Boring Books for Bedtime Sleep Podcast
A solo narrator reads from old, often obscure, public-domain books in a calm, steady voice to help listeners with active minds fall asleep.
A sleep podcast where host Sharon Handy reads chapters from public domain non-fiction books. The selections are intentionally dry—ranging from 19th-century travel guides and scientific treatises to historical Sears catalogs—read in a calm, monotonous voice to quiet the listener's mind. Each episode is framed by a consistent, gentle opening and pre-reading relaxation ritual.
“Unlike many sleep podcasts that use original fiction or ambient noise, this show's niche is its use of real, often quirky, historical texts. It is explicitly ad-free and AI-free, relying entirely on listener support, which fosters a strong community connection through on-air supporter thank-yous.”
Who hosts this show
Boring Books for Bedtime is a one-woman show created, hosted, and produced by Sharon Handy. The podcast, which launched in 2018, grew from her experience reading a dry text to help her stepson fall asleep. In her professional life, Handy has spent 30 years as a creative content developer and writer for science centers and children's museums, creating games and interactive media. The podcast features weekly readings from non-fiction public domain works, chosen to be just interesting enough to hold attention but not so engaging they prevent sleep.
Credentials & credits
- Creator, Host, and Producer of Boring Books for Bedtime
- 30 years as a creative content developer and writer for science centers and children's museums
- Developer of interactive media for informal education
- Creator and co-host of 'Gin & Cake' podcast
Other ventures
- Gin & Cake (podcast)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01400th Episode! 1897 Sears Catalog: Sewing Machines
A fan-favorite source of boring content, this episode on sewing machines from the 1897 Sears Catalog celebrates the podcast's 400th installment and showcases its unique charm.
- 02The Railway Traveller’s Handy Book (Part 4)
This reading from an 1862 guide to train travel exemplifies the podcast's knack for finding quirky, historical non-fiction that is both mildly amusing and sleep-inducing.
- 03Sailing Alone Around the World, by Joshua Slocum (Pt 4)
An example of a text that borders on exciting but is rendered calming by the host's delivery, demonstrating the fine line the show walks to keep the listener engaged but relaxed.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a solo narrative show with no interviews or guests. Each episode begins with the host's signature greeting, a thank you to Patreon supporters, and a brief relaxation exercise. [H9ZNAheUD-Q, YxaGce44_vY] The host, Sharon Handy, then reads a selection from a public domain book in a calm, steady, and slightly breathy voice before closing.
Signature segments
- · Opening phrase: 'Good evening, and thank you for joining me...'
- · Pre-reading relaxation instructions
- · On-air thank-yous to new Patreon supporters by name
- · Reading from public domain non-fiction books
- · Transition to reading: 'And off we go'
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is 100% listener-supported and ad-free, a point of pride mentioned in every episode's introduction and description. Support is encouraged through one-time tips on Buy Me a Coffee or recurring pledges on Patreon, which offers exclusive content like full book readings.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the narrator of Boring Books for Bedtime?
- The host, narrator, and producer is Sharon Handy, a writer and creative content developer for museums.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, it is a weekly podcast that has been running since 2018 and has produced over 400 episodes.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a solo narrative podcast. Each episode features host Sharon Handy reading a chapter from a boring, public-domain, non-fiction book to help listeners fall asleep.
- How can I support the podcast?
- The podcast is ad-free and listener-supported via Patreon and BuyMeACoffee.com.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- It is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and most other podcast providers.
- Can I suggest a book for the podcast?
- Yes, the host accepts suggestions for books that are in the public domain (typically published before 1930).
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]About | Boring Books for Bedtime Sleep Podcastboringbookspod.com
- [02]This St. Petersburg woman is paid to bore people to sleep - Tampa Bay Timestampabay.com
- [03]Boring Books for Bedtime - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [04]Boring Books for Bedtime - Podchaserpodchaser.com
- [05]Boring Books for Bedtime Official Websiteboringbookspod.com
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