature , where he reveals language as a mirror of the natural worldâs deepest truths. Let his poetic musings on rivers, stars, and the silent wisdom of the earth wash over you in this slow, soothing reading. With a tranquil pace, this episode transforms transcendental philosophy into a dreamy lullaby for the mind. Close your eyes, breathe deep, and let Emersonâs words carry you into peaceful slumber. Sleep well, and wander happily in ...
Jun 23, 2025â˘37 min
Let Anne Shirleyâs bright spirit and fiery emotions lull you into a peaceful slumber. Tonightâs Sleepy Time Tale follows Anneâs heartwarming discovery of her new home at Green Gablesâfull of hope and happinessâuntil a run-in with a prickly neighbor sparks her infamous temper. Told in a slow, soothing voice, this beloved story becomes the perfect companion for drifting off to sleep. Close your eyes, imagine the cherry blossoms of Avonlea, and let Anneâs adventures melt into dreams. Sweet dreams, ...
Jun 16, 2025â˘40 min
Let the distant echoes of history lull you to sleep as we drift into the shadowy world of the Dark Ages. Tonightâs episode follows the epic clashes between the Goths and the Byzantine Emperor Justinian Iâwars that shaped empires, yet now fade into whispers. Told in a slow, soothing voice, this tale of conquest and intrigue becomes a tranquil bedtime story. Close your eyes, and let the past melt into dreams. Sleep well. Story (03:00) Find The Dark Ages, 476-918 by Charles Oman https://www.gutenbe...
Jun 09, 2025â˘39 min
Let the hauntingly beautiful prose of Mary Shelleyâs The Last Man ease you into slumber as we follow Raymondâs election as Protectorâa moment of triumph shadowed by quiet doubts and personal tensions. With soft, melodic narration and a gentle rhythm, this episode transforms Shelleyâs post-apocalyptic vision into a soothing bedtime story, perfect for drifting off into peaceful dreams. Close your eyes, and let the words carry you away⌠sleep well. Story (02:36) Find The Last Man by Mary Wollstonec...
Jun 02, 2025â˘39 min
If you're lying awake tonight, let the slow, droning account of 19th-century steam trains rock you to sleep. This episode features a particularly unexciting reading from Samuel Sidney's Rides on Railways , where we meander through endless details about engine repairs, rivet counts, and the thrilling scenery of Wolverton's railway workshops. Story (02:41) If you're lying awake tonight, let the slow, droning account of 19th-century steam trains rock you to sleep. This episode features a particular...
May 26, 2025â˘37 min
Struggling to fall asleep? Let the gentle, unhurried reading of Birds and Their Nests by Mary Howitt lull you into a deep, peaceful slumber. This podcast is intentionally slow, calm, and yesâeven a little boringâto help quiet your mind and ease you into sleep. No dramatic voices, no sudden sounds, just soft narration about delightful birds and their nesting habits. Story (02:47) đ Tonightâs Sleep-Inducing Episode: Listen as we explore the charming world of jackdaws, wagtails, doves, and other f...
May 19, 2025â˘40 min
đď¸ Sleepy Time Podcast: The Great Gatsby â Chapter 5 (Gatsby Reunites with Daisy) | Boring Bedtime Stories to Help You Sleep đ´ Story (02:44) Struggling to fall asleep? Let the soothing, monotonous reading of The Great Gatsby lull you into a deep slumber. This podcast is intentionally slow, calm, and yesâeven boringâto help quiet your mind and ease you into sleep. No dramatic voices, no sudden sounds, just a gentle, uninterrupted reading of F. Scott Fitzgeraldâs classic novel. đ Tonightâs Slee...
May 12, 2025â˘38 min
Drift into the ancient world with this tranquil retelling of one of history's most epic clashes. As the Persian King Xerxes leads his vast army into Greece, a small band of Spartan warriors, led by King Leonidas, makes its legendary stand at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. Narrated in a slow, calming tone, this episode transforms the dramatic tale of courage and sacrifice into a restful bedtime story. Let the rhythmic cadence of historyâs echoes lull you into a deep, peaceful slumber. Close your...
