Best Bedtime Stories for Adults: Podcasts, Apps & Books

Nothing Much Happens

by Kathryn Nicolai · Audiobook · read by the author

"You'll also find 16 new stories never before featured on the podcast, along with whimsical illustrations, recipes, and meditations. Using her decades of experience as a meditation and yoga teacher, Kathryn Nicolai creates a world for you to slip into, one rich in sensory experience that quietly teaches mindfulness and self-compassion, soothes frayed nerves, and builds solid habits for nurturing sleep."

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman · Audiobook · read by the author

"Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is the winner of the Newbery Medal, the Carnegie Medal, the Hugo Award for best novel, the Locus Award for Young Adult novel, the American Bookseller Association's "Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book", a Horn Book Honor, and Audio Book of the Year."

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman · Audiobook · read by the author

"In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for 600 years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve the star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life."

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

by Charlie Mackesy · Audiobook · read by the author

"Experience the world of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love."

At Home

by Bill Bryson · Audiobook · read by the author

"Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposi­tion imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life."

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by Bill Bryson · Audiobook · narrated by Richard Matthews

"Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us."

The Body

by Bill Bryson · Audiobook · read by the author

"Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body – how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Bryson-esque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you in particular."

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

by Bill Bryson · Audiobook · read by the author

"Bill Bryson’s first travel book opened with the immortal line, “I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.” In this hilarious new memoir, he travels back to explore the kid he once was and the weird and wonderful world of 1950s America. He modestly claims that this is a book about not very much: about being small and getting much larger slowly. But for the rest of us, it is a laugh-out-loud book that will speak volumes – especially to anyone who has ever been young."

Sherlock Holmes The Definitive Collection

by Arthur Conan Doyle · Audiobook · narrated by Stephen Fry

Nearly 70 hours of Sherlock Holmes read by Stephen Fry. This is a favorite of many.

Troy

by Stephen Fry · Audiobook · read by the author

"Full of tragic heroes, intoxicating love stories, and the unstoppable force of fate, there is no conflict more iconic than the Trojan War. Troy is the story of the epic battle retold by Fry with drama, humor, and vivid emotion. Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Helen, their lovers, and their mortal enemies all burn bright in Fry's compelling prose. This volume invites you to explore a captivating world with a brilliant storyteller as your guide."

Mythos

by Stephen Fry · Audiobook · read by the author

"Here are the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths, stylishly retold by Stephen Fry. The legendary writer, actor, and comedian breathes life into ancient tales, from Pandora's box to Prometheus's fire, and transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder. Learned notes from the author offer rich cultural context. This volume is a doorway into a captivating world."

Heroes

by Stephen Fry · Audiobook · read by the author

"Perseus. Jason. Atalanta. Theseus. Heracles. Rediscover the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths. Whether recounting a tender love affair or a heroic triumph, Fry deftly finds resonance with our own modern minds and hearts."

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

by J.K. Rowling · Audiobook · narrated by Jim Dale

Of course, what bedtime story list would be complete without recommmend the fantasy powerhouse Harry Potter? Of course, I recommend them all.

Life on Earth

by David Attenborough · Audiobook · read by the author

Basically an audibook version of Life on Earth! What's not to like here? Each chapter is accompanied by a soundscape to fit the biome.