Let’s celebrate Earth Day with more from Muir’s poetic ode to the spectacular natural wonders of North America. This time, we complete our relaxing tour of Yellowstone and head to beautiful Yosemite, the jewel of the Sierras. Truly the stuff o

Handbook on Cheese Making, by George E. Newell, Part 2

10 days ago 49m 20s

Let’s return to the relaxing world of dairy products and learn more about the design of a good curing room, dividing profits among your producers, and what makes a great cheese. Hint: it’s definitely not skim milk! Help us stay ad-free and 1

Mars and Its Canals, by Percival Lowell, Part 3

17 days ago 51m 20s

Let’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

Practical Mind Reading, by William Walker Atkinson, Part 3 (Conclusion)

24 days ago 1h 3m

Let’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? I

The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith, Part 3

1 month ago 49m 47s

Let’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-support

Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance of 1921, Part 4

Mar 18th, 2024 49m 9s

Let’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!

Cassell's Book of Birds, Part 5 - Parrots Continued

Mar 11th, 2024 58m 30s

Let’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-suppo

Science in the Kitchen, by Mrs. E.E. Kellogg, Part 1

Mar 4th, 2024 46m 52s

Let’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-

The Problems of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell, Part 3

Feb 26th, 2024 54m 9s

Let’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

Cottages; or Hints on Economical Building, Part 2

Feb 19th, 2024 51m 43s

Let’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-supp

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin, Part 5

Feb 12th, 2024 55m 57s

In 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-f

The Voyage of The Bounty to the South Sea, by William Bligh, Part 2

Feb 5th, 2024 48m 19s

Let’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 th

Bicycling for Ladies, by Maria E. Ward, Part 3

Jan 29th, 2024 53m 2s

Let’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% list

Astronomy for Young Folks, by Isabel Martin Lewis, Part 8

Jan 22nd, 2024 53m 44s

Tonight, 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! Patreo

A Short History of the World, by H.G. Wells, Part 7

Jan 15th, 2024 49m 31s

In 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! P

Our Cats and All About Them, by Harrison Weir, Part 2

Jan 8th, 2024 46m 34s

Let’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-

Manual of Egyptian Archaeology and Guide to Antiquities, Part 6

Jan 1st, 2024 54m 54s

Let’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

Where the Forest Murmurs, by Fiona Macleod, Part 1

Dec 25th, 2023 45m 40s

Let’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 1

The 1945 Sears Christmas Book, Part 2

Dec 18th, 2023 50m 7s

Let’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

Frye's Practical Candy Maker, by G.V. Frye, Part 2

Dec 11th, 2023 53m 29s

Let’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

A Select Collection of Valuable and Curious Arts, Part 1

Dec 4th, 2023 50m 55s

Let’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% l

Sailing Alone Around the World, by Captain Joshua Slocum, Part 1

Nov 27th, 2023 43m 34s

Let’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%

The Railway Travellers' Handy Book, Part 1

Nov 20th, 2023 52m 54s

Let’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. Hel

The Architecture of Country Houses, by A.J. Downing - Part 1

Nov 13th, 2023 50m 7s

Let’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%

The Aeneid, by Virgil, Translated by John Dryden, Part 1

Nov 6th, 2023 48m 52s

Let’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