May 05, 2025â˘38 min
Step into the quiet aftermath of a gathering where unspoken tensions linger in the air. This weekâs Sleepy Time Story brings you Virginia Woolfâs Night and Day . As the guests depart, the real drama beginsâsubtle glances, veiled confessions, and the quiet power struggles between men and women take center stage. Let Woolfâs rich prose and keen observations lull you into relaxation as you drift into slumber, wrapped in the elegance of early 20th-century manners and unspoken desires. Close your eye...
Apr 28, 2025â˘36 min
Apologies for the Latin pronunciations as I share the history of literature and languages, and the study thereof to help you sleep. Youâre sure to be counting sheep very quickly as we discuss the subtleties of Latin poetry and how local languages struggled to become a medium for expression. Story (02:37) Find The Flourishing of Romance and the Rise of Allegory by George Saintsbury https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21600 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help ke...
Apr 21, 2025â˘36 min
Things settle down as you prepare for sleep. M. Arronax and his companions are safe, if confused on board the Nautilus as they meet Nemo and learn about how he has left the world behind. They are given an unpleasant choice, but a great meal. Story (02:41) Find Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/164 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and for free, there are several ways you can su...
Apr 14, 2025â˘39 min
Tonight, drift back in time to the golden sands of Ancient Egypt, where the Nileâs gentle currents shaped lives and homes for both commoners and nobles. In this soothing episode, we explore the quiet beauty of Egyptian dwellingsâfrom the sunbaked mudbrick houses of workers to the grand villas adorned with lush gardens and cooling courtyards. Discover the clever construction methods that kept these homes cool under the desert sun and the simple, harmonious designs that made them havens of rest. L...
Apr 07, 2025â˘43 min
This weekâs boring non fiction is the ideal sleep aid as we learn about the many people who were fined for their part in the South Sea Bubble. Peers, lords and businessmen alike faced massive consequences for taking part of the scam. Story (02:47) Find Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Mackay https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24518 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and for free, there are sev...
Mar 31, 2025â˘42 min
Itâs all happening in this weekâs bedtime story as the children prepare to take Colin out to the Secret Garden for the first time. Thereâs a lot of excitement and joy, but thereâs an unpleasant surprise towards the end that may mean disaster. Story (02:31) Find The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17396 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and for free, there are several ways you can support...
Mar 24, 2025â˘42 min
We return to some sleepy non-fiction for this weekâs bedtime reading. Learning about the erosion caused by various types of glacier gets you off to a boring start, and Iâm sure youâll be fast asleep by the time we get to the subtleties of the wind. Story (02:44) Find The Elements of Geology by William Harmon Norton https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40404 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and for free, there are several ways you c...
Mar 17, 2025â˘39 min
In this strange story we pick up with the Duchess and the Empress building worlds with their minds. They then move on to traveling as spirits to our own world. Iâm fairly sure youâll be asleep before the strange adventure ends with a court case about Fortuneâs treatment of the Dutchessâs husband Story (02:48) Find The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51783 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podc...
Mar 10, 2025â˘38 min
This week we continue learning about he actual mechanism of evolution by natural selection. Itâs pretty boring, I can barely remember what I just read, so Iâm pretty sure this will help you sleep. :D Story (02:46) Find On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1228 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and for free, there are several ways you can support the show. ¡ You...
Mar 03, 2025â˘34 min
We pick up this classic bedtime story as things take a bit of a dark turn. Beth is sick with scarlet fever, and itâs touch and go for a while, but donât let it prevent your sleep. Sheâs fine in the end. The family makes some hard choices and their love is tested, but the fever breaks and all is well. Story (02:39) Find Little Women by Louisa May Alcott https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/514 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast available and fo...
Feb 24, 2025â˘37 min
Find yourself drifting to sleep learning the history of the Italian renaissance in Rome, from Raphael to Titian. Raphaelâs great rivalry with Michaelangelo and how art changed over their lifetimes. Lots of name, dates and jargon are the perfect recipe for your restful repose. Story (02:44) Find A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25632 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the po...
Feb 17, 2025â˘39 min
For this weekâs sleepy story we return to this mysterious classic to help you sleep. Walther our protagonist feels out of place in the house of the mysterious and beautiful Lady, who seems both hostile and friendly. Walther meets the Maid once again, but as he goes hunting he feels like his situation is dangerous. Story (02:42) Find The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3055 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the...
Feb 10, 2025â˘41 min
Hi friends. Unfortunately my chest and voice are still wrecked from having the flu so I canât record anything that people would want to listen to. So hereâs the second part of 2023âs Halloween reading. Be warned that traditional Halloween traditions may be a bit disturbing, but I left out the nasty stuff. This spooky episode shouldnât leave you sleepless. We continue the exploration of how pagan traditions were subsumed into Christianity, and how even some Christian traditions began to be viewed...
Feb 03, 2025â˘44 minâ˘Ep. 311
Sorry friends, back to school time means my daughter has brought home a fun new illness which means I have no voice or energy, so Iâm pulling this weird one out of the archive. Be warned that traditional Halloween traditions may be a bit disturbing, but I left out the nasty stuff. This spooky episode shouldnât leave you sleepless. Learn some of the traditions and tales of continental Europe, including the surprising revelation that Britain was considered to be the âLand of the Deadâ by communiti...
Jan 27, 2025â˘41 minâ˘Ep. 310
A century old Astronomy text book is a fascinating thing. Itâs amazing to see what was known 100 years ago, and what was still speculation based on very logical application of physics. As you fall asleep you will learn about how it was believed the sun produces heat, how long it will continue to shine, and about the structure of the solar system. Story (03:12) Find Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly Bodies by David P. Todd https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39142 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales I...
Jan 20, 2025â˘41 minâ˘Ep. 309
Pride and Prejudice Part 07 â Janeâs Heartbreak and a Wedding A return to the Jane Auten bedtime classic this week as we pick up on a conversation between Lizzy and Jane Bennett. Jane wonât believe that her romance was interfered with by her beauâs family, and will you be asleep by the time she learns the truth? Story (02:57) Find Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1342 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help keep the podcast av...
Jan 13, 2025â˘37 minâ˘Ep. 308
The Republic by Plato This one should help you sleep as we pick up in the middle of a discussion about the morality of representing the negative aspects of the behaviours of the Gods. And then it moves in to whether actors should be allowed to pretend. Itâs all confusing and self-indulgent so Iâm sure this will be the recipe to a nightâs rest. Story (03:23) Find The Republic by Plato https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1497 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to support my work and help ...
Jan 06, 2025â˘40 minâ˘Ep. 307
REPOST - Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens As the year draws to a close and we keep occupied with holiday celebration and organising we are replaying an older episode from 2022. I keep life away from Sleepy Time Tales, as itâs intended as a refuge and respite, but I do want to acknowledge that for me, and many others, itâs been a rough year. Although for me it has also seen a lot of growth, change and joy. For others the year has been short of joy and the future may seem a bit dark. But with ...
Dec 30, 2024â˘41 min
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens â Christmas Present to the Future We pick up for this yearâs continuation of A Christmas Carol as Scroogeâs time with the Ghost of Christmas Present starts to come to a close, and things take a dark turn. The Ghost of Christmas Future is here, and its somewhat macabre as we learn about a mysterious deceased person, the reactions to their passing and see their effects being sold off. But who is the subject? Iâm sure we know, but you will be asleep before learn...
Dec 23, 2024â˘39 minâ˘Ep. 305
Santa Claus and Select Christmas Stories for Bedtime For this holiday reading we return to the traditional reading of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum to help you sleep. As you doze off he learns how to deal with chimneys disappearing, and he becomes immortal. And the story ends early, so there are a selection of short stories and poems from the Pearl Story Book to finish up. A Christmas Song The Shepard Maidenâs Gift Christmas Gifts A Night with Santa Claus Story (03:04) ...
Dec 16, 2024â˘45 minâ˘Ep. 304
Bellarion the Fortunate : A Romance by Rafael Sabatini In this weekâs sleepy bedtime story we pick up at an exciting time as our protagonist is struggling to escape from authorities after him for a crime he didnât commit. Bellarion gets away and gets discovered by a noble woman who sees fit to help him, but what are her motivations? Story (02:52) Find Bellarion the Fortunate : A Romance by Rafael Sabatini https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29433 Supporting Sleepy Time Tales If you would like to su...
Dec 09, 2024â˘35 minâ˘Ep. 303
